New government maps show almost all of the West is in drought and it is not even summer time but: “This is unprecedented”

In an unprecedented move, Southern California officials declared a water shortage emergency and requested roughly 6 million residents to restrict all outdoor watering to simply once every week.  

"We knew climate change would stress our water supplies and we have been making ready for it but we did not know it might happen this fast," said Gloria Grey, chairwoman of the Metropolitan Water District Board of Directors.  

The newest government maps present almost the entire West is in drought, and 95% of California is struggling severe or extreme drought.

"This is actual. That is critical. That is unprecedented," stated Adel Hagekhalil, basic supervisor for the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California.  

California will not be alone as reservoirs across the West are draining.  

Lake Mead, the most important reservoir within the nation shaped by the Hoover Dam on the Colorado River, needs a brand new pump to ensure water can flow to Las Vegas. 

"The problem with climate change is that it takes all of the historical patterns and form of shifts them," NASA scientist Dr. JT Reager informed CBS Information' Ben Tracy. 

Reager mentioned the West is in a 22-year megadrought, as local weather change makes it hotter and drier. 

"We're just beginning to see the dominoes fall. It's drier, we're starting to see much less water in our reservoirs, and we have fires, and in California, there's simply this sequence of consequences that we anticipate," mentioned Reager.