But despite the dire numbers, the situation could be worse for consumers if it wasn’t for the increased use of the state’s ground water, said one of the report’s authors.

“It’s saved our bacon when it comes to getting crops to market and keeping food prices in line,” said Jay Lund, director of the Center for Watershed Sciences at the University of California, Davis, which released the report this week.

Lund explained that as surface water has dried up from lack of rain, farmers are turning more and more to ground water well supplies in order to irrigate their most profitable crops.

He said there may be new highs in production of crops like almonds this year because of underground water.

Lund also said that, contrary to a lot of thinking, market demand has more of an influence on food prices than the California drought.

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However, the underground water is being drained to the point of drying up if the drought continues, the report concludes.

“It’s a wake-up call for the state that ground water is not an endless source,” said Josué Medellín-Azuara, a researcher and co-author of the study.