Drought map shows modest improvementRecent rain has made a small dent in Colorado's drought. The latest U.S. Drought Monitor map, released today, still shows plenty of red and dark red, which mark extreme and exceptional drought .There is improvement since last week, though. Areas of exceptional drought have dropped from about 13.5% of the state to 10%. The biggest improvement is in southern Colorado.Aurora passes new water restrictionsNew rules to conserve water take effect this week. The Aurora City Council passed an ordinance that: Restricts turf grass Bans new turf installation Bans ornamental water features, such as decorative ponds and fountains Sets new seasonal limits on spray irrigationThe restrictions begin immediately for places like greenbelts and medians, where sprinklers must be shut off. Homeowners have a little more time to plan. Spray irrigation systems must be shut off from October 15 to April 30, or you could face hefty fines.The ordinance was signed by city leaders as Aurora's reservoir levels dropped to 41 percent."We may be several years away from still filling up all those reservoirs back to where they should be," said Kirby Shedlowski, an Aurora Water spokesperson.According to Shedlowski, outdoor use is a big part of the problem making up around 40 percent of Aurora Water's annual demand.How the rules will be enforcedAurora used smart meters to crack down on drought violators and will use them to enforce the new rule, too. Customers will get a warning first. Residential customers will have 7 days to correct the issue, while commercial accounts have three days. Fines begin accruing after that.Homeowners adjustHomeowners like Donald Rice are already used to hand watering a good thing, since that will be the only option once the seasonal limits start October 15."Since I don't have a huge front yard, I have time to water it by hand," Rice said.But Rice is concerned about how long the drought will last."I'm hopeful, but I don't see it," he said.Nurseries urge a shift to native landscapingLocal garden professionals are also trying to educate the community.Colette Haskell of Nick's Garden Center said it has been "a really rough year" for the industry.Looking ahead, she hopes residents will see this as a shared responsibility as Coloradans and consider switching to Colorado-friendly landscaping, known as "Coloradoscaping.""There's a lot of people who are down to jump into native plants, and some that are very resilient. So you just got to kind of help the people with what they need, you know, and teach them how to fertilize, teach them how to water, mulch things, so that you can conserve water in the ground when it does come," Haskell said. ...read more read less