Drought

Bobcats have been hunting and killing small dogs in backyards at Fort Irwin and at other military bases in California’s High Desert over the past four months. The base has secured a “depredation permit” to capture or kill the wild lynx. A fatal bobcat attack on Feb. 4 was the fifth known case since Oct. 5 of a bobcat or multiple bobcats attacking small, unsupervised dogs weighing less than 30 pounds. This is an “extremely rare and unusual” change in bobcat behavior, with no such attacks being reported in recent years. Fort Irwin officials theorize that the attacks may be related to drought limiting the bobcat’s natural prey, such as squirrels and kangaroo rats. Victorville Daily Press (Calif.), Feb 9, 2023

A rancher in Redmond reported being short on water and having to feed hay a month or two longer because pastures were not producing as much as normal. Hay prices are higher as drought limits production. KTVZ-TV NewsChannel 21 (Redmond, Ore.), Feb 8, 2023

Oregon enacted temporary emergency closures to stop looting at Crump Lake in 2014, 2021 and again during the 2022 summer. The latest closure restricted all public access until it expired in January 2023. The Department of State Lands aims to devise permanent rules about closing the lake during low water levels, including for recreation. Klamath Falls Herald and News (Ore.), Feb 8, 2023

The Oregon Land Board was considering permanently closing public access to Crump Lake when water levels dry up because graves and cultural sites become accessible and have been looted during the recent years of drought. The lake and surrounding wetland cover an area of 15,000 acres in a sparsely populated part of Lake County that has been inhabited by indigenous people for more than 10,000 years. With parts of the lakebed dry, more relics and human remains have been exposed to looters. Oregon enacted temporary emergency closures to stop looting at Crump Lake in 2014, 2021 and again during the 2022 summer. The latest closure restricted all public access until it expired in January 2023. The Department of State Lands aims to devise permanent rules about closing the lake during low water levels, including for recreation. Klamath Falls Herald and News (Ore.), Feb 8, 2023

Some drought-affected pastures in parts of the Midwest last summer may have been grazed too short, making winter kill more likely. February is a good time to assess pasture conditions to determine whether seeding or other renovations might be needed. Thin stands might need to be over-seeded as weed pressure could be a concern this spring. AgUpdate (Tekamah, Neb.), Feb 9, 2023

Regular rains since early December allowed the South Carolina Drought Response Committee to declare the entire state to be free of drought. At the Feb. 7 meeting, the committee lifted incipient drought declarations for the 17 remaining counties of Allendale, Barnwell, Beaufort, Chester, Chesterfield, Darlington, Dillon, Florence, Hampton, Horry, Jasper, Lancaster, Laurens, Marlboro, Marion, Union and York. The Orangeburg Times and Democrat (S.C.), Feb 8, 2023 Four to eight inches of rain prompted the S.C. Drought Response Committee to evaluate conditions and improve the drought status of 21 counties. Aiken, Anderson, Abbeville, Cherokee, Edgefield, Fairfield, Greenville, Greenwood, Kershaw, Lee, McCormick, Newberry, Oconee, Pickens, Saluda, and Spartanburg were out of drought, while Chester, Lancaster, Laurens and Union counties were downgraded from moderate drought to incipient, the first level of drought. Many creeks and tributaries were dry since some areas had not received major rainfall in quite a while. Drought mainly affected agriculture, like the pollination of the early corn, as well as grazing conditions for livestock in the Upstate. Several rivers in the Pee Dee basin, like the Waccamaw and Little Pee Dee Rivers, were at or below their 20th percentile flows, while several rivers in the Savannah Basin, such as the Salkehatchie and Coosawhatchie rivers, were below their 10th percentile flows. The Orangeburg Times and Democrat (S.C.), Dec 11, 2022 The South Carolina Drought Response Committee improved the drought status of 17 counties. Chester, Union and York remain in moderate drought, while another 14 counties remained in incipient drought. Conditions will be reassessed after the passage of tropical system Nicole. Counties upgraded to incipient drought included Aiken, Allendale, Barnwell, Beaufort, Chesterfield, Darlington, Dillon, Florence, Hampton, Horry, Jasper, Kershaw, Lee, Marion, and Marlboro. Laurens and Lancaster counties were improved to moderate, the second level of drought. Chester, Union and York remained in moderate drought. The 14 counties that remained in incipient drought were Abbeville, Anderson, Cherokee, Edgefield, Fairfield, Greenville, Greenwood, Laurens, McCormick, Newberry, Oconee, Pickens, Saluda, Spartanburg. All other counties are in no drought status. WACH (Columbia, S.C.), Nov 10, 2022

Many wheat fields in central Oklahoma were in poor condition or had emerging stands, while other fields had full stands but much less growth than normal. Just a small percentage of wheat fields had cattle turned out for grazing with significantly lower stocking than normal. Feedlot Magazine (Dighton, Kan.), Feb 8, 2023

The Inland Empire Utilities Agency in San Bernardino has since December been in Level 6 of its water-shortage contingency plan, the most severe level, indicating a shortage of 50% of more. Los Angeles Times (Calif.), Feb 6, 2023

The Las Virgenes Municipal Water District, serving about 75,000 residents in Agoura Hills, Calabasas, Hidden Hills and Westlake, plans in the coming week to recommend to its board of directors an easing of Stage 3 of its water-shortage contingency plan to Stage 2. Los Angeles Times (Calif.), Feb 6, 2023

U.S. farmers were aiming to boost corn acreage in 2023 as fertilizer prices eased. A bumper crop would be useful after a late season drought in 2022 withered the grain harvest and left U.S. corn supplies near a decade low. Reuters (Chicago, Ill.), Feb 6, 2023

Drought and high fertilizer prices led to a hay shortage in Texas, leaving many ranchers looking for hay or trying to find an alternative. Texas Standard (Austin), Feb 7, 2023

The Utah Division of Wildlife Resources announced a “statewide emergency closure” of shed hunting, prohibiting the public from searching for antlers and horns that wildlife have shed in late winter and early spring. The prohibition extends through the end of April. Concern exists for wildlife populations, especially deer, because mule deer fawn survival rates were affected by extreme cold and increased snowpack in the mountains. Adult deer may be similarly distressed. Deer populations fell from about 384,000 in 2015 to 305,700 in 2020 largely due to drought in 2018 and since 2020. The aim of the emergency closure is to reduce interactions between humans and deer to reduce stress on the deer. Other people who are out enjoying nature are also urged to be cautious of deer and avoid disturbing them. KSL.com (Salt Lake City, Utah), Feb 8, 2023

January 2023 runoff was about 1.1 million acre-feet, which is 134% of average and better than expected, thanks to some big snow systems. The runoff for the year above Sioux City, Iowa is still anticipated to be below average at 21.1 MAF, about 82% of average. The six mainstem power plants generated 556 million kWh of electricity in January, 153 million kWh less than the 709 million kWh average for January. The forecast for 2023 is 7.6 billion kWh, lower than the long-term average of 9.4 billion kWh. Siouxland Matters (Sioux City, Iowa), Feb 7, 2023

Many Crook County farmers were reducing herd sizes and planting fewer acres each season for lack of water. Farmers shifted operations to adapt to having less water by planting less thirsty crops or planting those that brought higher profit. Bend Bulletin (Bend, Ore.), Feb 7, 2023

A burn ban took effect in Mills County to limit further grass and brush fire outbreaks after 15 grass fires burned the previous week. Open burning is banned throughout the county and in all city limits. KMA Land (Shenandoah, Iowa), Feb. 6, 2023

The ongoing drought in key Plains wheat states has shrouded harvest prospects in doubt, as experts have determined that the increase in precipitation will not be enough to revive the wheat. “Because the crop was planted so late, and it’s stressed due to lack of moisture, we probably are going to see a yield drag,” stated the executive director of the Oklahoma Wheat Commission. Persistent drought in the Plains contributed to the 10% increase in hard red winter wheat plantings for 2023 by opening up acres where corn or sorghum crops failed last summer, according to an extension agronomist at Kansas State University. He noted that if the current drought persists into springtime, Plains farmers might choose to skip planting corn and soybeans altogether in 2023 and wait to plant winter wheat this coming fall, for harvest in 2024. “If we don’t get significant moisture ... I think farmers may elect to fallow some of that ground. We could see wheat acres tick up again for the 2024 crop,” stated the KSU extension agronomist. Reuters (New York), Feb 2, 2023

Brownwood remained in Stage 2 water restrictions as Lake Brownwood was more than 8 feet below the spillway and sat at 60.7% of capacity. Residents were urged to pray for rain. Brownwood News (Texas), Feb. 2, 2023

Brownwood remained in Stage 2 water restrictions as Lake Brownwood was more than 8 feet below the spillway and sat at 60.7% of capacity. Residents were urged to pray for rain. Brownwood News (Texas), Feb. 2, 2023

The 2002 drought promoted the infestation of pests like the spruce beetle, which prey on larger Engelmann spruce trees in the Rio Grande National Forest. Without adequate moisture, the trees become stressed and cannot produce resin, a sticky defense mechanism against the beetle larva. The mountain pine beetle devastated lodgepole pine populations and attacked ponderosas, too. Robust beetle populations have killed healthy, mature conifers since the 2005 outbreaks. The Durango Herald (Colo.), Feb 1, 2023

The 2002 drought promoted the infestation of pests like the spruce beetle, which prey on larger Engelmann spruce trees in the Rio Grande National Forest. Without adequate moisture, the trees become stressed and cannot produce resin, a sticky defense mechanism against the beetle larva. The mountain pine beetle devastated lodgepole pine populations and attacked ponderosas, too. Robust beetle populations have killed healthy, mature conifers since the 2005 outbreaks. The Durango Herald (Colo.), Feb 1, 2023