Scientists Note Past California Droughts Lasted Longer Than Two Centuries

Image: nytimes.com

In my recent visit to southern California, the landscape appeared very dry. It's well known, at least in the West, that the Golden State is suffering from a serious drought. There's justified concern that the water shortage may be prolonged, disastrous for the state's economy, and a profound hardship on its citizens.

According to scientists interviewed for a Mercury News article on the crisis, California has experienced droughts far longer than the current one. A consideration of geologic and botanic evidence suggests the state has endured dry seasons longer than two hundred years. That's right: longer than two centuries.

One surprising advantage to this situation is that beer might become cheaper than potable water. In that case, Baptists will have to look elsewhere for their idea of a "dry" environment.