Voluntary water restrictions go into effect in Aurora starting Thursday.

The city is asking homeowners to refrain from watering lawns during this entire month. Since the restrictions are voluntary, no fines will be imposed.

However, water monitors will be patrolling Aurora neighborhoods to educate residents about water restrictions.

On April 12, the city will consider possible mandatory restrictions for the summer. Aurora has already promised restrictions for its 300,000 customers this summer but it's still not known how often residents can water and when.

The Aurora City Council earlier this month set surcharges for those who fail to use at least 30 percent less water than they did in 2000, before the current drought took hold.

Colorado's snowpack is below normal for this time of the year and officials are pinning their hopes on good snow in April, one of Colorado's two snowiest months.

As of Wednesday, the South Platte River Basin is at 62 percent of average for this time of the year. The upper Colorado River Basin is at 69 percent. Those two basins supply Denver Water and more than 1 million people around the metro area.

More than 80 percent of the water Colorado uses year-round comes from the winter snowpack.

Denver Water has yet to set a date for a water-restriction decision for its customers. The board could set watering limits at its April 14 or April 28 meetings, or set a special meeting.

This year is shaping up to be a dry one. March was the second driest March in history, surpassed only by a March in 1911. Two years ago, Colorado marked one of its driest years on record. It was marked by high temperatures, wildfires and rapidly falling reservoir levels.