California farms, cities warned they may lose access to state's creeks, rivers

"Thousands of California farms and cities have been warned that their permission to pump water from rivers and creeks could be cut back if the drought worsens..."

'...The city of Sacramento, for instance, depends on diversion rights in both the American and Sacramento rivers. Some of these rights are considered to have high seniority, but this may not protect the city from cutbacks later this year if the drought worsens.
"It's not a property right," said Ronald Stork, senior policy advocate at Friends of the River.
"Providence has to provide the water. And if she doesn't, your water right is not going to be anything more than a piece of paper.'

Read the Sacramento Bee article, by clicking here.