Note 5 - Stock-Based Compensation Plans And Warrants	3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2012
Share-based Compensation, Option and Incentive Plans Policy [Policy Text Block]	NOTE 5 – STOCK-BASED COMPENSATION PLANS AND WARRANTS The Company has issued options and has granted stock awards pursuant to its 2003 Management Equity Incentive Plan, 2007 Management Equity Incentive Plan, and 2009 Equity Incentive Plan. The Company has also granted stock awards pursuant to its Outside Director Compensation Plan. 2003 Management Equity Incentive Plan In December 2003, concurrently with the completion of the Company’s then current financing arrangements with ING, the Company’s board of directors authorized the adoption of a Management Equity Incentive Plan. As of March 31, 2012, a total of 315,000 common stock options remain outstanding under this plan. Outside Director Compensation Plan The Cadiz Inc. Outside Director Compensation Plan was approved by Cadiz shareholders in November 2006. Under the plan, each outside director receives $30,000 of cash compensation and receives a deferred stock award consisting of shares of the Company’s common stock with a value equal to $20,000 on June 30th of each year. The award accrues on a quarterly basis, with $7,500 of cash compensation and $5,000 of stock earned for each fiscal quarter in which a director serves. The deferred stock award vests automatically on the January 31st which first follows the award date. 2007 Management Equity Incentive Plan The 2007 Management Equity Incentive Plan was approved by stockholders at the 2007 Annual Meeting. As of March 31, 2012, a total of 10,000 common stock options remain outstanding under this plan. 2009 Equity Incentive Plan The 2009 Equity Incentive Plan was approved by stockholders at the 2009 Annual Meeting. The plan provides for the grant and issuance of up to 850,000 shares and options to the Company’s employees and consultants. The plan became effective when the Company filed a registration statement on Form S-8 on December 18, 2009. All options issued under the 2009 Equity Incentive Plan have a ten year term with vesting periods ranging from issuance date to 24 months. To date, 537,500 common stock purchase options have been issued under this plan and all remained outstanding as of March 31, 2012. All options that have been issued under the above plans have been issued to officers, employees and consultants of the Company. In total, options to purchase 862,500 shares were unexercised and outstanding on March 31, 2012, under the three equity incentive plans. The Company recognized stock option related compensation costs of $134,000 and $179,000 in the three months ended March 31, 2012 and 2011, respectively. On March 31, 2012, there was $213,000 of unamortized compensation expense relating to option awards. This unamortized compensation expense is expected to be recognized through December 2013. No options were exercised during the three months ended March 31, 2012. Stock Awards to Directors, Officers, and Consultants The Company has granted stock awards pursuant to its 2007 Management Equity Incentive Plan, 2009 Equity Incentive Plan and Outside Director Compensation Plan. 250,000 shares were issued under the 2007 Management Equity Incentive Plan. A 150,000 share award was issued that vested in three equal installments on January 1, 2008, January 1, 2009, and January 1, 2010. Of the remaining 100,000 shares reserved under the 2007 Management Equity Incentive Plan, 10,000 were issued as options as described above, and 90,000 were issued as shares that vested in May 2009 consistent with the terms of the agreements pursuant to which those executives provide services to the Company. Of the total 850,000 shares reserved under the 2009 Equity Incentive Plan, a grant of 115,000 restricted shares of common stock became effective on January 14, 2010, and a grant of 140,000 restricted shares of common stock became effective on January 10, 2011, consistent with the terms of the agreements pursuant to which those executives provide services to the Company and which contemplate that such executives will participate in the Company’s long-term incentive plans. The recipients of these restricted shares have a contractual agreement not to sell any of these shares for a period of three years following the effective date. Of the remaining 595,000 shares reserved under the 2009 Equity Incentive Plan, 8,987 shares of common stock were issued to directors, 537,500 were issued as options as described above and 48,513 are available for future distribution as of March 31, 2012. Under the Outside Director Compensation Plan, 58,987 shares have been awarded for the plan years ended June 30, 2006, through June 30, 2011. Of the 58,987 shares awarded, 11,304 shares awarded for services during the plan year ended June 30, 2011, became effective on that date and vested on January 31, 2012. The Company recognized stock based compensation costs related to stock based awards of $25,000 and $1,048,000 in the three months ended March 31, 2012 and 2011, respectively. Stock Purchase Warrants Issued to Non-Employees The Company accounts for equity securities issued to non-employees in accordance with the provisions of ASC 718 and ASC 505. In October and November 2009, the Company raised $7.1 million with a private placement of 226,200 Units at $31.50 per Unit. This includes 20,880 Units purchased by the Lenders of the Term Loan pursuant to the Lenders’ Participation Rights under the Term Loan. Each Unit consists of three (3) shares of the Company’s common stock and one (1) stock purchase warrant. The warrant entitles the holder to purchase one (1) share of common stock at an exercise price of $15.00 per share. The warrant has a term of three (3) years, but is callable by the Company at any time following November 1, 2010, if the closing market price of the Company’s common stock exceeds $22.50 for 10 consecutive trading days. On November 30, 2011, the Company raised $6 million in a private placement of 666,667 shares of Common Stock at a price of $9 per share. For every three (3) shares of Common Stock issued, the Company issued (1) Common Stock purchase warrant (collectively, the “Warrants”) entitling the holder to purchase, commencing 90 days from the date of the issuance and prior to December 8, 2014, one (1) share of Common Stock at an exercise price of $13 per share. 448,423 warrants remain outstanding as of March 31, 2012.

Note 5 - Stock-Based Compensation Plans And Warrants

3 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2012

Share-based Compensation, Option and Incentive Plans Policy [Policy Text Block]

NOTE 5 – STOCK-BASED COMPENSATION PLANS AND WARRANTS

The Company has issued options and has granted stock awards pursuant to its 2003 Management Equity Incentive Plan, 2007 Management Equity Incentive Plan, and 2009 Equity Incentive Plan. The Company has also granted stock awards pursuant to its Outside Director Compensation Plan.

2003 Management Equity Incentive Plan

In December 2003, concurrently with the completion of the Company’s then current financing arrangements with ING, the Company’s board of directors authorized the adoption of a Management Equity Incentive Plan. As of March 31, 2012, a total of 315,000 common stock options remain outstanding under this plan.

Outside Director Compensation Plan

The Cadiz Inc. Outside Director Compensation Plan was approved by Cadiz shareholders in November 2006. Under the plan, each outside director receives $30,000 of cash compensation and receives a deferred stock award consisting of shares of the Company’s common stock with a value equal to $20,000 on June 30th of each year. The award accrues on a quarterly basis, with $7,500 of cash compensation and $5,000 of stock earned for each fiscal quarter in which a director serves. The deferred stock award vests automatically on the January 31st which first follows the award date.

2007 Management Equity Incentive Plan

The 2007 Management Equity Incentive Plan was approved by stockholders at the 2007 Annual Meeting. As of March 31, 2012, a total of 10,000 common stock options remain outstanding under this plan.

2009 Equity Incentive Plan

The 2009 Equity Incentive Plan was approved by stockholders at the 2009 Annual Meeting. The plan provides for the grant and issuance of up to 850,000 shares and options to the Company’s employees and consultants. The plan became effective when the Company filed a registration statement on Form S-8 on December 18, 2009. All options issued under the 2009 Equity Incentive Plan have a ten year term with vesting periods ranging from issuance date to 24 months. To date, 537,500 common stock purchase options have been issued under this plan and all remained outstanding as of March 31, 2012.

All options that have been issued under the above plans have been issued to officers, employees and consultants of the Company. In total, options to purchase 862,500 shares were unexercised and outstanding on March 31, 2012, under the three equity incentive plans.

The Company recognized stock option related compensation costs of $134,000 and $179,000 in the three months ended March 31, 2012 and 2011, respectively. On March 31, 2012, there was $213,000 of unamortized compensation expense relating to option awards. This unamortized compensation expense is expected to be recognized through December 2013. No options were exercised during the three months ended March 31, 2012.

Stock Awards to Directors, Officers, and Consultants

The Company has granted stock awards pursuant to its 2007 Management Equity Incentive Plan, 2009 Equity Incentive Plan and Outside Director Compensation Plan.

250,000 shares were issued under the 2007 Management Equity Incentive Plan. A 150,000 share award was issued that vested in three equal installments on January 1, 2008, January 1, 2009, and January 1, 2010. Of the remaining 100,000 shares reserved under the 2007 Management Equity Incentive Plan, 10,000 were issued as options as described above, and 90,000 were issued as shares that vested in May 2009 consistent with the terms of the agreements pursuant to which those executives provide services to the Company.

Of the total 850,000 shares reserved under the 2009 Equity Incentive Plan, a grant of 115,000 restricted shares of common stock became effective on January 14, 2010, and a grant of 140,000 restricted shares of common stock became effective on January 10, 2011, consistent with the terms of the agreements pursuant to which those executives provide services to the Company and which contemplate that such executives will participate in the Company’s long-term incentive plans. The recipients of these restricted shares have a contractual agreement not to sell any of these shares for a period of three years following the effective date. Of the remaining 595,000 shares reserved under the 2009 Equity Incentive Plan, 8,987 shares of common stock were issued to directors, 537,500 were issued as options as described above and 48,513 are available for future distribution as of March 31, 2012.

Under the Outside Director Compensation Plan, 58,987 shares have been awarded for the plan years ended June 30, 2006, through June 30, 2011. Of the 58,987 shares awarded, 11,304 shares awarded for services during the plan year ended June 30, 2011, became effective on that date and vested on January 31, 2012.

The Company recognized stock based compensation costs related to stock based awards of $25,000 and $1,048,000 in the three months ended March 31, 2012 and 2011, respectively.

Stock Purchase Warrants Issued to Non-Employees

The Company accounts for equity securities issued to non-employees in accordance with the provisions of ASC 718 and ASC 505.

In October and November 2009, the Company raised $7.1 million with a private placement of 226,200 Units at $31.50 per Unit. This includes 20,880 Units purchased by the Lenders of the Term Loan pursuant to the Lenders’ Participation Rights under the Term Loan. Each Unit consists of three (3) shares of the Company’s common stock and one (1) stock purchase warrant. The warrant entitles the holder to purchase one (1) share of common stock at an exercise price of $15.00 per share. The warrant has a term of three (3) years, but is callable by the Company at any time following November 1, 2010, if the closing market price of the Company’s common stock exceeds $22.50 for 10 consecutive trading days.

On November 30, 2011, the Company raised $6 million in a private placement of 666,667 shares of Common Stock at a price of $9 per share. For every three (3) shares of Common Stock issued, the Company issued (1) Common Stock purchase warrant (collectively, the “Warrants”) entitling the holder to purchase, commencing 90 days from the date of the issuance and prior to December 8, 2014, one (1) share of Common Stock at an exercise price of $13 per share.

448,423 warrants remain outstanding as of March 31, 2012.

- Definition

Disclosure of accounting policy for stock option and stock incentive plans. This disclosure may include (1) the types of stock option or incentive plans sponsored by the entity (2) the groups that participate in (or are covered by) each plan (3) significant plan provisions and (4) how stock compensation is measured, and the methodologies and significant assumptions used to determine that measurement.

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