Californians Asked to Keep Showers Short Despite Ample Water (1)

California’s mountain snowpack has peaked just above its historic average for early spring, likely ensuring ample water this summer for farmers and residents of the drought-prone state.

But Governor Gavin Newsom doesn’t want Californians, who have endured years of dry weather, to just open up the taps.

“You can take a deep breath this year, but don’t quadruple the amount of time in your shower,” Newsom said. “Consider that this time next year, we might be in a different place.”

Newsom joined state water officials at their latest manual snowpack measurement of the season Tuesday in a Sierra Nevada meadow, ...