The drought California is currently experiencing, while aided by overconsumption of water in big cities, is mainly caused by climate change. The amount of water avaliable to us is determined by the size of the snowpack in the high mountains, as when this water melts it trickles down to feed waterways throughout the state. California has had little rain, and therefore no snow for the snowpacks for 4 years. The lack of rain can be blamed on rising global temperatures, which prevent snow and ice from forming, and changing atmospheric pressures, which prevent rainstorms from occuring. These atmospheric pressures divert rain north, to Alaska, where the warm temperatures melt snow and cause avalanches. Unfortunately, this drought trend isn't a temporary issue. For over a hundred years, temperatures have been insidiously rising, and only now are they at the point where we can feel the effect. Any conseved water will help to slow the consequences of this drought.