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water in California. It irrigates about a third of California's 9 million acres of irrigated farmland. The SWP is a network of canals, pumps and storage facilities. including Oroville Dam operated by the state Department ot Water Resources (DWR), that supplies two-thirds ot Calitornia's drinking water and irrigates 1.2 million acres of farmland. Still, local supplies and groundwater pumping account for more than 60 percent of California.s water supply. Given the limitations on new water development. how will California meet the water requirements of a growing population and the environment in the next century? Part of the answer lies in water conserva- tion, which can eliminate or defer the need for some new supply facilities, help extend critical water supplies for users, making more water available for environmental preservation, and ensure that the highest quality water is used for the highest beneficial uses. When experts talk about water conservation they usually mean using no more water than is neces- sary and, in some cases, increasing the efficiency of existing uses. For homeowners, that means understanding landscape and household water needs and making sure those systems operate as efficiently as possible. For businesses, it means assessing the water needs of industrial processes and looking for ways to reduce "-.. ~. ~ water use. For farmers, it means understanding the water needs of crops and using irrigation practices that meet those needs effectively. Many of the steps toward more efficient uses of water have been institutionalized in recent years, and urban and agricultural water suppliers have adopted formal practices that should further integrate conservation into everyday operations. Almost 200 urban water suppliers already have committed to adopting these practices, known as best manage. ment practices (BMPs). Agencies and districts that supply water to agricultural areas adopted a similar set of practices (called efficient water management practices. or EWMPs) in late 1996. Although no one is sure how big a role water con- servation will play in the future, the water saving practices outlined in this guide will be important parts of the picture. in both drought and non-drought years. This Layperson's Guide, part of a continuing series published by the Water Education Foundation. is intended to provide the reader with basic informa- tion about water and water conservation. More in-depth information on related topics is available in the Layperson's Guides to Water Recycling & Reuse, Agricultural Drainage, and Groundwater. Folsom Rc'w/Toir 011 the American Rh"er at 17.5 percent capacity in /9YO during the /987-/993 "ml/glll.