Drought

Fire restrictions were in effect for Farragut, Heyburn, McCroskey, Round Lake, Priest Lake and Winchester Lake state parks, due to extreme fire danger. It is prohibited to have a campfire, use propane-fueled fire rings or use a chainsaw during certain times. Boise State Public Radio (Idaho), Aug 10, 2023

Seasonal lifeguard operations on the Comal River ended three weeks early in New Braunfels due to the low level of the river and concerns about water clarity. San Antonio Express-News (Texas), Aug 11, 2023

The City of Pearland entered stage 1 drought restrictions. Residents were asked to voluntarily curb their water use. Key measurable conditions and their duration led to the restrictions. Click2Houston (Texas), Aug 10, 2023

Water users in the City of Galveston were asked to conserve water as demand between 4 a.m. and 8 a.m. was excessive, due to lawn irrigation amid the extreme heat and drought. Water use has been highest on the island’s West End. KRIV FOX 26 Houston (Texas), Aug 9, 2023

Drought in Texas has dried up grass and depleted stock tanks as the state endured record heat. The owner of a feed and supply store in Tennessee Colony reported that ranchers were getting feed deliveries in early August rather than mid-November as they usually do. Reuters (New York), Aug 10, 2023

The Brazos River Authority notified customers of a Stage 2 drought warning for communities getting water from Lake Stillhouse Hollow and Lake Georgetown. Water conservation was needed because the amount of water stored in the lakes was declining. Stage 2 restrictions require a reduction in water use of 10%. KXAN Online (Austin, Texas), Aug 4, 2023

Since water restriction enforcement began in the city of Wichita Falls in mid-July, 59 citations were issued through the municipal court system. Texoma’s Homepage (Wichita Falls, Texas), Aug 9, 2023

Drought delayed the ripening of apples at an orchard in Champaign, so harvest will occur later than usual. The pumpkins have taken longer to blossom. The opening of the pumpkin patch to visitors usually happens around Sept. 15, but may be pushed later into the month. WAND-TV (Champaign, Ill.), Aug 8, 2023

Gardening centers in Wichita Falls were educating customers about the watering needs of newly planted trees and shrubs and efficient watering methods. The city remained in stage 1 drought restrictions. KAUZ-TV CBS 6 Wichita Falls (Texas), Aug 9, 2023

The drought and heat of summer have led to higher demand for lawncare services such as irrigation, while pool construction has also remained busy. The president of a lawn care business stated that irrigation services had roughly doubled in 2023. A pool construction company has had an increase in demand of 25% to 50%. Even with additional workers, both businesses had a backlog. CBS News Minnesota (Minneapolis), Aug 9, 2023

Tomball entered stage 2 of its drought contingency plan as water demand exceeded 70% of production capacity for three consecutive days, triggering mandatory water restrictions. Tomball entered stage 1 in mid-July. Katy was also in stage 2 of its contingency plan. Houston Chronicle (Texas), Aug 9, 2023

The city of Carlsbad enacted stage one water restrictions due to continued heat and lack of rain. The watering schedule, which was previously a suggestion, has become mandatory with the activation of the stage one water restriction, which was based on aquifer and chloride levels, per a spokesperson for the city. Carlsbad Current Argus (N.M.), Aug. 9, 2023

Corn germinated unevenly for a farmer in Ozaukee County. The taller plants pollinated and shaded other plants, preventing them from pollinating. Meanwhile, not all of the seeds even germinated, or they germinated slowly. These problems were seen elsewhere in Wisconsin, causing stress for farmers. Greater Milwaukee Today (Wis.), Aug 8, 2023

Residents of St. Cloud were asked to conserve water as drought persisted. The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources enacted the drought warning response phase as the Mississippi River watershed was affected by the drought. St. Cloud’s water supply comes from the Mississippi River. The drought warning phase limits water use to 50% above January levels and is the second stage of a four-tier system. KNSI-AM (St. Cloud, Minn.), Aug 8, 2023

Drought has favored the multitude of grasshoppers in southeastern South Dakota. American Ag Network (Fargo, N.D.), Aug 3, 2023

Drought has stressed summer forages in Missouri, limiting or stopping forage growth in pastures and hayfields. By mid-July many producers in Pettis County saw that their corn had failed and were looking to chop corn for silage to compensate for the poor pasture and hayfield productivity. Grass was not growing. Southern Illinois was in similar straits with forage shortages and hay crops yielding half to two-thirds of normal this year. Some producers were already feeding hay. Missouri Farmer Today (Hiawatha, Iowa), Aug 4, 2023

The Mississippi Forestry Commission placed three counties—Lawrence, Walthall and Amite—under burn bans as dry, hot weather persisted. The bans expire on Aug. 21 for Lawrence County, Aug. 30 for Walthall County and September 4 for Amite County. Adams County was in a burn ban through Aug. 31, per The Natchez Democrat. The Daily Leader (Brookhaven, Miss.), Aug 8, 2023

The Mississippi Forestry Commission urged all residents to be cautious and fire aware as the state continued to endure extreme temperatures and dry conditions. The Keetch-Byram Drought Index was well above 600. The Daily Leader (Brookhaven, Miss.), Aug 8, 2023

Much of the Potomac River watershed remained in moderate to severe drought. River flows continued to be low with little rain in the forecast. Daily monitoring of the river began when flows dropped below 2,000 cubic feet per second. As of Aug. 3, the Potomac was flowing at 1,700 cfs. Median flow for this time of year is 2,770 cubic feet per second. The precipitation departure from normal in the past 90 days has been 3.2 inches below average. Morgan Messenger (Berkeley Springs, W.V.), Aug 8, 2023

Water conservation was requested in Coteau as water levels were low in the water system's tanks, due to high demand amid intense heat and drought. KATC (Lafayette, La.), Aug. 2, 2023