TheCalifornia drought manipulation conspiracy theory is aconspiracy theory that proposes that the2011–2017 drought was a deliberate, man-made phenomenon, created byweather modification. It is largely promoted by a number of self-proclaimed "independent researchers" and "scientists", and byalternative news outlets.[citation needed] The theory has been dismissed by thescientific community andmainstream media asfringe science orpseudoscience.[1][2]
The2011–2017 drought inspired alarm among many, leading to the emergence of conspiracy theories purporting to explain the cause of a complex problem using oversimplified and non-evidence-based explanations.[3]
Many of the proponents claim thatchemtrails are used to affect storm clouds, in such a manner as to suppress the development of precipitation. This would occur because of the presence of too manycloud condensation nuclei, or "cloud seeds", in a single area. Others say that technologies similar toHAARP (a federalionospheric research program, which was decommissioned in 2015),[4] are being used to create a large and stubbornhigh-pressure area over theWest Coast of the United States.[5] They claim that this, also, discourages storms and rainfall.[1]
Dane Wigington and his group GeoEngineering Watch were the most visible proponents of this theory. Wigington said that government agencies and other entities haveeconomic andgeopolitical motivations to manipulate the weather on the West Coast and elsewhere.[2]
Proponents have claimed credibility for the theory, in part, as a result of a Los Angeles Countycloud seeding program, begun in early 2016.[6] This reinforced their view that government continues to engage in weather modification and/orclimate engineering.[7][8]
