Significant Accounting Policies (Policies)	3 Months Ended
Significant Accounting Policies (Policies)	Mar. 31, 2016
Accounting Policies [Abstract]
Basis of Accounting, Policy [Policy Text Block]	Basis of Presentation The foregoing Consolidated Financial Statements include the accounts of the Company and contain all adjustments, consisting only of normal recurring adjustments, which management considers necessary for a fair statement of the Company’s financial position, the results of its operations and its cash flows for the periods presented and have been prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles. The preparation of financial statements in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the amounts reported in the financial statements and the accompanying notes. Actual results could differ from those estimates and such differences may be material to the financial statements. The results of operations for the three months ended March 31, 2016, are not necessarily indicative of results for the entire fiscal year ending December 31, 2016.
Liquidity Accounting Policy Disclosure [Policy Text Block]	Liquidity The Consolidated Financial Statements of the Company have been prepared using accounting principles applicable to a going concern, which assumes realization of assets and settlement of liabilities in the normal course of business. The Company incurred losses of $8.8 million for the three months ended March 31, 2016, and $4.8 million for the three months ended March 31, 2015. The Company had a working capital deficit of $229 thousand at March 31, 2016, and used cash in operations of $1.5 million for the three months ended March 31, 2016, and $2.6 million for the three months ended March 31, 2015. Cash requirements during the three months ended March 31, 2016, primarily reflect certain administrative and litigation costs related to the Company’s water project development efforts. Currently, the Company’s sole focus is the development of its land and water assets. On February 8, 2016, the Company entered into a Second Amendment to the Credit Agreement with its senior lenders to (i) provide for the application of $10.5 million of a $12 million payment pursuant to the Amended and Restated Fenner Valley Farm Lease (see Note 2) which satisfied a repayment condition of the First Amendment to extend the maturity date; (ii) to require Cadiz to pay 50% of all future quarterly interest payments in cash, rather than in accretion to principal, beginning with the quarterly interest payment due June 5, 2016; and (iii) to provide for certain related matters. On February 25, 2016, the Company exercised its right to extend the maturity date of the First Mortgage and, at that time, incurred an additional extension fee of $2.25 million which is to be paid at the election of the lenders in either additional debt or Cadiz common stock to be issued at a predetermined price. On March 4, 2016, Cadiz entered into a Third Amendment to the Credit Agreement which provides the lenders an additional 90 days to make their election to receive the extension fee in additional debt or Cadiz common stock in exchange for extending the due date of the Senior Secured Debt from June 30, 2017 to September 28, 2017. Interest on the Senior Secured Debt will continue to accrue at 8% per annum. On April 28, 2016, the Company entered into agreements with new and existing investors (“Investors”) in a private placement offering pursuant to which the Company issued $10 million in aggregate principal and accrued interest of its 2020 Convertible Notes (“Convertible Note Financing”). The proceeds from the Convertible Note Financing were approximately $8 million before fees and expenses, and will be used for general working capital purposes. The Senior Secured Debt and the convertible notes contain representations, warranties and covenants that are typical for agreements of this type, including restrictions that would limit the Company’s ability to incur additional indebtedness, incur liens, pay dividends or make restricted payments, dispose of assets, make investments and merge or consolidate with another person. However, while there are affirmative covenants, there are no financial maintenance covenants and no restrictions on the Company’s ability to issue additional common stock to fund future working capital needs. The debt covenants associated with the new loans were negotiated by the parties with a view towards the Company 's operating and financial condition as it existed at the time the agreements were executed. At March 31, 2016, the Company was in compliance with its debt covenants. Limitations on the Company’s liquidity and ability to raise capital may adversely affect it. Sufficient liquidity is critical to meet its resource development activities. After consideration of the Convertible Note Financing in April 2016, the Company currently expects its sources of capital to be sufficient to meet its liquidity needs through March 2017. To meet its cash needs beyond March 2017, the Company plans to increase liquidity through a variety of means, including equity or debt placements, through the lease, sale or other disposition of assets or reductions in operating costs. Equity placements, if made, would be undertaken only to the extent necessary, so as to minimize the dilutive effect of any such placements upon the Company’s existing stockholders.
Cash Flow Supplemental [Policy Text Block]	Supplemental Cash Flow Information The Company is required to pay 50% of all future quarterly interest payments in cash on the corporate secured debt, rather than in accretion to principal, beginning with the quarterly interest payment due June 5, 2016. No other payments are due on the corporate secured debt or convertible notes prior to their maturities. The Company recorded $60 thousand in non-cash rental revenue related to the Amended and Restated Fenner Valley Farm Lease (see Note 2).
New Accounting Pronouncements, Policy [Policy Text Block]	Recent Accounting Pronouncements Accounting Guidance Not Yet Adopted On May 28, 2014, the FASB issued an accounting standards update on revenue recognition including enhanced disclosures. Under the new standard, revenue is recognized when (or as) a good or service is transferred to the customer and the customer obtains control of the good or service. On July 9, 2015, the FASB approved a one-year deferral, updating the effective date to January 1, 2018. The Company is currently evaluating this new guidance and cannot determine the impact of this standard at this time. In August 2014, the FASB issued an accounting standards update requiring an entity’s management to evaluate whether there are conditions or events, considered in aggregate, that raise substantial doubt about the entity’s ability to continue as a going concern within one year after the date that the financial statements are issued (or within one year after the date that the financial statements are available to be issued when applicable). The Company is currently evaluating this new guidance which is effective for its 2016 Form 10-K filing, and believes this guidance will have an impact as there is currently substantial doubt about the Company’s ability to continue as a going concern. On February 25, 2016, the FASB issued an accounting standards update related to lease accounting including enhanced disclosures. Under the new standard, a lease is defined as a contract, or part of a contract, that conveys the right to control the use of identified assets for a period of time in exchange for consideration. Lessees will classify leases with a term of more than one year as either operating or finance leases and will need to recognize a right-of-use asset and a lease liability. The liability will be equal to the present value of lease payments. The asset will be based on the liability, subject to adjustment, such as for initial direct costs. Operating leases will result in straight-line expense while finance leases will result in a front-loaded expense pattern. This guidance is effective January 1, 2019 but early adoption is permitted. The Company is currently evaluating this new guidance and cannot determine the impact of this standard at this time. On March 30, 2016, the FASB issued an accounting standards update to simplify the accounting for share-based payments. Under this new guidance, the tax effects related to share based payments will be recorded through the income statement. Currently, tax benefits in excess of compensation cost ("windfalls") are recorded in equity, and tax deficiencies ("shortfalls") are recorded in equity to the extent of previous windfalls, and then to the income statement. This guidance is effective January 1, 2017 but early adoption is permitted. The new standard also revised reporting on the statement of cash flows. The Company is currently evaluating this new guidance and cannot determine the impact of this standard at this time. Accounting Guidance Adopted On April 7, 2015, the FASB issued an accounting standards update that requires debt issuance costs to be presented in the balance sheet as a direct deduction from the carrying amount of the related debt liability, consistent with debt discounts. Previously, accounting guidance required these costs to be presented as a deferred charge asset. The Company adopted this guidance in the first quarter of 2016. At March 31, 2016, the amount of debt issuance costs that are reflected as a deduction of "Long-term debt" was $671 thousand. At December 31, 2015 the amount of debt issuance costs that have been reclassified from "Other long-term assets" as a deduction of "Long-term debt" was $626 thousand.