Wyoming Drought Deepens, as Temperatures Hit Record Highs

Cheyenne, Wyoming Tribune-Eagle ^ | 07-16-03 | Dynes, Michelle

[Theodore R.]

Wyoming drought deepens

By Michelle Dynes Published in the Wyoming Tribune-Eagle

CHEYENNE – With temperatures hitting record highs across the state in recent weeks, the Drought Management Task Force has recommended upgrading drought conditions from abnormally dry to moderate drought for southern Laramie and Albany counties.

Wyoming State Climatologist Jan Curtis said the combination of a heat wave and a lack of precipitation have pushed the southeastern region of the state back into drought.

“This will probably be the trend for the entire summer,” he said.

Overall the drought conditions haven’t changed for a third of the state, but for the other two-thirds, it’s been worse.

Curtis said the eastern half of the state has fallen deeper into drought, dropping one level from moderate to exceptionally dry conditions. The northern part of southeastern counties also have fallen one level to moderate drought, while the western half of the state is considered to be in severe or extreme drought, including Sweetwater and Carbon counties.

Unita and Lincoln counties have reached the category of exceptional drought, the most extreme level of drought.

Although June rains brought temporary relief from the drought for our area, July’s heat has quickly absorbed the moisture. Overall, a wet spring has done nothing to break the state’s three-year drought streak either.

“We did have a cool, wet spring, but it takes more than one season to recover from a drought of this magnitude,” Curtis said.

Herman Noe, director of engineering for the Cheyenne Board of Public Utilities, said as of July 13, the five reservoirs that supply Cheyenne’s water are 85.6 percent full.

He said he doesn’t foresee an immediate change to the water restrictions in place. Those restrictions limit lawn watering two days a week for a maximum of two hours each day.

There may be temporary relief in August when monsoon weather sweeps through the Gulf of California and the Rockies, giving a second period of wet summer weather, Curtis said.

But nothing is certain.

“I’m not expecting a drought-buster by any stretch of the imagination,” Curtis said. “It’s just going to be a temporary relief in all likelihood, but there is a little light at the end of the tunnel.”

He added that August precipitation also wouldn’t do much to affect the drought situation overall.

“It’s not unusual for a drought to let up for a few months. But it will take multiple seasons – years of precipitation – to make up for that water loss,” he said.

The summer months also mean a great deal more evaporation, drying out soils. This puts the agriculture community under more pressure to utilize well water and irrigation.

Curtis also said July is normally the hottest and driest month for Wyoming.

While studies are still being conducted to determine the exact cause of a drought, he said there is evidence they do occur in cycles. If that is the case, the state should face a water surplus in 2007 or 2008.

“We’re heading into a decade-long drought,” Curtis said. “We’re already a third to half of the way through it.”

He added that with a little common sense, Wyoming residents would be able to utilize the state’s water resources in good times and bad.

The next update from the Drought Management Task Force will be released Friday.

[VeniVidiVici]

Gosh. Imagine that. Weather happens in cycles.

[TroutStalker]

We usually vacation in Yellowstone about every two years. On our last trip in Sept, 2001 (it just happened to end on 9-11), the rivers were significantly affected by what the rangers were saying was about the third year of drought. The Yellowstone River at Fishing Bridge was about half the usual flow. Jackson Lake was considerably drained, water didn't reach some of the marinas, and the marshy areas where we usually expect to see moose were dry and deserted.

We are returning again this year for the first two weeks of September and it sure doesn't sound good. Looks like the best fishing will be in the lakes, but I'm still looking forward to the pack trip up to the third meadow on Slough Creek in the NE section of the park.