Drought

Gov. Gavin Newsom declared a statewide drought emergency in California and urged more water conservation. “As the western U.S. faces a potential third year of drought, it’s critical that Californians across the state redouble our efforts to save water in every way possible,” the governor said. Fifty of the Golden State’s 58 counties have been in a state of drought emergency since July, and Gov. Newsom added the eight remaining counties and reiterated his call for water conservation of 15%. The State Water Resources Control Board is also free to adopt emergency regulations to forbid wasting water. State water officials announced that Californians had conserved just 5% of their water use in August, which was an improvement over July when water conservation amounted to 1.8%. Some parts of the state were conserving better than others. Local water suppliers must implement their water shortage contingency plans at “a level appropriate to local conditions that takes into account the possibility of a third consecutive dry year.” During the previous drought, Gov. Jerry Brown mandated water conservation of 25% in urban water use. Los Angeles Times (Calif.), Oct 19, 2021

West Central Texas benefited from scattered showers, but all areas needed more rainfall. Wheat was germinating, but this will likely have a negative impact on overall grain production, as late-germinating wheat may not vernalize. Fields were being prepared for spring planting but moisture will be needed before seed goes in the ground. Livestock were being fed and hayed to maintain body condition. AgriLife (College Station, Texas), March 2, 2022 Some beneficial rain fell in the past two weeks in West Central Texas. Forages were extremely dry and very few winter annuals were present. Wildfire outbreaks occurred. Supplemental feeding of livestock remained heavy. AgriLife Today (College Station, Texas), Feb 24, 2022 Conditions were still extremely dry in West Central Texas, despite some winter mix of precipitation. Even with the recent moisture, fire danger remained high. Moisture and warm weather were needed for grazing. Winter wheat was very poor. Stock tank levels were reaching critical levels. AgriLife Today (College Station, Texas), Feb 15, 2022 Dryland wheat in West Central Texas was in a terrible state due to dry conditions. Heavy livestock feeding took place due to lack of green in pastures. AgriLife Today (College Station, Texas), Feb 8, 2022 Conditions in West Central Texas remained very dry. The little wheat had emerged began to die out due to wind, drought and cold temperatures. Rangeland and pastures were in poor to fair condition. Most livestock producers began to feed relatively heavily. AgriLife Today (College Station, Texas), Feb 1, 2022 West Central Texas is extremely dry. Severe drought conditions continued, and a few small fires were reported, but damage was minimal. Winter wheat was in very poor shape. Small grains were dying due to lack of soil moisture. AgriLife Today (College Station, Texas), Jan 25, 2022

Open burning was prohibited in Plymouth County on March 1 by state officials. The ban will remain until conditions improve and open burning does not pose such a danger. KTIV-TV NBC 4 (Sioux City, Iowa), March 1, 2022

The Barton County Commission reimposed a burn ban on Feb. 23 due to dry, windy conditions in the county after numerous rural grass fires in the three weeks since the previous burn ban ended. Great Bend Tribune (Kan.), Feb 23, 2022

Atchison County commissioners ordered a burn ban for the county due to extreme fire danger stemming from dry conditions. The ban will remain in effect until sufficient rain falls. News Channel Nebraska (Norfolk, Neb.), March 1, 2022

A burn ban that began Feb. 8 remains in effect in Pottawattamie County. Firefighters responded to six fires on Feb. 28 and want to remind the public of the fire danger. KMTV Action 3 News (Omaha, Neb.), March 1, 2022 The Pottawattamie County Emergency Management Agency announced a burn ban Feb. 8. All open and controlled burning was prohibited within city limits in the county. WOWT-TV NBC 6 Omaha (Neb.), Feb 8, 2022

A county-wide burn ban took effect in Douglas County on Feb. 8 as unseasonably dry weather make outdoor burning too dangerous. All open burn permits were on hold as the ban remains in effect until further notice. KETV-TV (Omaha, Neb.), Feb 7, 2022

Zone 7 Water Agency declared a drought emergency in September, requiring a savings of 15% from all water service providers in Livermore, Pleasanton and the Dublin San Ramon Services District. The drought emergency remains in effect, despite recent rainfall. PleasantonWeekly.com (Calif.), Nov 21, 2021 The 15% water conservation mandate and drought-emergency status were still in effect for the Tri-Valley, despite recent rain. Livermore Independent (Calif.), Oct 27, 2021 Drought and low water storage led the Zone 7 Water Agency Board of Directors to unanimously declare a drought emergency and mandate 15% water use reduction for all Zone 7 retailers. July water savings was about 7%, compared to July 2020, so action is needed immediately to ensure adequate supplies in 2022. A Stage 2 Shortage Emergency and local drought emergency resolution were also approved at the Sept. 1 special board meeting. Zone 7 serves customers in the cities of Livermore and Pleasanton, Dublin-San Ramon Services District and the California Water Service Company. DanvilleSan Ramon (Calif.), Sept 2, 2021

The City of Norfolk and Madison County were not issuing burn permits for open burning as of Feb. 28. The fire chiefs from Madison County request that residents refrain from open burning and to be careful with used smoking materials. News Channel Nebraska (Norfolk, Neb.), Feb 28, 2022

Drought, low soil moisture and good cotton prices are expected to lead Texas farmers to plant less corn and more drought-tolerant crops like cotton. Some regions, like much of the Lower Rio Grande Valley and the High Plains, are irrigated, but drought is a bigger concern in West Texas and the Texas Plains where dryland agriculture is the rule. The high price of nitrogen fertilizer could also sway farmers to plant less corn and more cotton. AgriLife Today (College Station, Texas), Feb 24, 2022

Summer and fall were dry in the Sioux Falls area of South Dakota, and winter has delivered less than half of the normal amount of snow. Farmers have noticed the dryness and talk about it, knowing that there is little subsoil moisture at present. KSFY-TV ABC 13 Sioux Falls (S.D.), Feb 21, 2022

Soil moisture conditions in Central Texas were deteriorating after another mostly dry week. AgriLife Today (College Station, Texas), Feb 24, 2022 Central Texas crops were in poor to fair condition. Producers continued supplemental feeding heavily. AgriLife Today (College Station, Texas), Feb 15, 2022

The South Plains remained extremely dry, and rain was needed for all aspects of agriculture. AgriLife Today (College Station, Texas), Feb 15, 2022 and Feb 24, 2022

The St. George City Council passed a six-month pause from approving new car washes, recreation and entertainment centers so city officials can review city code concerning projects that use large amounts of water.

Controlled burning is not permitted in Riley County as drought increased the fire danger. The Mercury (Manhattan, Kan.), Feb 24, 2022

When not battling flames, California firefighters are preparing for the fire season ahead by thinning forest, clearing thick wooded areas near homes and roadways to provide less fuel for future wildfires and keep the flames low to the ground. Homeowners would be wise to remove dead vegetation from near their home and clean out rain gutters in case a fire would occur. KRON4 (San Francisco, Calif.), Feb 22, 2022

The sandhill cranes that migrate through Nebraska in February to March overwinter in coastal Texas to southeast Arizona, south into Chihuahua, Mexico, and north into the panhandles of Texas and Oklahoma. Warm, droughty weather in their winter habitat makes the birds migrate early, explaining why the birds have arrived in central Nebraska so early this year. Omaha World-Herald (Neb.), Feb 21, 2022

Given the drought conditions, the fire marshal in Reno County recommended that people wait until May or June to burn brush piles as the dry conditions have allowed burns to escape. A recent wildfire was thought to have been a reignited fire that was lit two weeks ago during a snowstorm. Recent snow was not enough to alleviate drought conditions. KAKE-TV ABC 10 Wichita (Kan.), Feb 18, 2022

Water reserves remained low, and ranchers provided supplemental feed to livestock at above average rates. Some ranchers were selling yearling livestock early. Kiowa County Press (Eads, Colo.), Feb 19, 2022

Ranges and livestock in Sheridan County were affected by dry conditions as good forage was lacking. Kiowa County Press (Eads, Colo.), Feb 19, 2022