Their research suggested that 2000 to 2018 was the second-driest period, eclipsed only by a megadrought in the late 1500s. “From a water supply aspect, that ended the drought,” said Doug Parker, director of the California Institute for Water Resources at UC Agriculture and Natural Resources. Not all experts agree that California is in a megadrought. “Considering we only have observations that go back 100 years, it’s very difficult to conclude with certainty that we are in a megadrought,” Khan said. “It’s that unpredictability that makes it really difficult to manage water in California.”

Source: Los Angeles Times April 18, 2021 13:02 UTC