According to the weatherman, today is going to be another “10”. That has been our trouble around here; all these gorgeous days and no rain. We are in the worst drought that this area has ever seen. The US Drought Monitor lists five stages of drought; Abnormally Dry, Drought-Moderate, Drought-Severe, Drought-Extreme, and Drought-Exceptional. Every bit of Texas falls in one of these categories, but my area which is usually quite wet is in the worst category. Yes, we are in an Exceptional drought, as are a few of our neighboring counties. We are having a more sever drought than west Texas or the Big Bend area. It can’t stay green here much longer.
I hope the water table does not drop too far. I don’t want my well to go dry. Well, if it does, guess that would be a good time to take a trip in the RV. It is good to always have an option. I have been worried about the pond drying completely up. If we don’t get enough rain through the winter to fill it, it usually dries up in the summer unless a hurricane comes through and we really don’t any of those either. We didn’t get the rain this winter.
Fresh, palatable water will be much harder to find in the future. So much of the water today is poisoned, even the rain is contaminated. Now, with the problems in Japan, any rain we may get may very well be contaminated. I remember back in 1948 or ’49, my parents took me on a trip to Maine and we stayed at a remote cabin on a lake and we could drink the water out of the lake. That was in the days before acid rain, etc.
Many species of the past were able to exist for millions of years and not destroy their habitat. Modern man has only been around for a few thousand years and he has already partially destroyed the whole world. How sad.
I'm a big believer in rain catchment. While its true than there is no truly safe source of water anymore, even with the Japan radiation scare, rain water remains the safest form of water available. It should always be filtered and decontaminated.
ReplyDeleteAn inch of rain on 1000 sq ft is 600 gallons. enough to hydrate two people for a year. Even the driest deserts get an inch of water per year.
I worry about water too, and the amazing thing to me is that when there is enough of it most people waste gallons of it. Leaving water running while brushing teeth, washing dishes, watering lawns, etc. You'd think our memories would be long enough to be conservative in good times as well as bad.
ReplyDeleteThe springs have mostly dried up in the Big Bend area. There has not been 1 drop of moisture here since August..
ReplyDeleteGrant, The average yearly rainfall around here is over 48" and I have seen years where we got 6 feet or more, so water catchment isn't a big thing. My pond/swamp usually catches enough water.
ReplyDeleteGypsy, I conserve water, I only wash my car once or twice a year, and then only if it needs it. . .
Frann, Is that unusual for there? I thought that almost all of the rain you get comes in June through August. The Texas map shows you guys at "Drought-Extreme" and our area at "Drought-Exceptional". Here is a link to the Texas map:
http://www.drought.gov/portal/server.pt/gateway/PTARGS_0_2_792_223_0_43/http%3B/drought.unl.edu/dm/DM_state.htm?TX,S
Sure is getting dry around the Houston area! I don't know just how the grass stays so green in my yard!
ReplyDeleteSure hope the garden manages to survive!
Atta boy Dizzy, I conserve water too. Only 4 more days until Saturday, bath night!
ReplyDeleteHJ, Actually, up here in Cut & Shoot, just 30 some miles north of Houston, the drought is one class worse.
ReplyDeleteErnest, Yep, it is getting to where one has to skip a couple of Saturdays a month. Ahh, the sweet aroma or should I say swaet aroma.
DD, hope you'll don't run in to the fire problems we're having in west Texas. Went to Odessa today and heard about a new fire in Iraan that had caused I 10 to be closed and Odessa was blanketed in a light shroud of smoke from it later this evening. I still smell smoke after getting back down here.
ReplyDeleteDavid, think I will postpone my trip out your way until next fall or later. Was just about ready to leave cause I had to be back here by the end on the month.
ReplyDeleteMight not be a bad idea DD. (Unless you want to see a lot of fire damage and smell a lot of smoke).
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