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

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

"We knew local weather change would stress our water provides and we have been preparing for it however we did not know it would occur this fast," mentioned Gloria Gray, chairwoman of the Metropolitan Water District Board of Directors.  

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

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

California is not alone as reservoirs across the West are draining.  

Lake Mead, the largest reservoir in the nation formed by the Hoover Dam on the Colorado River, wants a brand new pump to ensure water can stream to Las Vegas. 

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

Reager stated the West is in a 22-year megadrought, as climate change makes it hotter and drier. 

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