Posted on 06/07/2021 11:06:03 AM PDT by blam
Direct from Drought.gov:
After two water years of dry conditions, both California and Nevada are now 100% in drought. And with dire drought conditions, rapidly decreasing snowpack, and low reservoir levels, concern for wildfire season is growing. Read the drought status update to learn more.
This is a dry spell not seen since the Great Depression and the Dust Bowl days. Because of the drought, Americans very likely will experience a shocking food shortage very soon.
As explained in my previous article, drought is also affecting Arizona, and Colorado and the prairie states like Kansas, Nebraska, and the Dakotas. However, other states such as those in the Midwest and areas considered the nations’ “corn belt” also suffer from the drought.
Midwest states suffering the most
Here are the states in the Midwest currently experiencing drought conditions: •Iowa – Iowa has been in a state of drought for some time. About 8% of the state is considered “severe drought,” an area spanning about 12 counties in the northwestern part of the state. About 64% of Iowa currently suffers from “abnormally dry conditions, or worse.” •Illinois – Drought in Illinois, particularly the northeastern portion, has intensified to severe is now covering about 6% of the state. Abnormally dry conditions are present across the northern region and east side of the state. About 27% of the state is suffering from “abnormally dry conditions, or worse.”
•Nebraska – One of the lucky ones, Nebraska received some much-needed rain. Unfortunately, that wasn’t enough to end the drought. Moderate drought is at 16%, while 45% of the state suffers from “abnormally dry conditions, or worse.”
•Indiana – Probably the least dry state of the drought-stricken Midwest. Less than 1% of the state in drought conditions though about 21% reporting “abnormally dry conditions.”
•Minnesota – The drought is getting worse in Minnesota. Two counties in the northwest of the state are in “severe drought” while “moderate drought” has spread to 21% of the state. Overall, about 55% of the state suffers from “abnormally dry conditions, or worse.”
•Michigan – Michigan hasn’t been spared either. 78% of the state is experiencing “abnormally dry conditions,” 64% “moderate drought, and 6% “severe drought.”
Southeast U.S. is not as bad, but still not looking good
The Southeast United States is faring better. However: •Virginia, North Carolina, and South Carolina are experiencing drought conditions as well.
•Texas, not mentioned as much: 52% experiencing “abnormally dry conditions,” 32% “moderate drought,” 20% “severe drought,” and 12% “extreme drought.” Nearly 6% of the state is experiencing “exceptional drought.”
•Though typically a dry state, New Mexico is 100% experiencing “abnormally dry conditions,” 99% “moderate drought,” 96% “severe drought,” 77% “extreme drought,” and 47% “exceptional drought.”
Still don’t believe the U.S. is suffering a severe dry spell?
The issue went before the U.S. Congress. From the AZ Mirror:
A drought crisis unfolding across the West will require short-term relief and massive, long-term federal funding to help states weather the effects of climate change, state water managers and lawmakers said at a U.S. House hearing on Tuesday.
Nearly 90 percent of the West is now experiencing drought conditions, according to the federal U.S. Drought Monitor. The problem is particularly acute in the Southwest.
Many states suffer from the driest water year on record
According to the AZ Mirror:
Arizona, New Mexico, Nevada, and Utah just had their driest year in 126 years. Colorado had its fourth-driest year, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
Snowpack is well below average this year, and early snowmelt is raising serious concerns for this summer.
“Droughts are not new, but many are experiencing the impact of one of the driest water years on record,” Elizabeth Klein, a senior counselor at the Interior Department who is overseeing drought response, said at the hearing before a panel of the House Natural Resources Committee. “Competing demands for water can lead to more conflict.”
Water wars heat up as the dry spell worsens
The AZ Mirror also reported:
Among those conflicts are who gets priority for limited water resources: upstream users, farmers, endangered fish, tribes, or municipal water systems.
In some cases, states are in conflict over who has rights to the water. The U.S. Supreme Court has several interstate water disputes on its docket, including cases between Mississippi and Tennessee and Texas, New Mexico and Colorado.
None of these issues are unforeseen consequences
They are the natural consequences of drought brought on, not by mythical CO2-based climate change. But a combination of natural phenomena, human action, and lack of preparation, problem-solving, and adaptation by governments and industry.
We shouldn’t look to Congress to solve the repercussions of the drought. (Unless the solution is giving themselves a raise.) Instead, all we can do is prepare ourselves and our families as best we can.
In other words, hope for the best, prepare for the worst.
I will say it again…
We’re facing famine conditions.
The drought isn’t coming. It’s HERE.
And whatever you think might be the causes, there are no signs that any reasonable solutions will be discovered or implemented any time soon. The best course of action is to prepare and plan. Now. Famine conditions are next on the list of things to worry about.
(snip)
This is definitely the case in California.
They haven't added any reservoir capacity since the New Melones project was completed in 1979.
In meantime, the population of the state grew to 40 million while existing reservoir capacity has been diverted for questionable fish habitat schemes.
When are they NOT in drought?.................
So, 122% some type of drought in Texas. What's the percentage of Texas that's not in drought and starting to drown? My squash sure isn't happy with all this rain.
The San Antonio aquifer in 1947 through about 1956 (56 being the worst)was at its lowest on record, that I can see.
Prepper should look up the 1950's 10 state drought that wasn't as bad as The Dust Bowl but worse than this.
These people and their global warming. Weather, we've always had crazy arse weather. Dry areas and deserts are always going to struggle.
The “drought” was the crisis used to gain power before Covid. Now that Covid is fading away, the drought becomes an issue again.
The Democrats never want to solve problems, just keep them going.
“Americans very likely will experience a shocking food shortage very soon.”
Pure BS. Any food shortages might be regional. Wi MI and the whole of the midwest can ramp up production of the canning industry again.
The only shortfall would be citrus.
Too practical. Ca is going for more wind farms and solar to power electric cars...and water? They COULD follow what Israel has done to make the deserts blossom but they’re much more concerned about pronouns and critical race theory.
Some times we is and sometimes we ain’t. This year we is. In NevaDUH anyways.
so if we would have never did that silly ass train to no where and spent it on desalination or a big ass pipeline from the Colombian river would that have helped?
“In other words, hope for the best, prepare for the worst.”
Prepare for the worst! ‘Hope’ took the last train out of town! ;)
My little corner of the world (SW Wisconsin) just got upgraded to a ‘Moderate Drought.’ I’m hoping it’s not as bad as the one we had in 2012, but it’s shaping up to be.
They got the first bailing of alfalfa done this past weekend; the next crop is already looking brown and crispy, as is my lawn - I didn’t have to mow last week; probably won’t have to this week, either.
So happy to have a clean, clear, 300’ water well. :)
https://droughtmonitor.unl.edu/CurrentMap/StateDroughtMonitor.aspx?Midwest
P.S. I lived south of San Diego, 1980-1982. We were in a drought then, too. Probably because southern CA is a DESERT, but what do I know? *SMIRK*
Gotta save the little fishes —
... And the for gambling/prostitution rail project to Vegas —
Priorities man !
122% of the state in drought sounds about right for Texas, “a land of perpetual drought, punctuated by devastating floods”.
A typical Texas summer often includes triple digit temperatures and no precipitation for three months. The overall rainfall amount looks good, you just get none of it when you really need it.
How much less could you care, a little or a lot?
Yea, I've seen these exact responses too many times now, boring. If you want to police grammar, go teach and let me know how to spell the 5 sexes.
Always wondered why interconnecting water pipelines don’t exist. For instance Pennsylvania and Ohio often have excessive rainfall and bad flood conditions. If a pipeline existed to transport water to the tributaries of the Colorado river the water would be well used. Doubt the environmentalists would ever allow any practical solutions.
It’s dry and quite hot for this early in the summer season.
Our state government just asked everyone to pray for water, an irony considering the many sins they are advancing.
Is anyone surprised an area in the US defined as arid and desert can't support a large population without artificial means?
Maybe more reservoirs can be built to fill and replenish during any rain or snow seasons but they're built on hope.
'You can beat-back nature with a stick but she always returns'.
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