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The weather statistics tell us what
everyone already knows -- a severe drought has the area in a
stranglehold, and isn’t letting up on its grip.
Rainfall statistics gathered by the Corps
of Engineers at its Proctor Lake weather station show that only 20.72
inches have been received in the 12 months ending in July.
The long-term average annual rainfall for
the area is slightly above 31 inches.
The rainfall in the first seven months of
2006 has totalled only 13.99 inches, only about 75% if the 18.50
inches the would normally have been received during the period.
The current dry spell followed an
unusually wet year in 2004 when 47.91 inches of rainfall were
recorded. Above normal amounts of rain continued to be received during
the first three months of 2005 when, beginning in April, the current
dry spell began.
In the 16 months since March 2005, only
26.76 inches of rain were recorded at Proctor Lake, more than 4 inches
less than would be received in a normal 12 month period.
Since most of the rainfall received
varies considerably by area, some around DeLeon have received even
less than the amounts listed above, and some more.
The water level at Proctor Lake is 56% of
the normal conservation pool capacity. No orders for either voluntary
or mandatory water use restrictions have been issued by the Brazos
River Authority, however.
The lake, which was opened in 1964,
reached its record low level in October 2000, when it retained only
10.6% of its normal conservation pool capacity.
Even at that record low ebb, when
agricultural water sales were finally suspended, the lake was
described as containing enough water to supply the normal demands of
the five area cities for more than two years.
Since October 2000, the Brazos River
Authority has reappraised its water management practices and
calculations of the water sales capacity for Proctor Lake, reducing
the total available for sale by over 30% in order to assure that it
will not run out of water. The BRA’s more conservative water sales
policies are partially responsible for the higher lake water levels
during the current dry period.
The long term precipitation forecast by
the National Weather Service shows the north Texas region to have
below normal chances for rain through the month of August.
The longer term, three month outlook
through October, however, shows the area having equal chances for
normal rainfall. And, beginning in December, the NWS shows the north
Texas area to have greater than normal chances for rainfall,
continuing through the early spring, when chances return to equal.
Despite the relatively favorable water
situation at Proctor Lake and long term forecasts, area farmers and
ranchers are having to deal with poor pasture conditions and lack of
hay production. Many ranchers are having to sell down their herds, and
the price of hay is remaining very high, causing great difficulty for
area dairies.
In some areas trees have begun dying from
the lack of moisture. (See Bob Whitney’s column in the print edition
of the Free Press.)
Dry and windy weather conditions have
caused wildfire danger to be very high. All of Comanche County is
under a total outdoor burn ban. |
