We Need Rain, Now!!!

[Marilyn]

We've only had 5 inches of rain all year. The situation is getting dire. Not only are the farmers and ranchers in critical condition, our water supply is getting very low. Here's an article from our local paper announcing the first stage of water conservation. http://www.victoriaadvocate.com/news/2009/jun/26/dt_drought_062709_56060/?news&local-news

There is a picture there of our river which is extremely low. Canyon Lake is on our river and is where our water is stored and it's at critical levels.

We need rain desperately!!!!! I'm soooo glad that we don't have cattle any more. I don't know what the cost of hay is right now, but it has to be extremely high.

[DianaB]

I hope that your water situation doesn't get any worse. Water rationing isn't any fun. We had to do that after the flood and our water plant was damaged. It was really irritating to hear of people who weren't trying to conserve at all. So.....are we suppose to pray for a hurricane? How about just some good storms?

[gja1000]

Unfortunately, a hurricane or tropical storm is probably our best bet for rain. However, it won't break the drought, so we need a parade of wet fronts for......oh say about 6 months!!! :p And while you are at it, please make them cold fronts to get rid of some of this blasted HEAT!!!

[judy]

That picture of the river is just sad! I hope you get rain, and then some more rain.

[Janet]

I'm afraid it would end of making me depressed after awhile. With every thing looking so dry all the tme. I will pray you get some relief from this drought and not through horrible storms.

[gja1000]

It is depressing when everything is yellow/brown and crispy. And we waste way too much water trying to keep our yards green. It is pretty when things are green, but silly to waste water just for beauty.

[Blueyes]

It IS depressing! By the time August gets here, we'll be crispy critters:(

[gja1000]

It IS depressing! By the time August gets here, we'll be crispy critters:(


Isnt' that the truth, Betsi! I cannot even imagine what the landscape is going to look like in August!!! :mad:

[Marilyn]

We sure don't want a big old hurricane!!! A couple of low velocity tropical storms would be nice, but as Gayle said, not the real solution. We'll just be glad when this weather cycle is over.

I hadn't thought as far as August. It could really be bad by then. A few nice wet fronts as Gayle said would be wonderful.

Every now and then, a darker cloud will pass over and drip maybe 5 drops per square foot, just to tease us.

If I can, I'll take some pics of some of the fields before they shread them so you can see what happened to the farmers. It's such a shame. Their crop insurance will reimburse them for most of their costs, i.e. seed, fertilizer, diesel, but not their lost profit that they live on.

Most of the farmers here also run cattle, so they not only didn't make a crop, they have to pay for hay to keep the cattle alive. Sooo sad.

[Tiramisu]

We have rain in our forecast for today. I'm doing my rain dance!

[blowry]

Marylin..I am sorry to hear this..I know that weather must be taking a tole on the farmers...We are having the opposite problem here in good old New England...It has rained all but 4 days the entire month of June...Lately we have been getting a break during the day...we sometimes see the sun...sometimes no sun but, no rain...then all of a sudden....Here is comes again....VERY depressing...I don't know which I would rather have...no rain or rain all the time. All my flowers are dying because of so my rain...they are all rotting! Hopefully the weather will change for both of us.

[judy]

Marylin..I am sorry to hear this..I know that weather must be taking a tole on the farmers...We are having the opposite problem here in good old New England...It has rained all but 4 days the entire month of June...Lately we have been getting a break during the day...we sometimes see the sun...sometimes no sun but, no rain...then all of a sudden....Here is comes again....VERY depressing...I don't know which I would rather have...no rain or rain all the time. All my flowers are dying because of so my rain...they are all rotting! Hopefully the weather will change for both of us.

You are having the same weather as we are. The sun is out right now, and it's just beautiful. I went down to the pool for about an hour late morning. It will rain all week, according to the weather report.

I popped out some drainage holes for my plants in their planters.

[blowry]

You are having the same weather as we are. The sun is out right now, and it's just beautiful. I went down to the pool for about an hour late morning. It will rain all week, according to the weather report.

I popped out some drainage holes for my plants in their planters.


Mine are all rotted..I'm not even sure if I am going to buy more...all that is in the forecast is rain and more rain...what I want to know is WHY!!

[Tiramisu]

Marilyn, did you get rain last night? We got a wonderful half inch and have more forecast for today.

[gja1000]

We got about an inch today - wonderful - but we need MUCH more. Maybe we'll be lucky again later today.

[Blueyes]

I'm so glad ya'll got some rain yesterday:thumbup: We had lots of clouds and thunder...and about 10 drops of rain :confused:

[DianaB]

I'm so glad ya'll got some rain yesterday:thumbup: We had lots of clouds and thunder...and about 10 drops of rain :confused:

Sorry. The bright side is that you now have 10 drops more water than you had. I'm not laughing though.

[Blueyes]

Sorry. The bright side is that you now have 10 drops more water than you had. I'm not laughing though.

May as well laugh as cry:rolleyes: We don't have crops or land or cattle, but I have a lot of friends that do...and they are the ones that are really hurting. All I have to do is figure out how to pay my water bill since Mike insists on keeping the yard well hydrated:eek:

[gja1000]

May as well laugh as cry:rolleyes: We don't have crops or land or cattle, but I have a lot of friends that do...and they are the ones that are really hurting. All I have to do is figure out how to pay my water bill since Mike insists on keeping the yard well hydrated:eek:

I know what you mean about "paying the water bill". I'm usually quite judicious about using water on the yard, but I'm watering like crazy right now since we will be gone for 3 weeks and I know if I don't have maximum saturation, things will burn up while I'm gone. So, my water bill is going to be OVER THE TOP for this month!!!

[Marilyn]

Nope, no rain here, yet. We saw some clouds with a little dark to them, but no rain at all. The forecast does call for a 30% chance of rain today and tonight. Keeping fingers crossed!!

[Janet]

Sure hope you all get some relief soon.

[DianaB]

I know that your farmers and ranchers are hurthing because I can relate to that. The weather is always a worry for us too because our income is based on the weather and God's blessings. I hope you guys get a break in the weather soon.

[Marilyn]

Well, I came through a small shower on the way home from work today, but no rain at the office or at home. Did get to turn on the windshield wipers though, and they do still work. Perhaps there is some hope of a little moisture. There were two big grass fires the past two days that were in the city and could have gotten to homes, but thankfully the fire department managed to get control before they got really out of hand.

We are of course under a burn ban, and aireal fireworks are prohibited this 4th of July. Lots of folks are disappointed about that. Some of them are going to the beach to do their fireworks, so the beaches should be crowded Saturday night. Just hope no one gets hurt with so many more people there than usual.

Our city always has a large fire works display, and haven't heard anything about it this year at all, whether they are or are not holding it. Someone should really come out and say something about it.

[gja1000]

Marilyn, I'm so sorry you haven't had any rain yet. We had another inch today - so we've had two inches in the past two days. It sure is a welcome relief. Of course, it is wonderful to have the rain, but now it is as humid as HELL! Oh well, guess you gotta take the bad with the good and I know you'd tolerate some humidity in exchange for rain

[Marilyn]

Marilyn, I'm so sorry you haven't had any rain yet. We had another inch today - so we've had two inches in the past two days. It sure is a welcome relief. Of course, it is wonderful to have the rain, but now it is as humid as HELL! Oh well, guess you gotta take the bad with the good and I know you'd tolerate some humidity in exchange for rain

You betcha we would, Gayle. Rex and I are headed up to Temple this morning. He has a cardiologist appointment at Scott & White, so perhaps we will get to see some rain up there. I'm hoping he will take time to drive around a bit. We've never actually been to Temple other than to drive through on I35.

[Marilyn]

Finally some information in this morning's paper.....

According to the National Weather Service, we have had 5.37 inches of rain since Jan 1. Normally, we would have 19.51 inches of rain.

The drought index is nearing 650 but is as high as 710 in some parts of the county. The index's highest point is 800.

The Guadalupe River has stopped flowing above Canyon Lake.

The current flow of the river is about 243 cubic feet per second. The median flow of the river is 1,110 cubic feet per second. (Our water supply)

The city has - and has had - a ban-on-fireworks ordinance but will present its Fourth of July fireworks show.

The county has banned aerial fireworks (those with sticks or fins).

The county will allow the setting off of fireworks (not aerial) at Saxet Lake Park.

[DianaB]

That's really low on rain!!! I know that some rain has been passing through and I hope that you get some but you really need a lot to catch up!!! You really need a tropical depression to give you some much needed rain!!! But then again, you don't want it all at once.

[Marilyn]

Still no rain. We have gone to mandatory concervation. We can only water certain hours of the early morning and late evening. It's a $500 fine if you water when you aren't supposed to. The next step is to allow watering only on certain days. Anything that isn't being watered is brown and crispy, so you know what our roadways look like.

There was a grass fire at the airport on Saturday. Don't know how many acres burned, but they had 11 fire trucks fighting it. Garrett was working the ambulance, so he wasn't out there. There are charred black patches all around from fires.

It usually gets dryer in the summer here, but nothing like this!!