Drought

Irrigation water in southwest Colorado was cut, adversely affecting irrigated hay producers who expect fewer cuttings this year as well as livestock producers with irrigated pasture. Kiowa County Press (Eads, Colo.), July 12, 2022

More cattle are being sold in the Abilene area, due to drought and the lack of hay and water. At the Coleman Livestock Auction, a line of ranchers with cattle to sell looped around the building at noon the day before the sale. At least 2,000 cattle had been tagged for the sale. A sale in Graham moved 4,400 head of cattle during a marathon sale that began Monday and ended Tuesday. At 8 a.m. Some people were noting that conditions were reminiscent of the 2011 drought. Abilene Reporter News (Texas), July 12, 2022

Produce growers in Griswold and East Lyme both report that they were irrigating their crops, which makes more work for the farmers. NBC Connecticut (West Hartford), July 11, 2022

The Mustang Fire Department suspended all burn permits for the next 14 days, due to dry conditions, heat and humidity. The aim was to limit the number of grassfires. Oklahoma's News 4 (Oklahoma City), July 12, 2022

The Centennial Water & Sanitation District Board of Directors voted to move into Stage 1 drought restrictions at a meeting on July 6. The restrictions will take effect on July 20 and will include the towns of Centennial, Highlands Ranch, Solstice and Northern Douglas County Water & Sanitation District. Customers were encouraged to cut their outdoor water use by 15% to 20%. Centennial Water has been in a “Drought Watch” through 2021 and into the start of this summer. The warmer, drier drought conditions led the Centennial Water staff and board members to move to Stage 1 drought. On June 21, storage reservoir levels were at 37% of capacity, which is 30% lower than usual for June. Englewood Herald (Colo.), July 12, 2022

San Antonio is in Stage 2 water restrictions, which allow sprinkler or irrigation system use one day per week every other week. KENS 5 (San Antonio, Texas), June 20, 2022 Water restrictions took effect on March 10 for customers of the San Antonio Water System as the level of the J-17 well fell below 660 feet. KSAT-TV ABC 12 San Antonio (Texas), March 9, 2022

The Arkansas Department of Agriculture’s Forestry Division announced a moderate wildfire risk on July 11, leading many counties to adopt bans on outdoor burning. MyArkLaMiss.com (West Monroe, La.), July 12, 2022

East Texas ranchers were selling cattle, due to heat, drought and the high costs of other items, such as, fertilizer and hay, not the mention the lack of water. KLTV ABC (Tyler, Texas), July 11, 2022

Many cows and bulls were brought to the El Reno cow and bull sale, due to severe drought and heat. The high number of animals led to sharply lower prices. Oklahoma Farm Report (Oklahoma City), July 12, 2022

Hearst Castle changed its operations to conserve water due to limited resources and for firefighting. The restrooms at the Visitor Center were closed and replaced with portable chemical toilets. Bus and vehicle washing was suspended, and irrigation around the Visitor Center ended. The restrooms at Hearst Beach were also replaced with portable toilets. Hearst Castle began operating under water restrictions in May in accordance with its Drought Contingency Plan. KSBY-TV San Luis Obispo (Calif.), July 12, 2022

Houston Public Works said that they have been receiving an average of 300 calls per week about water leaks since the heat ramped up in June. On July 10, they had 238 open work orders. Repair crews aim to respond to the largest leaks first, which leaves some of the smaller leaks running for a while. KTRK ABC 13 (Houston, Texas), July 11, 2022 Dry soil in Houston led to 50 water main breaks over the weekend, indicating that the dry soil is shifting and stressing the pipes. KHOU (Houston, Texas), June 22, 2022

Water conservation in May was 3.1% statewide as Northern Californians curbed water use by 8.5%, while Southern Californians cut by 2.2%. This is still shy of the 15% water conservation compared to 2020 levels that Gov. Newsom requested in July 2021. The Mercury News (San Jose, Calif.), July 8, 2022 Amid California’s third year of drought, urban water use was up 17.6% in April, despite Gov. Newsom’s call to conserve 15% compared to a year ago. April is the third month in 2022 where water use has risen instead of decreased. San Francisco Chronicle (Calif.), June 7, 2022 Californians’ water use in March was up 18.9% from March 2020 as people watered lawns earlier than usual amid the driest start to the year on record. Water use averaged 77 gallons per person per day. Even though Gov. Newsom asked for 15% water conservation, water use has gradually risen. Statewide, water consumption is up just 3.7% since July compared to 2020, falling short of Newsom’s 15% goal. To encourage additional water conservation, Gov. Newsom pledged to direct $100 million toward a statewide advertising campaign. He also vowed to spend $211 million to save more water in state government buildings by replacing plumbing fixtures and irrigation controls. Associated Press News (New York), May 10, 2022

Drought has nearly decimated the corn in Bell County. Killeen Daily Herald (Texas), July 11, 2022

Utahns were warned to be careful as extreme fire danger affected much of Utah with the weather being hot, windy and dry. People caused twenty-three fires over the weekend. One fire was sparked by a faulty generator, resulting in the Jacob City fire. Firefighting resources are also stretched thin. Four men were arrested after it was determined that the Halfway Hill fire began at their campsite. KSL.com (Salt Lake City, Utah), July 11, 2022

Heat and very little to no rain since June 3 leave crops drying up in in the vicinity of Des Arc in eastern Arkansas. The reservoir on a farm has dropped six to eight feet and may run dry soon without rain. Farmers irrigate if they have the capability, but it’s expensive to do so. Farmers are praying for rain. WREG-TV (Memphis, Tenn.), July 11, 2022

A burn ban order was implemented for Howell County by the county commission because the area was in severe drought and will remain in effect until further notice. Open burning , prescribed burning and careless smoking were prohibited. Ozark Radio News (West Plains, Mo.), July 11, 2022

The North Dakota Game and Fish Department’s spring pheasant crowing count survey found 22% fewer roosters this year compared to 2021. The spring count found 14.1 crows per stop in the southwest region, down from 18.4 in 2021. There were 13.7 crows per stop in the northwest, down from 14.3 the previous year, and 9.7 crows per stop in the southeast, down from 14.5. The northeast is not a primary region for pheasants, but the southwest has prime pheasant habitat. The annual pheasant brood survey late last summer found similar numbers as 23% fewer birds were observed. Spring precipitation eased drought in North Dakota and may also promote insect hatches, which would provide food for pheasant chicks. Pheasant production will begin to be assessed at the end of July. The Bismarck Tribune (N.D.), July 11, 2022

Crops yields are already taking a hit from the drought in central Indiana and will only go lower if rain does not fall within the next week to 10 days. FOX 59 (Indianapolis, Ind.), July 7, 2022

Fredericksburg has been in Stage 3 for the past decade, but is considering moving to Stage 4 as the level of the aquifer drops. The Knauth Well Field is 33 feet lower than at this time last year, and the Boerner Well Field was 10 feet lower than in 2021. Fredericksburg Standard Online (Texas), July 8, 2022

The hot, dry weather has damaged corn and other crops in north Alabama. A cotton agronomist for the Alabama Cooperative Extension Service said that cotton could still recover with rain, but the yield could be halved this year. Associated Press News (New York), July 8, 2022