rarely have americans had to worry aboutater.y take it forranted because it's plentiful available, and cheap. but for what water does, there is no substitute. what would it take to show how much water is reallyorth? 1975 marked the beginning of one of california's worst droughts. it's a semiarid state with a gigantic agricultural industry, dependent on water fmits snow pack and wier rains but in the fall and winter of 1975 winter rains and snow did not come. accustomed to dry spells californians showed little concern. but thatinter wore on witho rain or snow and soon, what was greaweathefor some began causing problemsfor others.the summer of '76 exploded into flame as o1,400 fires swept the state in a three-week period. marin resident sharon mooney recalls. when the rains didn't come and didn't come, people talked about preferring to have rain to sunshine. the next winter continued without rain. faers were notified that water for irrigation would be drastically cut back. by march of 1977 the reservoir levels had fallen dramatical