Sorry to hear about your situation. My spicebush is also getting yellow leaves. Thank you for the warning. It was #1 on my watering list today. I have sometimes had shrubs and trees that I'd given up on, and that then had leaves the following spring. I had planted about 5 trees and shrubs last time we had a bad drought here a few years ago. Half are still with me, although most still struggling a bit. I'm quoting this from the FAQ page on the shrubs forum in reference to why leaves are dropping off a shrub. Hope it'll apply to your plants:

"In most cases, it is a good protection mechanism for the plant and once the cause of the shock is removed the shrub will recover. "

Good luck.

Thanks, Loris. You have given me some hope - but I, too, am going to water some of the Lindera today. Two immediately in front of the house and then a few of the smaller ones, with the hope that I can get them through this.

Yes, just because they're browning up doesn't mean they won't come back -- especially the trees. If you get winter water, they'll come back just fine. Can you deep root water the trees and shrubs? That's really the best. You water at the drip line, not around the trunk. (Drip line is as far out as the tree canopy goes, so about 20-30 feet.)
If you don't get winter water, deep water if the ground isn't frozen.

Don't know what your restrictions are but if you can hand water, see my post under the washingmachine gray water reuse thread. Otherwise, email me and I'll send you the instructions.

I hope and pray that you will receive rain soon. We went two months this summer with no measurable rain until this past week when we got almost two inches. My heart feels for you--don't give up hope.