Drought

Drought has led numerous growers in California to tear out orchards or vineyards because they do not have enough water or want to grow something else that needs less water. The cheapest way to get rid of the agricultural waste is to burn it, which many growers do rather than having the waste ground into mulch. The practice of burning agricultural waste has harmed air quality in the San Joaquin Valley, due to drought with more farmers burning and also due to the geography of the area that does not easily allow air pollution to escape. Los Angeles Times (Calif.), June 11, 2022

Drought prompted officials in Comal and Guadalupe counties to enact burn bans. New Braunfels Herald-Zeitung (Texas), June 13, 2022

As extreme drought worsens in the Corpus Christi area, Lake Corpus Christi and Choke Canyon were at 42% of capacity, down from 43.7% a week ago. The trigger for stage 1 water restrictions is 40%. The city manager said that they plan to declare stage 1 restrictions at the June 14 city council meeting. City officials were actively looking for a secondary water source and were concerned about drought. The city manager urged the public to start practicing water conservation as stage 1 restrictions neared. KIII-TV3 South Texas (Corpus Christi, Texas), June 13, 2022

Drought in Nebraska continued to affect pastures and wheat. Pastures were still behind in production and probably will not be able to catch up after a cold, dry spring. Brownfield Online (Jefferson City, Mo.), June 13, 2022

Communities in California’s San Gabriel Mountains were ordered to evacuate ahead of the Sheep Fire, which began on June 11 in the Angeles National Forest. The blaze continued to burn in dense vegetation and steep terrain amid erratic winds. Through the morning of June 13, the fire consumed 990 acres. Reuters (New York), June 13, 2022

More wildlife was making its way into local neighborhoods for the food and water, according to local Texas game wardens. A bobcat was seen on a trail cam in the backyard of a Kings Crossing neighborhood on Corpus Christi’s South Side. People were encouraged to put out water for wildlife. KRISTV NBC 6 Corpus Christi (Texas), June 13, 2022

At the end of May, the beef cow slaughter for the year-to-date was 15% higher compared to last year. Range and pasture conditions nationally remained at the worst level ever for this time of year, although drought has eased in some areas, allowing for pasture conditions to improve. Cooler temperatures in northern areas, along with skimpy fertilizer use, were contributing to delayed and reduced pasture and hay production. In recent weeks, the slaughter data compared to last year has been increasing as limited pasture and hay production has become more apparent. Drought in 2021 resulted in a 9% increase in the beef cow slaughter, compared to the previous year, and a net culling of 11.6%. Drought hastened herd liquidation in 2021, leading to a 2.33% reduction in the beef cow herd in 2021. Drovers Cattle Network (Lenexa, Kan.), June 13, 2022

The City of Alice entered stage 1 of its drought contingency plan on June 10 as the level of Lake Corpus Christi dropped below 88 feet. The public is asked to voluntarily conserve 10%. Two other communities, Mathis and Beeville, also draw water from Lake Corpus Christi. KRISTV NBC 6 Corpus Christi (Texas), June 12, 2022

To support Lake Powell, the Bureau of Reclamation will release 500,000 acre-feet of water this year from the Flaming Gorge Reservoir upstream to flow into Lake Powell. Another 480,000 acre-feet of water will also be kept in Lake Powell rather than released to Lake Mead. These two measures will keep 980,000 acre-feet in Lake Powell and raise the water level by 16 feet, allowing hydropower production to continue. Lakes Powell and Mead are both at record lows. Reuters (New York), May 3, 2022 Flaming Gorge reservoir in Wyoming will release 500,000 acre-feet of water under a new Drought Operations Plan to bolster alarmingly low water levels at Lake Powell. The plan, approved April 21 by the Upper Colorado River Commission, does not require any water to be released from Blue Mesa near Gunnison, but also does not eliminate the possibility. The 2022 Drought Operations Plan, agreed to by the four Upper Basin states of Colorado, New Mexico, Wyoming and Utah must still be approved by the secretary of the interior. The Colorado Sun (Denver, Colo.), April 21, 2022

Katy is in stage 1 drought conditions due to extreme heat and a lack of rain. Residents are asked to conserve water. Katy Times (Texas), June 8, 2022

A horse rescue in Amarillo is seeking help in paying for hay and feed costs as the region endures exceptional drought, which has dried up water supplies and caused widespread crop and pasture losses. Drought means that the horses cannot graze in the pasture for the first time in ten years. The rescue began buying hay in May and had to buy hay for June also. KDFA-TV Newschannel 10 (Amarillo, Texas), June 10, 2022

The new emergency water restrictions took effect in San Diego on June 10 stemming from the orders from the State Water Resources Control Board direction in May about Level 2 water restrictions. Landscape watering is limited to three or fewer days per week between certain hours. FOX 5 San Diego (Calif.), June 9, 2022

A shortage of the chili peppers used to produce Sriracha hot sauce were in short supply, so the company that produces the famous sauce will suspend sales over the summer. Customers learned in an April 19 email that all orders submitted after that date would be fulfilled after Labor Day. Peppers used in the sauce are grown in California, New Mexico and Mexico, and weather conditions were deepening the chili shortage. Associated Press News (New York), June 9, 2022

Gov. Spencer Cox on April 21 issued a State of Emergency due to “dire drought conditions” affecting Utah. The announcement activated the Drought Response Committee and increased monitoring and reporting efforts. The snowpack was 25% below normal, and 95% of the state’s water supply comes from snowpack. As of April 21, nineteen of Utah’s largest 45 reservoirs were below 55% of available capacity, with overall statewide storage at just 59%. This time last year, the reservoirs were near 67% of capacity. ABC4 (Salt Lake City, Utah), April 21, 2022

Water consumption on Oahu was up slightly, compared to the previous year, amid increased concern about drought brush fires and possible mandatory water rationing at the start of what is expected to be a dry summer. Honolulu Star-Advertiser (Hawaii), June 7, 2022 The Honolulu Board of Water Supply called for urgent voluntary water conservation in urban Honolulu and Aiea-Halawa areas as three wells remained shut down as fuel leaking from the Navy’s fuel tanks were contaminating the water supply. The combined closure of the three wells and the dry weather, were increasing water demand. There was concern that demand might exceed supply this summer. Hawaii News Now KHNL/KGMB (Honolulu, Hawaii), March 9, 2022

The largest fire in New Mexico, the Hermits Peak Calf Canyon fire, has burned nearly 500 square miles in the Sangre de Cristo mountain range and destroyed several hundred homes. Residents are understandably angry and critical, given the U.S. Forest Service’s role in sparking the fire which began from an escaped prescribed burn. Five large fires continue to burn in New Mexico. Associated Press News (New York), June 7, 2022 The Hermits Peak Calf Canyon fire in northern New Mexico has become the largest in the state’s history. The wind-driven blaze has burned for 40 days, incinerated hundreds of homes and other properties and blackened 298,060 acres. The 45-mile-long fire forced more evacuations on May 15. The previous largest fire was the Whitewater Baldy fire in 2012. Reuters (New York), May 16, 2022

Drought affects the Hawaiian islands, except Kauai, and is expected to worsen over the summer, so the public is cautioned to be careful with fire and strive to prevent wildfires. The Maui News (Wailuku, Hawaii), June 8, 2022

Maui Fire Department officials reported that brush fires have been occurring more frequently since the start of the year, starting with nine in January, 12 in February, 18 in March and 21 in April. The Maui News (Wailuku, Hawaii), June 8, 2022

Residents of Spring Valley expressed concern about the falling level of Lake Mead, noting that they were conserving water and were worried about water supplies for the future. Lake Mead was losing water faster than ever, and summer was just starting. Las Vegas Now (Nev.), June 8, 2022

Northampton enacted a water use restriction until further notice that non-essential use of public water supply be prohibited between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. The public water supply is regulated by the state. Restrictions are imposed when “stream flow in the Mill River drops below a certain quantity of flow (26.3 cubic feet per second) for a three-day period or when the DEP Drought Task Force declares Drought Advisory Level 1 or higher.” The stream flow has fallen below 26.3 cubic feet per second for three consecutive days. Daily Hampshire Gazette (Northampton, Mass.), June 8, 2022