the guardian-

As farmers abandon crops amid dust bowl conditions, scientists find ways to fighting contagious spores of 'sudden oak death'

California's drought is worsening and turning farms to dust, but it is also helping to save oak trees from a deadly fungus and keep beaches clean from bacteria-saturated water.

The lack of rain has impeded a disease which kills the state's signature tree and reduced the amount of bacteria-laden water which contaminates the coast, according to reports this week.