Environmental activists have greatly exacerbated California’s drought—but don’t expect them to stop complaining about how Sunshine State residents have responded to mandatory water restrictions.

Man-made infrastructure could powerfully mitigate against California’s current dry patch. Drought is cyclical in California, and water-diverting technology could go far to ensure the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta offers ample supply households and farms downstream.

But environmental activists fretted over the fate of the smelt, a tiny, inedible fish swimming in the Delta that just so happen to be considered endangered species. Because the pumps diverting water from fertile reservoirs to California’s more parched regions can shred fish, the National Resources Defense Council sued and won—and so California’s much-needed water supply is flushed to waste into the San Francisco Bay.

Responding to the increasingly severe drought, California’s governor has ordered the mandatory water restrictions for the first time in state history. And as the New York Times  recently reported, “lawns are a major target because they account for more than a third of urban water use.”

So Californians who want to enjoy their front porch without gazing out on a depressing wasteland have decided to install artificial grass.

“Turf companies say business is booming across the state,” the Times writes, “and they argue that today’s plush products more closely resemble real grass and have come a long way since the days of AstroTurf.”

So it’s not ideal, but it’s a decent substitute, right?

Wrong, say California’s environmental zealots. “Among the complaints are that synthetic turf does not foster soil health or support biodiversity, that it is not easily recycled and could end up in landfills, and that it can lead to excessive water runoff,” the Times reports.

The smelt remain the only ones happy in California, though they could not be reached for comment.