New authorities maps present practically all of the West is in drought and it isn’t even summer time but: “That is unprecedented”

In an unprecedented transfer, Southern California officials declared a water scarcity emergency and requested roughly 6 million residents to restrict all outdoor watering to simply as soon as per week.  

"We knew local weather change would stress our water provides and we've been making ready for it however we didn't know it might occur this quick," mentioned Gloria Gray, chairwoman of the Metropolitan Water District Board of Administrators.  

The latest authorities maps show almost all of the West is in drought, and 95% of California is suffering extreme or excessive drought.

"This is real. That is serious. That is unprecedented," mentioned Adel Hagekhalil, common supervisor for the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California.  

California isn't alone as reservoirs throughout the West are draining.  

Lake Mead, the biggest reservoir within the nation fashioned by the Hoover Dam on the Colorado River, wants a new pump to ensure water can circulate to Las Vegas. 

"The issue with local weather change is that it takes all of the historic patterns and kind of shifts them," NASA scientist Dr. JT Reager informed CBS News' Ben Tracy. 

Reager stated the West is in a 22-year megadrought, as climate change makes it hotter and drier. 

"We're just starting to see the dominoes fall. It's drier, we're starting to see less water in our reservoirs, and we've fires, and in California, there's just this series of penalties that we anticipate," mentioned Reager.