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All our hay comes from the Imperial Valley around El Centro. thankfully they get seven to eight cuttings per year AND can grow almost year round. Their water comes from the dregs of the Colorado River.
deb
THat poor COlorado river-- 30 years ago the volume was so significantly reduced that the River didn't make it to the ocean. Simply faded into the sand. We need better methods to be frugal with our water. Especially CA as that is a HUGE producer of food for the rest of the US. We need to develop other ways.
When we moved here in 67 I think there was a little trickle.... But California cant take all the credit.....
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dams_in_the_Colorado_River_system
Most of northern Californias water comes from the snowpack in the Sierra Nevadas.... they just got their first snow of the year....
San diego depends mostly the Colorado... as does The imperial Valley and Mexico (the mexican side of the Imperial valley). But the past twenty years we have seen more and more drout or the cycles of drought lasting longer and longer. To date we have been in water conservation mode for the past twenty... Low flow toilets are mandatory.... Water from the garden running down the street is a fine able offense. People are given incentives to xeriscape the landscape.... YAY.
Grass in the form of a lawn does not belong here. Untill just recently though the local government hadnt removed the grey water laws.... Grey water tanks were illegal.... But the city of Santee (where I live at this time) has had in place a sewage recycling plant that is on the cutting edge of technology. That was in 1955..... All Santees sewage is processed down to the point where the water that comes from it is 99.9 percent pure. where its allowed to flow into seven separate lakes where people can fish and wild ducks are encouraged. There is a park around it where people picknick.
All water coming from purple pipes in town is reclaimed water..... I wish the whole city of San Diego would follow that thought.
Our main Agriculture was Avocados, Oranges (a minimal amount) and Tomatoes and Strawberries.
deb
THe rules here are rather old fatshioned and allows for much waste of water. I'm not allowed to use grey water to even water my lawn. WTH??
To do it all over again, I would look at a totally different home sewerage system. AN out house is estentailly the same set up that I have now, only it would use NO water.
THe diswasher ( NEW) is so crappy at cleaning my dishes I was by hand. ANd THAT uses a boatload of water. My water is fress as we have a well and the rains are still plentiful, but I AM mindful of wasting water anyways. THough I don't know why when the farm animals are very wasteful in regards to water.
Certainly keeps me thinking of how to rediscover old ways, and impliment new methods here.
THe beginnings of my meat flock!!
I will keep you all updated! I expect to get some white birds from the cross. I hope I do. 
