Glendening slows flow of Central Md. water

The Baltimore sun ^ | April 6, 2002 | Jeff Barker

[cogitator]

FREDERICK - Two spring rites - lawn sprinkling and driveway car washing - were declared taboo yesterday in most of Central Maryland as Gov. Parris N. Glendening imposed water-use restrictions that, at least for now, don't include Baltimore.

On a dry, sunny morning he considered suitable for the announcement, Glendening issued a drought emergency covering all of Carroll, Cecil, Frederick and Harford counties. Also subject to the mandatory curbs are portions of western Howard and northern Baltimore counties that aren't part of the Baltimore City service area, and sections of Montgomery County outside the range of the Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission.

[cogitator]

Well, we're supposed to get about half an inch or so tomorrow, but we need a lot more. I heard that the first hurricane season forecast called for a decent number of storms despite the El Niño conditions in the Pacific. All we need is one moderate and slow-moving tropical storm to replenish the reservoirs. Note to God: I said "moderate".

Washington Post article about the declaration:

Drought Declared in Central Md.

Excerpt:

"- U.S. Geological Survey figures released yesterday show that ground-water levels across Maryland set record lows for March. Eight of the 17 wells monitored by the USGS were lower than ever before in March.

-Water levels on the Potomac River were lower last month than have ever been recorded in March, said USGS hydrologist Wendy McPherson. Water levels on the Potomac have been tracked since 1931.

-The Interstate Commission on the Potomac River Basin, which oversees the water supply for most of the Washington area, told regional water suppliers yesterday that there is a 43 to 47 percent possibility that reservoir water will need to be released into the Potomac this summer.

In May 1999, just before the last major drought in the area, the likelihood was 12 to 19 percent, said Erik Hagen, a water expert with the commission.

He emphasized that reservoirs are at 100 percent capacity and would supply the region's drinking water even in a record-breaking drought.

[Dutch59]

When Lord Paris first started talking about imposing restrictions about a month or so ago, a reporter from WBAL radio asked a great question. Basically she asked him by what right he could impose restrictions on people who had their own wells. You should have heard him stamer "what right, what right do I have...errr...errr, I think even those with wells...errr". It is pretty generally accepted as fact by most of us with private wells that he does not have the authority to regulate their use. Any legal types out there care to offer an opinion.

[Henchster]

Paris Glendenning? You mean the dork who tried to show how "Easy and safe" gunlocks are at a press conference, only to require two minutes AND assistance to get the damn lock off? Click Here to see the idiot in action

Yep, that's him.

[shezza]

His majesty said, "It varies around the state," the governor said. "Baltimore City, which is able to draw from the Susquehanna River, is not having quite the problem."

Uh, the Susquehanna runs right past our neighborhood in eastern Harford County. Why are those of us upstream forbidden to use the water and save it for the "big city folk" downstream in Baltimore? Could it be VOTES, perhaps? (Harford is a bit of a Republican enclave in a Democratic stronghold.)

[apollo11]

He's also the dork who had an affair with a much younger staffer, then dumped his wife of 25 years, then married the girlfriend who it turns out was pregnant. (Married 1/25/02, baby due 8/18/02--you do the math.)

He's a goofy, creepy ex-college professor who wears bad sportcoats and has bad breath.

[mdcen]

He's also the Dork that applied the restrictions to the only counties that voted "Against" him during the election. He's a vindictive XXXXXXX. XXXXXX for the no personal attacks policy.

[cogitator]

He's also the Dork that applied the restrictions to the only counties that voted "Against" him during the election.

That can't be true. Garrett, Washington, Dorchester voted FOR Glendening?

FOR GOVERNOR & LT. GOVERNOR
1998 governor election results

The one that surprises me is how much Anne Arundel voted against Glendening, by 21,000 votes. You'd figure with Annapolis in Anne Arundel he'd be closer than that.

Reading this real fast, I'll just list the counties where Glendening/Townsend had a majority:

Allegany; Baltimore City (NOT County = Sauerbrey/Bennett by about 4,000 out of over 200,000); Howard; Montgomery; Prince Georges; and that's it. I don't think I missed any.

Are we a Red/Blue state or WHAT?