Following is the latest weekly report from Walt Geiger of GMD 1. He says, statistically, the drier conditions for western Kansas and much of the central Plains could easily last through October, 2013:
As anticipated, the
drought has expanded in both area and intensity over the United
States during the past two weeks. Locally, we find that 100% of Kansas
now resides in at least severe (D2) drought according to the latest Drought
Monitor valid July 24. Characteristics
of a severe drought include likely losses to crop and pasture, common water
shortages and some imposed water restrictions.
More striking is the percent of Kansas
that now resides in at least extreme (D3) drought. Two weeks ago, only 28% of the state was in
the extreme category. Now, we find 73%
of Kansas in
extreme which is characterized by major losses to crop and pasture with
widespread water shortages and restrictions.
Extreme drought covers all of western Kansas
and extends east through primarily the central portion of the state all the way
to Kansas City. Lastly, we now have the highest level of
drought, exceptional (D4) drought, covering about 9% of Kansas. Exceptional drought covers portions of
Greeley, Wichita, Scott, Lane, Logan,
Gove, Sheridan, Graham [GMD4 Counties; emphasis is mine], Trego, Ness, Finney,
Haskell, Grant, Kearny and Hamilton
counties. Characteristics of exceptional
drought include exceptional and widespread crop/pasture losses, shortages of
water in reservoirs, streams and wells creating water emergencies. This time last year, exceptional drought
covered about 11.5% of Kansas
in the southwest, central and south-central portions of the state.
In Colorado, we
find that 74% of the state resides in at least extreme (D3) drought while
exceptional (D4) drought covers 3% in portions of Lincoln, Crowley,
Otaro, Bent and Kiowa counties. Concerning the contiguous U.S.,
dryness and/or drought now covers 80% of the country while at least moderate
(D1) drought covers approximately 64% and extreme (D3) covering 21%. States where exceptional (D4) drought covers
the highest percentage of the state are Arkansas
(34%), Georgia (23%), Indiana
(19%), Kentucky (13%), and Kansas
(9%). Elsewhere, smaller pockets of
exceptional drought are found in Nebraska, Texas,
Oklahoma, Missouri,
Illinois, Tennessee,
Alabama, and South
Carolina.
According to USDA statistics valid July 22, over 90 percent of topsoil
was short or very short of moisture in Nebraska,
Oklahoma, Kansas,
Missouri, Iowa,
Illinois, Indiana
and Ohio with virtually all (99 percent) short
or very short Missouri and Illinois. The National Climatic Data Center (NCDC)
forecast for the period July 31 – August 8th call for dry weather to
dominate from the West Coast to Northern Rockies,
and from the Central to Southern Plains.
Above-normal temperatures are expected for much of the country,
especially the Rockies and Plains states. Long-term, drought is expected to persist at
current levels or intensify over nearly all of the central U.S.,
including western Kansas,
through at least October 31 according to the latest U.S. Seasonal Drought
Outlook. Unfortunately, there is little
confidence of significant “drought busting” precipitation through the entire
long-range forecasts that extend all the way out to October 2013. Hopefully, the long-range forecast will
change through time but right now there is simply an equal chance of below
normal, near normal or above normal precipitation chances expected in the
central U.S.
through October of next year.
Thanks a lot for writing such an informative blog article on Water Preservation. We all should try to recycle and reuse the waste water.
ReplyDeleteYou are welcome. Water conservation and reuse will have to improve eventually. There is clearly an end to the continual quest for new water supplies. Thanks for the comment.
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