Fallow Farmland in California Fuels Dust Storms

Study links idle Central Valley fields to rising dust storms

California’s Central Valley plays a major role in U.S. agriculture, growing about one-third of the country’s vegetables and most of its fruits and nuts. The region produces around 400 types of crops. However, farmland here doesn’t always stay active—each year, thousands of acres are left fallow, or unused, depending on water supply, market needs, and climate. 

A new study published in Communications Earth & Environment shows that these fallow lands are the main cause of human-made dust storms in the region. Researchers from the University of California, Merced, analyzed data from 2008 to 2022 and found that 88% of major dust storms were linked to idle farmland. 

Dust storms are more than just a weather event—they cause dangerous air pollution through tiny particles called PM2.5 and PM10. These particles can harm people’s lungs and hearts and may even carry diseases. Dust storms also lower visibility, increasing the risk of traffic accidents. 

Satellite images from NASA have captured major dust events passing through areas like the Tulare Lake Basin, where fallow fields are increasing. The study used data from MODIS and Landsat satellites and the USDA Cropland Data Layer. 

“Our findings represent real-world health effects for people in the region, many of whom are farmworkers and spend large amounts of time outside,” said Adeyemi Adebiyi, an assistant professor at the University of California, Merced (UC Merced). 

With rising drought and limits on groundwater use, researchers urge farmers to explore drought-tolerant crops like agave and guayule. Some farmers are also adopting agrivoltaics—growing crops beneath solar panels—to conserve water and land. 

“But our study is the first we know of where a research team has looked at California as a whole and identified a connection between dust storms and fallow land,” said Adebiyi. 

“Platforms like MODIS and ECOSTRESS, in particular, will allow researchers and farmers to effectively monitor reductions in crop evapotranspiration as farmers transition to drought-tolerant varieties and crops,” said Joshua Viers, another expert at UC Merced. 

Researchers now plan to study other U.S. regions, such as the Great Plains, to check for similar dust problems linked to fallow fields.

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