The capital city of Lincoln is preparing for another year of drought and the possibility of renewed mandatory water restrictions on residents.
Earlier this year, record drought led Lincoln officials to order mandatory water restrictions for most of August into September.
Lincoln homeowners could face mandatory water restrictions even earlier in 2013, beginning as soon as spring or early summer.
State climatologist Al Dutcher says there is a 14-inch precipitation deficit in eastern Nebraska. He says it would take six to seven times the normal precipitation over the next three months to catch up on that deficit and refill underground water sources used by Lincoln.
