Just three boat ramps still open on Canyon Lake in Texas

6 months 2 weeks ago
Just three boat ramps remained open on Canyon Lake as the lake was at 892.02 feet, exceeding the previous low recorded when the lake dropped to 892.68 feet on Sept. 9, 2009, per a spokesperson for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Twenty boat ramps were closed. KSAT 12 Online (San Antonio, Texas), Sept 7, 2023

Tree leaves turn color early in northern Virginia

6 months 3 weeks ago
Trees in northern Virginia began to turn colors in early September, although the usual time for leaf color would be mid-October. In the Bull Run Mountains, poplar tree leaves turned brown and dropped early. Some of the herbaceous ground cover along back roads was so dry that it looked like it had been sprayed with an herbicide. Prince William Times (Warrenton, Va.), Sept 6, 2023

Workarounds for loading vessels at the Port of Vicksburg, Mississippi

6 months 3 weeks ago
The Mississippi River dropped nearly eight feet over the course of a month. At Vicksburg, barges in front of the docks were used to help load barges in deeper water. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has also been using 22 dredging vessels to deepen a channel for navigation. Shipping companies were loading vessels with less cargo so the draft was not so deep. WAPT Channel 16 Online (Jackson, Miss.), Sept 6, 2023

Crops, cattle affected by drought in Mississippi

6 months 3 weeks ago
Crops, such as cotton, corn and soybeans, were affected by the drought in Mississippi, as are cattle. Grass has dried up, and there is a potential hay shortage looming for winter. WJTV TV 12 (Jackson, Miss.), Sept 6, 2023

Little boating or fishing on Lake Wichita in Texas

6 months 3 weeks ago
Lake Wichita was so low that boating has almost ended on the lake because boats cannot be launched, apart from kayaks. The water was too low for fishermen to be able to fish from piers. KAUZ-TV CBS 6 (Wichita Falls, Texas), Sept 6, 2023

Drought watch for northern Maryland

6 months 3 weeks ago
A drought watch has been issued in Maryland for the northern tier of counties, due to lower-than-normal stream flows and groundwater levels for this time of year. Voluntary water conservation is encouraged. Maryland Department of the Environment (Baltimore), July 10, 2023

Increased water conservation requested for St. Paul, Minnesota

6 months 3 weeks ago
St. Paul Regional Water Services asked residents to observe new lawn and garden watering rules effective Sept. 7 as drought persisted. Outdoor watering may be done on an even/odd schedule and to water before noon or after 6 p.m. KARE 11 Online (Minneapolis, Minn.), Sept 6, 2023

Water conservation in York, Pennsylvania

6 months 3 weeks ago
The York Water Company asked its customers to conserve water due to persistent dry conditions. The company also began drawing water from the Susquehanna River to supplement its supply. York County remained in a drought watch. York Daily Record (Pa.), Sept 6, 2023

Corn rootworm pressure higher in parts of the Midwest

6 months 3 weeks ago
Corn rootworm pressure was higher due to drought because there was not enough rain in early summer to drown the larvae. The affected area covered parts of Minnesota, Wisconsin, Illinois and Iowa. Yields may be affected. Brownfield Ag News (Jefferson City, Mo.), Sept 6, 2023

Lifts, docks getting adjustments amid low water levels in the Twin Cities area of Minnesota

6 months 3 weeks ago
The Mississippi River in downtown St. Paul was measured as the fourth lowest reading on record after a wet spring that caused worries about flooding. Minnehaha Creek was dry enough to be a walkable rock bed in places. The owner of a dock and lift business reported that many people have asked to have their lifts pulled out further and have docks extended. Some folks were already removing their boats from the water for the season where the water was shallow. CBS News Minnesota (Minneapolis), Sept 5, 2023

Water conservation requested in Berkeley County, West Virginia

6 months 3 weeks ago
The Berkeley County Public Service Water District asked its customers on Aug. 31 to conserve due to high temperatures and dry weather. A message from the district mentioned that there was less water available from the water source at the south end of the county, leading the district to draw more water from the Potomac River. However, the district’s ability to treat and distribute water was limited. The Panhandle News Network (Martinsburg, W.V.), Sept 6, 2023

Splash pad closed early in Brenham, Texas

6 months 3 weeks ago
The splash pad in Henderson Park in Brenham closed early on Sept. 6 for the season, instead of at the end of September, due to drought and high demand on the water treatment plant. In July, splash pad hours were shortened due to the drought. KBTX (Bryan, Texas), Sept 5, 2023

Dearth of flowering plants near Deville, Louisiana

6 months 3 weeks ago
A late March freeze killed many honey bee populations in Louisiana and also the plants for pollination and honey production. Drought has continued to present challenges for honey bees as plants were not growing or blooming. Bee farmers were even hauling water to some locations that have never gone dry before this. The heat, absence of water and scarcity of pollinating plants has dropped honey production on a Deville honey farm by 65%, but overhead costs for honey production, like water, feed supplements and fuel, have increased. The fire risk and concern about the danger has kept them from mowing, driving trucks onto lots or smoking out the bees. The beekeeper will send more hives to California to offset the honey losses, but he’d prefer not to. KALB-TV (Alexandria, La.), Aug 30, 2023

High fire activity in Louisiana

6 months 3 weeks ago
Firefighters in Louisiana battled more than 500 large fires across the state, which is comparable to the normal number of fires in an entire year. More than 50,000 acres, or about 75 square miles of property, have burned statewide. Much of the burned area was forest land. The statewide burn ban remained in effect. FOX 8 (New Orleans, La.), Aug 30, 2023

Ponds drying up, forage production down near Winnie, Texas

6 months 3 weeks ago
Ponds on a horse ranch near Winnie have dried up for the first time that a 79-year-old rancher can remember. The ponds were being cleaned out to improve the capacity of the ponds when the rain does return. In the meantime, he waters livestock with tubs and buckets of water. The water bill has doubled amid the drought as he waters the animals with city water. Drought has also caused a decrease in forage production. Hay production was insufficient for the coming winter so livestock were being sold or transferred to better pasture in another state for the winter. Area ranchers were also turning to a program that offers financial support to offset costs for feed, hay or water to help sustain the cattle. The producer already sold his calves to lower stress on the cows as the suckling requires extra nutrients. Beaumont Enterprise (Texas), Aug 27, 2023

Blue Hole closed to swimming in Wimberley, Texas

6 months 3 weeks ago
Blue Hole Regional Park in Wimberley will be closed for the rest of the summer due to low water levels that were not safe for swimming. Austin American-Statesman (Texas), Aug 31, 2023 Blue Hole in Wimberley was closed to swimming for the next two weeks, starting Aug. 22, due to low water levels that pose a safety concern. Conditions will be reassessed in two weeks to determine whether Blue Hole could reopen. Jacob’s Well, also in Wimberley, was closed due to no water flow. Austin American-Statesman (Texas), Aug 22, 2023
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