California is in the fourth year of a major drought, and the state has recently introduced a $1 billion “emergency drought package” that critics are calling way to week — it’s time to batten down the hatches or the state may have a massive crisis on its hands, at least one paper is arguing.

The U-T San Diego editorial board called the new water restrictions “laughable in its timidity,” as despite the infrequent rainstorms this winter, the water supply levels in California have gotten to critical levels, with reservoirs and the snowpack in the Sierra at or near historic lows.

They have some backing from NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, with one senior water scientists writing to the Los Angeles Times that the state has only a year of water left in its reservoirs. This is an alarming reality that could create a very dire situation for California — if it cannot be said of the state already, the editorial board argued.

Meanwhile, the water board opted to ask people to limit watering their lawns to twice a week and wash cars at home only if residents have a hose with a shut-off valve. Restaurants are asked not to serve water to guests unless requested, and hotels are being told to give guests the option to decline fresh towels and sheets. Even the chairwoman of the water board described the new measures as modest, and water officials in the cities of San Diego and Los Angeles don’t think they’ll do anything at all because those restrictions have been in place already, basically. Also, there’s no way to enforce the rules.

And the $1 billion emergency package won’t do much, the editorial board argued, noting that $700 million will go toward controlling floods, providing food assistance, and protecting natural habitats.

The board called these measures very concerning, especially since that even if the drought suddenly end, the government’s lack of urgency on the issue bodes ill for the state when future droughts it.

Instead, the paper argues that much more extensive action needs to be taken now to prevent a full-blown crisis from taking over the state. For one thing, the government should be fast-tracking new desalination plants to help produce more clean water — an expensive proposition, but one that is becoming more economically viable as technology continues to improve.

Also, the state should reevaluate whether farmers really need ot be growing almonds and rice in such large quantities, especially since they are such water-hungry crops. And perhaps the price of water should be better regulated.