California loosened some water restrictions this week but also made some conservation rules permanent, reacting to a crippling four-year drought. Despite significant gains made by El Nino, the state wasn't expected to get back to pre-drought levels and it hasn't. A report from Wired today makes the case that the drought may, in fact, be here to stay: "In California, drought is a but a geographic construct. A statewide network of reservoirs, canals, pipes, and pumps connect the dry places to the wet. 'We import from Northern California and the Colorado River, and we saw an improvement in supply conditions, particularly up north, that allows us to ease restrictions on our allocation,' says Bob Muir, spokesperson for the agency. Who needs rain when you've got plumbing?" The Municipal Water District of Southern California has eased water restrictions for the 19 million residents in California's largest urban district, Wired reported. Meanwhile, the "entire Municipal Water District is in