"California Governor Jerry Brown signed emergency legislation on Friday that fast-tracks over $1 billion in funding for drought relief and water infrastructure within the parched state.

California is in its fourth year of a record-breaking drought, prompting officials to issue strict statewide conservation measures and to reduced water supplies for farmers.

'This funding is just one piece of a much larger effort to help those most impacted by the drought and prepare the state for an uncertain future,' said Brown in a statement. 'Rain is not in the forecast and every Californian must be doing their utmost to conserve water.'"

Robin Respaut reports for Reuters March 27, 2015. [2]