TECHNICAL FINDINGS FOR WATER PROGRAM REAFFIRMED

Santa Monica, CA – Cadiz Inc., (Nasdaq: CLCI) released today information detailing the geotechnical and hydrological studies that have been conducted by Cadiz and the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California ("Metropolitan") for the Cadiz Groundwater Storage & Dry-Year Supply Program ("Program") in response to published news articles concerning a comment letter signed by an individual at the U.S. Geological Survey.

In November 1999, Metropolitan and the U.S. Bureau of Land Management ("BLM") released a Draft Environmental Impact Report/Environmental Impact Statement ("DEIR/EIS") for the Program. According to federal and state regulations, the public has the opportunity to provide comments until March 8, 2000.

Since the beginning of 1998, Metropolitan has commissioned a blue-ribbon panel of internationally recognized experts to peer review the technical studies and analyses that are contained within the DEIR/EIS for the Program. With more than ten decades of collective experience, Metropolitan’s Technical Review Panel includes individuals with federal, state and local government agency, as well as hydrological and engineering industry, credentials. The DEIR/EIS incorporates and summarizes technical data acquired from more than 15 years of groundwater production at the Cadiz property, geotechnical studies of the groundwater basin, a pilot spreading basin that serves as a prototype for the proposed full-scale Program, as well as engineering studies to optimize the design of capital facilities.

"The Technical Review Panel confirms that estimates for annual natural recharge to the groundwater basin could range as presented within the environmental documents for the Cadiz program," said Thomas Freeman, an outside technical expert who chairs the Technical Review Panel for Metropolitan Water District. "Hence, the implementation of the Groundwater Monitoring and Management Plan, described in these environmental documents, will be the integral tool in managing the safe yield of the groundwater basin."

As with all other comment letters, the comments submitted by the individual at the USGS will be reviewed and responded to by both Metropolitan and the BLM.

"While we respect the right of any person or organization to submit a comment letter, we seriously question the process undertaken by this particular author in disregarding the enormous volume of technical documentation available," said Fiona Hutton, vice president of corporate communications for Cadiz Inc. "These comments follow a brief study that did not include a peer review, consultation with Metropolitan’s Technical Review Panel, nor a physical inspection of our program site."

"After the close of the public comment period, the company will summarize the general nature of the comments received on the Cadiz program," added Hutton. "However, recent news reports concerning this one particular comment letter, which did not place it in an appropriate context, compelled us to respond immediately."

Founded in 1983, Cadiz Inc., is a publicly held water and agricultural resources firm.  With its subsidiary, Sun World International, Inc., Cadiz is one of the largest vertically integrated agricultural companies in California. The Company owns significant landholdings with substantial water resources throughout California.  Further information on the Company or the Program can be obtained by visiting its corporate web site at www.cadizinc.com.

This release contains forward-looking statements that are subject to significant risks and uncertainties, including statements related to the future operating and financial performance of the Company.  Although the Company believes that the expectations reflected in its forward-looking statements are reasonable, it can give no assurances that such expectations will prove to be correct.  Factors that could cause actual results or events to differ materially from those reflected in the Company’s forward-looking statements include price and yield fluctuations in the agricultural operations, seasonality, timing and terms of various approvals required to complete the Program, and other factors and considerations detailed in the Company’s Securities and Exchange Commission filings.

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