By living within our 'water means,' we can be proactive in crafting solutions that value, protect, and conserve this liquid gold.  Now is the time for residents of the watershed to critically examine when, how, and why we're using ground and surface water, particularly in the driest months when the demand is also the greatest for agriculture, recreation, hyropower, and our flora and fauna.

Living Within Our Water Means: We can take many proactive steps to improve water use in homes and businesses.  To follow are a few key steps for living within our means:

1. Boost water conservation measures in homes and businesses, as well as on ranches and farms.

2. Enable creative re-use of water like applying "gray water" (i.e., water used in the kitchen) to lawns, crops, or gardens.

3. Encourage flexible transfers of water between different valuable uses.

4. Link land-use decisions to water availability, especially in fast-growing counties that rely on groundwater for new development.

5. Promote local watershed groups and water districts that initiate restoration, conservation, and education efforts.

6. Create space for public dialogue and policy changes for water use.