After historic drought, lawmakers agree on billion-dollar plan to expand water supplies, fix infrastructure
Following one of the hottest summers on record, lawmakers have set an ambitious target: By 2033, they want to bump up the stateโs water supply by an amount equal to three of the largest reservoirs in the state.
Texas drought strengthens its grip, triggering wildfires, water restrictions and crop disasters
Hundreds of wildfires have broken out this spring. More than a dozen areas are under voluntary or mandatory water use restrictions, and more than 200 Texas counties have been designated as crop disaster areas.
These photos tell you everything you need to know about Californiaโs drought
Just this week, a major Southern California water agency declared a water supply alert for the first time in seven years, and is asking residents to voluntarily conserve. Many of the stateโs counties are already under a state of drought emergency.
Are we in for a drought?
We go through dry periods and, as you know, we can get soakers around here that fix a no-rain situation pretty quickly. Last Thursdayโs drought monitor shows abnormally dry to severe drought conditions in SE Texas and Extreme drought in West Texas:US Drought monitor showing abnormally dry to severe drought in our areaU.S. Drought monitor showing extreme and exceptional drought in West Texas. Our normal rainfall from Oct. 1 to now is 8.33 inches so clearly, thatโs a deficit. But prolonged dry periods can turn into longer dry periods and that is the concern. Hereโs our precip forecast into winter:Dry OutlookThis shows better chances than not for below normal rainfall.
Increased wildfire activity statewide possible as Texas moves into late summer fire season
As a hot high pressure center continues to bake much of the state of Texas, forest service officials from Texas A & M are concerned that the combination of continued dry weather, drought conditions and expected confidence in seeing a La Nina pattern set up for the southern United States could place Texas in a hot spot for wildfire development late this summer. Conditions remain very dry across much of the Hill CountryAreas that are most susceptible to wildfire developmentOne thing forecasters are also watching as we head into the late summer and fall is the increasingly confident forecast that much of the southern half of the US will be under the influence of a strong La Nina pattern going into the Fall. For Texas, a La Nina pattern generally leads to a warmer and drier Fall and Winter as the jet stream from Canada stays further north into the Plains and we miss out on the cooler, wetter storms that come during that period. If that continues, the late summer/early fall wildfire season could be off to a quick start. Something to watch as we head into September!