By analyzing tree rings, Brigham Young University researchers have found that Utah has experienced some pretty intense droughts, including one that lasted 16 years in the 1700s. Collecting multiple samples of tree cores around the Rocky Mountains, the team was able to extend the state’s climate record as far back as 1429, revealing multiple devastating droughts. The results, published in the Journal of the American Water Resources Association, should help water managers better prepare for future water shortages.