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0 of 3 Premium Clicks used this month SUBSCRIBE Print + Online Subscriber Activation | Register x Forgot Password | Need an Account? e-edition | subscribe | newsletter | deals Classifieds Jobs Autos Real Estate FEATURED » NEWS NOW Central Oregon fire prompts resort, neighborhood to evacuate ... Playing with fire: Stalwarts wait it out at Diamond Lake as flames march closer ... Haggen to close stores in Grants Pass, Klamath Falls ... Central Oregon fire prompts resort, neighborhood to evacuate ... Playing with fire: Stalwarts wait it out at Diamond Lake as flames march closer ... Haggen to close stores in Grants Pass, Klamath Falls ... OUR VIEW Our View: Local water supplies are not unlimited Comment MailTribune.com Writer Posted Apr. 3, 2015 at 12:01 AM Posted Apr. 3, 2015 at 12:01 AM » Social News Rogue Valley residents — at least those supplied by the Medford Water Commission — might be tempted to feel a bit smug about California's unprecedented water-conservation measures this summer. They shouldn't. California Gov. Jerry Brown on Wednesday announced the first mandatory water restrictions in California history. He had little choice; snowpack in the Sierra Nevada is lower than it has ever been since record keeping began 65 years ago. The water content of what little snow there is measured 5 percent of the state average for April 1. Brown ordered the California State Water Resources Control Board to reduce water use by 25 percent. That would save 1.5 million acre-feet over the next nine months. Beyond that, Brown seeks to replace 50 million square feet of lawn with drought-tolerant landscaping across the state, ban the watering of ornamental grass on street medians and require homebuilders to install drip irrigation systems if they plan to use potable water for landscaping.  That last one should be a wakeup call to Medford residents, who have been sprinkling their lawns with drinking water for years. No one is talking about restrictions like that here — at least, not yet. Oregon's snowpack also is at historic lows, but we are not experiencing a drought of the same severity as California. Southern Oregon is fortunate to benefit from the foresight of early leaders who developed Big Butte Springs as a water supply, first for Medford and then for much of the rest of the Rogue Valley. But local residents should keep in mind that Big Butte Springs is dependent on snowmelt to recharge its supply. This summer, which is predicted to be hot and, once again, unusually dry, everyone should use extra care when watering lawns and irrigating gardens and flowerbeds. No one is talking about water rationing here yet. But it's not out of the question if weather patterns continue as they have the past couple of years. MailTribune.com Writer Posted Apr. 3, 2015 at 12:01 AM » Comment or view comments Reader Reaction » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Southern Oregon Directory Featured Businesses Loading... Business Name address Location, ST | website.com Find Southern Oregon Attractions Bars Restaurants Beauty Salons Entertainment Doctors Medical Specialists Contractors Education Lawn Services Lawyers Shopping Travel Tanning Used Cars Wedding Services ▼ Add your business here + Events Calendar Connect with MailTribune.com Facebook Twitter RSS Back to top Reader Services Reader Services Home Subscriptions Subscriber controls Contact us Submissions Photos Events Letters to the editor Corrections Announcements Obituaries Story ideas Since you asked Alerts Email Alerts RSS Feeds Text Alerts Advertise Media Kit Home Products and services Ad rates Advertising contacts Propel Marketing Mail Tribune Daily Tidings The Nickel Shop Our Valley Blogs Mobile Site Stay Informed Email newsletter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Your privacy is important, read our privacy policy. © Copyright 2015 Local Media Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms of Service | Local Media Group Publications Original content available for non-commercial use under a Creative Commons license, except where noted. MailTribune.com | P.O. Box 1108, Medford, OR 97501