Drought

Drought in the summer of 2022 led ranchers in East Texas to sell livestock. Now, in March 2024, fewer animals were being sold at auction because herds have already been downsized. Consequently, auction prices have risen to record levels. KETK (Tyler, Texas), March 1, 2024

While the average snow depth for Duluth at the end of February is a little more than 15 inches, this year, the total snowfall since the start of the season was just 18.7 inches. This has been one of the least snowy winters on record, according to a NWS Duluth meteorologist. The snow water equivalent was presently the lowest on record. Given the dry conditions and warm weather, the spring fire season began in mid-February statewide, although it typically begins in late March or early April. Over the last week and a half, the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources responded to 45 wildfires that burned 545 acres. WDIO News (Duluth, Minn.), Feb 29, 2024

Extreme drought conditions in Mississippi killed approximately 12.5 million trees, and over 80,000 acres were affected across the state, according to a preliminary survey on pine mortality by the Mississippi Forestry Commission. Drought stressed the trees, and beetles, such as the Southern Pine beetle and Ips beetle, likely attacked the stressed trees and killed them. The Daily Leader (Brookhaven, Miss.), Feb 13, 2024 Timber, Mississippi’s third largest commodity, was harshly affected by drought. Pine beetles preyed on the drought-stressed trees. Timber farmers in the southwest part of the state may have lost a significant portion of their investment. WLBT Online (Jackson, Miss.), Feb 27, 2024

The Louisiana State Fire Marshal pleaded with the public not to burn materials outdoors in open areas amid dry, windy conditions. KPEL 96.5 (Lafayette, La.), Feb 28, 2024

St. Martin Parish fire officials responded to almost two dozen unattended fires over the weekend that required assistance to control as the flames threatened neighboring property. Fire departments from all across St. Martin Parish dealt with the 23 incidents. KPEL 96.5 (Lafayette, La.), Feb 28, 2024

Brownsville was in a stage 2 drought warning as Amistad and Falcon reservoirs on the Rio Grande River were very low. ValleyCentral.com (Brownsville, Texas), Feb 28, 2024

Stage 1 drought restrictions took effect for Pflugerville on March 1, allowing outdoor watering only once per week. The aim was to reduce average daily water use by 10% as storage in the Highland Lakes, the city’s main water source, was below 1,200,000 acre-feet. Community Impact (Austin, Texas), Feb 27, 2024

Drought severely stressed and killed many of Mississippi's magnolia trees. Some magnolias may be able to recover and survive, but others were obviously dead. Mississippi Clarion Ledger (Jackson), Feb 26, 2024

The Southwest Florida Water Management District approved a request from Tampa Bay Water to temporarily increase its permitted withdrawals from the Alafia River from 10% to 19% above baseline flow to store more water in the reservoir before the driest part of the dry season, which is typically in April. Tampa Bay Times (Fla.), Feb 27, 2024

There have been more fires in the Shoals area the past few weeks, despite the recent rainfall. An Alabama Forestry Commission forestry specialist, who was also chief of the Oakland Volunteer Fire Department, advised the public to be careful with outdoor burning and to always keep a close watch on the fire as private burns were escaping and turning into larger blazes. Last week, Colbert and Lauderdale volunteer fire departments responded to 14 grass or woods fires in a 72-hour period. TimesDaily.com (Florence, Ala.), Feb 26, 2024

Years of drought hurt sugar production in the Rio Grande Valley, prompting the board of directors of the Rio Grande Sugar Growers co-op to close the mill permanently. Mexico has not given the water that they were obligated to provide under the 1944 treaty, which is 350,000 acre-feet per year on average. A Dec. 5 deadline came and went, and it became clear that the water would not be there for the sugar growers. The 90 sugar growers will be affected by the lack of water, and so will the more than 500 employees that work for the mill, doing a variety of jobs, such as drivers of trucks, tractors and harvesters. There are also 150 full time mill employees that are administrative staff and operate the mill. Employees will be employed through April 29 and will receive all of their pay and vacation pay. Texas Standard (Austin), Feb 26, 2024

Meteorologists were warning that drought conditions in West Central Texas may intensify this spring and summer due to ongoing lack of rain and heat. West Texas authorities urged water conservation in preparation for the potential worsening of drought. San Angelo Live (Texas), Feb 21, 2024

Persistent drought conditions in Iowa continue to worry farmers as the start of the growing season neared, but crop yields last year were better than some farmers dared to hope. Brownfield Ag News (Jefferson City, Mo.), Feb 22, 2024

Fresno County farmers said that vegetation growth was behind as precipitation amounts were below normal. KFSN ABC 30 Action News (Fresno, Calif.), Feb 21, 2024

The Virginia Department of Environmental Quality lifted drought watch advisories for nine counties in the Big Sandy region, which encompasses the counties of Lee, Wise, Buchanan, Dickenson, Scott, Russell, Tazewell, Washington and Smyth. WRIC-TV (Richmond, Va.), Feb 23, 2024 The drought advisory was lifted for 13 Virginia counties by the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality. The counties that emerged from the drought advisory were in the Shenandoah region, covering Augusta, Rockingham, Shenandoah, Frederick, Page, Warren, and Clarke counties, and the Upper James region, encompassing Craig, Alleghany, Bath, Highland, Botetourt, and Rockbridge counties. A drought watch advisory remained in effect for the Big Sandy area, covering Lee, Wise, Buchanan, Dickenson, Scott, Russell, Tazewell, Washington, and Smyth counties. WRIC-TV (Richmond, Va.), Feb 13, 2024 The Virginia Department of Environmental Quality downgraded drought warning advisories to drought watches for seven counties in the Shenandoah region. The seven counties are Augusta, Rockingham, Shenandoah, Frederick, Page, Warren, and Clarke. Twenty-two counties remained in a drought watch advisory. Precipitation has been above average for much of the Commonwealth in the past month. WRIC-TV 8 News (Richmond, Va.), Feb 1, 2024 The Virginia Department of Environmental Quality, in coordination with the Virginia Drought Monitoring Task Force, lifted the drought watch advisory for 49 counties. A drought watch advisory remained for 15 counties in the Upper James and Big Sandy regions, while seven counties in the Shenandoah region were still in a drought warning advisory. Staunton News Leader (Va.), Jan 19, 2024 Nine counties in Virginia were added to the list of counties in a drought watch advisory, which encompasses 64 counties altogether. Since the beginning of the current water year, Oct. 1, area-averaged rainfall was still below long-term normal values for most of Virginia. Seven counties in the Shenandoah Valley remain in a drought warning advisory. WCAV-TV CBS19 (Charlottesville, Va.), Dec 11, 2023 The Virginia Department of Environmental Quality and the Virginia Drought Monitoring Task Force reassessed conditions and expanded the Drought Watch Advisory covering 55 counties as stream flows and groundwater levels were below the 25th percentile of normal values. Seven counties in the Shenandoah Valley were under a Drought Warning Advisory. Only Southwest Virginia, the Middle Peninsula and Tidewater were not under a drought advisory. Recent rainfall has eased the dryness, but was not adequate to end rainfall deficits, improve soil moisture levels, streamflow and groundwater levels. The drought warning advisory covered the counties of Augusta, Rockingham, Shenandoah, Frederick, Page, Warren and Clarke. The drought watch advisory covered the counties of Amherst, Lynchburg, Nelson, Albemarle, Appomattox, Buckingham, Fluvanna, Prince Edward, Cumberland, Goochland, Amelia, Powhatan, Chesterfield, Petersburg, Hopewell, Colonial Heights, Henrico, Hanover, Greene, Madison, Rappahannock, Orange, Culpeper, Louisa, Spotsylvania, Stafford, Patrick, Franklin, Roanoke, Henry, Bedford, Pittsylvania, Campbell, Halifax, Charlotte, Mecklenburg, Craig, Alleghany, Bath, Highland, Botetourt, and Rockbridge. Counties that were already in a drought watch advisory and remain in that status were Accomack, Northampton, Fauquier, Loudoun, Prince William, Arlington, Fairfax, Hampton, Newport News, James City, York, Charles City, and New Kent. WCAV-TV (Charlottesville, Va.), Nov 27, 2023

The Nebraska Game and Parks Commission warned that anyone planning to launch boats in Nebraska should beware of low-water levels. Boaters should take care when launching and loading boats. KOLN TV 10 (Lincoln, Neb.), Feb 23, 2024

Trees in Fergus Falls were stressed due to drought. Needle blight can affect evergreens during drought. Snow typically covers and protects tree roots, which are shallow and sensitive to cold temperatures, but snow has been below normal this winter. Fergus Falls Daily Journal (Minn.), Feb 22, 2024

The Lower Colorado River Authority unanimously adopted a resolution that would permit customers to water outdoors only once per week while water storage in both Lake Travis and Lake Buchanan combined remain at less than 1.1 million acre-feet of water. The new rule, which will take effect on May 1, was needed as drought worsened, water use was high due to the increasing population in the Hill Country and lake levels were low. The combined water storage in Lake Travis and Lake Buchanan was 842,342 acre-feet on Feb. 1, which was nearly 200,000 acre-feet lower than one year ago. KVUE News Online (Austin, Texas), Feb 22, 2024

The Missouri Senate is considering a bill that would prohibit anyone from exporting water outside of the state without a permit. Missouri Net (Jefferson City, Mo.), Feb 22, 2024

Governor Jeff Landry wrote to U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack, seeking federal aid to deal with drought damage to Louisiana’s crawfish industry. The harsh drought conditions of 2023 and freezing temperatures at the start of 2024 have crawfish farmers in crisis. FOX 8 (New Orleans, La.), Feb 21, 2024