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Think the drought is over? Think again. Above average rainfall in recent months has provided some relief to the parched Southeast, and a hefty snowpack will help increase stream flows across the West this spring and summer. But too much of the country has been too dry for too long for one wet winter to repair the damage.
Reservoirs and groundwater supplies remain dangerously depleted. A long-term warming trend in the North Atlantic -- aggravated by, though not necessarily caused by, global warming -- has been the chief culprit in the dry conditions of recent years and is expected to continue. As a result, drought conditions will persist across much of the U.S. in 2008.
Look at individual regions to see just how dire the situation will get. Lake Lanier, a manmade body in northern Georgia, remains 14 feet below its average level for this time of year. That leaves Georgia, Florida and Alabama with serious problems. The three states rely on Lake Lanier for everything from drinking water and irrigation to keeping freshwater fisheries and endangered species habitats free of salt water intrusion. Georgia has banned outdoor watering throughout the northern third of the state, including metropolitan Atlanta, and it's likely to tighten restrictions as the year goes on. Construction firms and other businesses, now exempt, will feel the bite, and rationing is a real possibility.
Dwindling lake levels there and elsewhere across the Southeast have already forced Duke Energy, the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) and other utility companies to use costly fossil fuels to make up for the shortfall in hydroelectric power, which translates into higher electric bills for the region's consumers -- and the bills will continue to climb.
Much of the West is laboring under an additional burden: La Niña. The chilling of the ocean surface in the tropical Pacific has helped to ease the drought in Utah, Colorado, Oregon, southern Idaho and western Wyoming. But southern California, Arizona, New Mexico, Nevada, Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, South Dakota and North Dakota can all expect another dry year.
Lake Mead and Lake Powell, the two largest manmade lakes in the U.S. and major sources of hydroelectric power, are down to 50% and 40% of capacity, respectively. Their shrinking water levels are causing the same problems for western power consumers as customers of Duke Energy and TVA are experiencing back east. Lake Mead's drying out is likely to cause even more problems for Las Vegas than Lake Lanier's depletion is for Atlanta, given the desert climate in which the gambling mecca lies.
The economic costs could run into billions of dollars nationwide and not just because of higher electric bills. Farmers and ranchers, who have been feeling the effects for some time already, will get little or no relief. Stunted crop yields will drive up grain and citrus prices further. Costlier hay will force cattle ranchers to cull more of their herds.
Water-use restrictions in suburban areas will hurt businesses reliant on water, such as nurseries and landscapers, while lower lake levels will take a similar toll on recreation and tourism businesses. Dry conditions will also leave affected regions more prone to wildfires, causing personal injuries and property damage and forcing up the price of insurance premiums.
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POSTED BY: Nomen (March 11, 2008 12:10 PM)
"groundwater supplies remain dangerously depleted"
This is the real danger that is being pointed out in this article.
While I also don't like stories that make everything sound like a crisis,this really is one. Just because we had a wet winter does not mean that the drought is over. Ground water in my area of the Midwest has been going down for the past 25 years. The lakes may be full right now but the wells are still going dry. Top soil moisture can only sustain for a few months. If the rains stopped now we would be in for seriously reduced yields by the end of this summer. We must not forget that conservation of all our resources is an absolute necessity if we are to avoid future disaster. Wise men plan for the future. Unfortunately, there also seems to be a severe shortage of wise men. That's why we will continue to have one bigger crisis after another.
POSTED BY: Liz (March 11, 2008 12:56 PM)
This guy is full of huey. I totally agree with 'opus1155' I read an article saying the opposite, with exception of Las Vegas' issues -- which IS bad. Basically he's an alarmist for the rest of the message. Out here we have had El Nino -- the opposite of what he said! They are catching tropical fish off the California Central Coast -- which means much more rain is on the way-warmer water=lots of rain. ...and we will see.
POSTED BY: Charlene (March 13, 2008 10:28 AM)
I notice Mr. Schneider does not document any of the information he writes with what he bases his story on.
As for Lake Powell being down 40% it is because they have been letting water go, and I doubt if it is down 40%. Why then have they opened the flood gates out of the Lake? in Arizona we have mass amounts of water already stored underground and local lakes are at record highs and in fact there is concern about flooding when the snow in the mountains melt. Go tell your story about the sky falling somewhere else Chicken Little or maybe you can tell us about the Emperor's beautiful new clothes!
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