The Southwestern United States has a long history of drought. Tree-ring records show periods of extended drought in the paleo climate. More recently, several Western states, including Arizona, New Mexico, and Texas, have been suffering through a long-term drought. This drought has led to parched landscapes, livestock sell-offs, and concerns about providing adequate water supplies for all users. Many of the states affected by this long-term drought have adopted policies to conserve water resources in the event of a shortage. These drought restrictions are often composed of several stages that correspond to various levels of suggested or enforced water restrictions. Restrictions often target outdoor watering, such as sprinklers for turf, and can limit watering to certain times of day, certain days of the week, or ban it outright.
Keywords: drought, wildfire, mega fires