The drought has already caused $2.2 billion in damage . . . this year's drought in California is now the worst since records began in 1895, eclipsing the previous "worst-ever" drought in 1958-59.
So how did we get here? Much of California was already in drought in 2012 and 2013, but conditions worsened considerably this year. A blocking ridge of high pressure kept California hot and dry during the normally wet winter. That means there was far less snow falling on the Sierra Nevada mountains — and hence less snow melt providing water during the spring. (There's a fair bit of dispute about what role global warming might have played in causing the drought, although warmer temperatures have likely exacerbated the dry spell.)
The drought has already caused an estimated $2.2 billion in damages in California — including $1.5 billion to the state's massive agricultural industry. All told, California's farming industry is worth some $44.7 billion per year and the state is responsible for half the fruits and vegetables grown in the United States.
There's also more subtle damage: A recent study from UC Davis found that the drought and lack of rainfall were spurring farmers to pump more and more freshwater out of the ground. That's troubling because that groundwater isn't easily refilled — which means that farmers will have less of a buffer in future droughts (or if the current drought extends for a long period of time).
It's still not clear how long California's current drought will last. Some experts were holding out hope that a strong El Niño event in the Pacific Ocean might bring wetter weather this winter. But forecasters are now scaling back their predictions for El Niño — and it's less certain how much precipitation a weaker event might bring.
There's also evidence this is the worst drought since 1580
A sign is posted near an almond farm on February 25, 2014 in Turlock, California. (Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)
By the way, Scientists can also go back even further than 1895 by studying tree-ring samples of drought-sensitive trees (since tree growth is very much affected by droughts) and sediment records.
The historical record shows evidence of 200-year 'mega-droughts'
This historical evidence suggests that California may be suffering its worst dry spell since a massive drought in 1580.
That historical record also brings horrible news. Evidence suggests that even the most severe recent droughts in California are nothing compared to the 200-year "mega-droughts" that occurred between 850 and 1090 or between 1140 and 1320.
It's hard to say if California is currently facing one of these extended "mega-droughts" — some experts think yes, some no — but an extended drought would obviously be extremely destructive.
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