--- title: California Drought Worst In 1,200 Years description: California's three years of low rainfall is the region's worst drought in 1,200 years, according to a new study. canonical: https://time.com/3621246/california-drought-study/ author: Justin Worland article:opinion: false article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2014-12-05T23:14:17.000Z article:modified_time: 2026-08-04T08:00:15.172Z article:section: Science og:title: California Drought Worst In 1,200 Years og:description: California's three years of low rainfall is the region's worst drought in 1,200 years, according to a new study. og:url: https://time.com/3621246/california-drought-study/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt8e793175d77d77d2/69876d202dce01ef349dc425/465639743-1.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 og:image:width: 2560 og:image:height: 1440 og:image:alt: California Drought Dries Up Bay Area Reservoirs og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: California Drought Worst In 1,200 Years twitter:description: California's three years of low rainfall is the region's worst drought in 1,200 years, according to a new study. twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt8e793175d77d77d2/69876d202dce01ef349dc425/465639743-1.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  # California's Drought Is Now the Worst in 1,200 Years > Sponsored content. 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Future Proof is TIME's weekly climate and energy newsletter, written by senior correspondent Justin Worland. It connects the energy transition to the decisions reshaping business, technology, policy and markets. #### Where can I follow the energy transition as a business story? Future Proof covers climate and energy as an economic and business story rather than only an environmental one. It publishes every Friday and is free at time.com/newsletters. #### Who writes Future Proof? Justin Worland, a senior correspondent at TIME and an award-winning climate journalist, writes Future Proof. #### Is Future Proof free? Yes. Future Proof is free at time.com/newsletters. ## Video: How California’s Drought Will Affect Your Wallet [Watch (HLS stream): How California’s Drought Will Affect Your Wallet](https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/e4k4jpdG.m3u8) (1:21)  _Published 2014-09-17. A drought in California means higher grocery prices for Americans_  by [Justin Worland](https://time.com/author/justin-worland/)  ## Justin Worland Senior Correspondent Dec 5, 2014 11:14 PM UTC  A car sits in dried and cracked earth of what was the bottom of the Almaden Reservoir on Jan. 28, 2014 in San Jose, Calif. A car sits in dried and cracked earth of what was the bottom of the Almaden Reservoir on Jan. 28, 2014 in San Jose, Calif. Justin Sullivan—Getty Images  by [Justin Worland](https://time.com/author/justin-worland/)  ## Justin Worland Senior Correspondent Dec 5, 2014 11:14 PM UTC California’s three years of low rainfall is the region’s worst drought in 1,200 years, according to a new [study](http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/2014GL062433/abstract). Record high temperatures combined with unusually low levels of precipitation have been the primary causes of the dry conditions, according to the study in the journal _Geophysical Research Letters._ “It was a surprise,” study author Kevin Anchukaitis told the Los Angeles [_Times_ ](http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-california-drought-worst-20141205-story.html)of the findings. “I don’t think we expected to see that at all.” The drought has led to tremendous economic costs in the state, including an expected $2.2 billion and 17,000 farming jobs this year alone, according to a [report](http://time.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/economic%5Fimpact%5Fof%5Fthe%5F2014%5Fcalifornia%5Fwater%5Fdrought%5F1.pdf) from the University of California, Davis. It’s also expected to [increase](https://time.com/wp-admin/post.php?post=3393608&action=edit) food prices across the country. And the problem may not be going away soon. About 44% of three-year droughts last continue past their third year, according to the _Times._ ## Transcript The west coast is in the midst of a drought, and scientists are predicting that the dryness in California may be part of a long- term mega- drought that can last two decades or longer. About a half million acres of land is expected to be out of production. Sysco, the largest food distributor in the U. S ., stated that the drought would mean an increase in prices and out- of- stock produce. Timothy Richards, a professor of agribusiness at Arizona State reported that between 10 and 20 % of the supply of crops from the Sunshine State could be lost. He predicted that avocados would increase up to $ 0. 35, cherries up to $ 0. 43. Broccoli 40 cents, grapes 50 cents, lettuce 62 cents, tomatoes 45 cents. So far based on retail sales data from the Neilson Perishables Group, Richard's forecast is on the money. Despite an increase in imported foods aimed to curb prices, Americans will continue to see prices shift upward as Americans still spend less at the grocery store than any nation on Earth. However, the most affected populations will be low income families, facing food stamp cuts and lack of access to fresh produce. But if California is experiencing a mega drought, would be like a financial crisis every year. 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