<P> From December 2011 to March 2017, the state of California experienced one of the worst droughts to occur in the region on record . The period between late 2011 and 2014 was the driest in California history since record - keeping began . 102 million trees died in total due to the drought from 2011 to 2016, with 62 million dead in 2016 only, according to the US Forest Service . </P> <P> By February 23, 2017, the percentage of the state in drought was less than during the beginning of the drought in late 2011, mainly due to a very wet pattern caused by atmospheric river - enhanced Pacific storms . The wet pattern caused severe flooding . </P>

When did the water crisis start in california