You are now in California and the U.S. category.

The same storm that’s expected to dump 1 inch of rain on San Francisco later this week is going to really let loose in Northwestern California. Over 19 inches of rain could fill empty river and stream beds and head toward the Shasta, Whiskeytown and Trinity reservoirs, which need the water. Jan Null, a meteorologist with Golden Gate Weather Services, says this moisture is a result of the Pacific storm Typhoon Songda. He says while this amount of rain is unusual for October, it’s really not that unusual for that part of California.

Five years of drought have brought both big challenges and big changes to California’s urban water systems. Amid yearlong mandatory water cuts, residents of California’s cities have made massive efforts to conserve water at home and at work. Many water agencies have stepped up programs to treat and reuse water. Policymakers have made headway in regulations for water recycling. But there’s ample room for growth. Experts around the world are watching how Californian cities think, research and innovate to create a path of sustainable growth in a future with fewer water resources.

A new report commissioned by the Westlands Water District, the largest agricultural water district in the nation, concludes that water supply restrictions are reducing farm production and negatively impacting communities dependent on agriculture.

“Unfortunately, government water policies are responsible for decline in farming and risks to the communities in the San Joaquin region,” said Johnny Amaral, deputy general manager for Westlands. “The Central Valley Project is broken, the management of state water resources is jeopardizing the region, and without a solution there is little hope of a turnaround that will improve conditions for farming in 2017.”

Where would we all be without the bay? Well, not here, that’s for sure: It’s quite literally the defining characteristic of all of our diverse communities. Which is why it’s downright annoying to learn that, gallon by gallon, the rest of the state is gradually robbing us of it.The situation is much more complex than that, of course. A lot of political nuance and competing community needs go into determining the balance of California’s “water wars.”

While not everyone might be upset by California-based drought expert and author John Austin’s recent observation that for trees and plants in California, “it is probably the worst 16-year period in more than 850 years,” it certainly sets off alarm bells for our organization. In fact, Austin’s haunting observation that we have entered a “new normal” when it comes to drought is one that should concern and motivate us all. Unfortunately, this “new normal” extends beyond California.