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Home Front Economy
More Than 60 Percent of U.S. in Drought
2006-07-30
Women, minorities most affected, and of course it's Bush's fault. Heavy EFL, hit the link if you want the personal testimonies.
STEELE, N.D. (AP) - More than 60 percent of the United States now has abnormally dry or drought conditions, stretching from Georgia to Arizona and across the north through the Dakotas, Minnesota, Montana and Wisconsin, said Mark Svoboda, a climatologist for the National Drought Mitigation Center at the University of Nebraska at Lincoln.

An area stretching from south central North Dakota to central South Dakota is the most drought-stricken region in the nation, Svoboda said. ``It's the epicenter,'' he said. ``It's just like a wasteland in north central South Dakota.'' Fields of wheat, durum and barley in the Dakotas this dry summer will never end up as pasta, bread or beer. What is left of the stifled crops has been salvaged to feed livestock struggling on pastures where hot winds blow clouds of dirt from dried-out ponds.

Some ranchers have been forced to sell their entire herds, and others are either moving their cattle to greener pastures or buying more already-costly feed. Hundreds of acres of grasslands have been blackened by fires sparked by lightning or farm equipment.
Posted by:Steve White

#21  Less beer? Steve, it's not just women and minorities affected here, dont forget us beer drinkers! And I do think it is a bushs fault (see tamarisk)
Posted by: Elmohunter Cratchit   2006-07-30 23:06  

#20  The latest weather report shows that this heat wave is moving northeast. I feel sorry for youze Yankees. Time to open up the hydrant's in the Bronx for that neighborhood get together. We're freezing here in the South, it's only 92oF.
Posted by: Poison Reverse   2006-07-30 21:35  

#19  Diverting the Peace river will solve all our problems.
Posted by: Nimble Spemble   2006-07-30 15:37  

#18  er...Phoenix diverting Midwest water? not likely. Different watersheds....remember the Rockies?

Desal is definitely the way to go on the coasts, but inland, the purification process can help with graywater reuse, but that's about it...recharge of aquifers is a good idea when there's spare water. The tough part is in getting people to use less than 100% of what's available. Alaska Paul is more of a water guy than I....he can give you more info
Posted by: Frank G   2006-07-30 15:31  

#17  In addition to the drought problems, the huge Ogallala aquifer previously used to irrigat crops during dry times is being depleted. The fast-growing western cities such as Phoenix also draw on the rivers, diverting valuable midwestern water. Water wars in Nebraska and Colorado have nice neighbors suing one another. The new nanotech that would make large scale desalination feasable should be seriously looked into for drinking water so the farmland can be preserved as this is a serious economic issue that Washington ignores.
Posted by: Danielle   2006-07-30 15:03  

#16  Seriously...ENSO (La Nina/El Nino) is a higher frequency cycle (21/2- 4 years) that only modulates lower frequency, and more significant cycles like the NPO.

The multi-year Arctic Ice Pack is further south in the Bering Sea and Chukchi Sea are significantly further south at this point than at anytime in the past 30 years (i.e., 1975-1976). That will have profound effects on the strength of the polar jetstream this fall and winter...and the type of winder North America experiences.
Posted by: anymouse   2006-07-30 13:57  

#15  I heard it's a La Niña year.

Baby it's always some kinda La Year, my grants depend on it.

/Jim O'Brien Commander of the Anchovy Fleet of Doom
Posted by: 6   2006-07-30 13:15  

#14  Yup.
Posted by: Nimble Spemble   2006-07-30 13:06  

#13  Ummmmm, #11 NS - I think you missed the joke....
Posted by: Barbara Skolaut   2006-07-30 12:51  

#12  Didn't I tell you folks its all gas..

STOP Tax CARBON NOW!
Posted by: Al Gore   2006-07-30 11:54  

#11  They do, Barb. Or at least the farmer will have to decide which kind of crop to plant.
Posted by: Nimble Spemble   2006-07-30 11:07  

#10  #9: "What happens when its bad enough that you have to make a decision whether we gas up our cars or gas up our diets?"

I don't think they plan on making bio-gasoline out of beans, FO. ;-p
Posted by: Barbara Skolaut   2006-07-30 11:04  

#9  ...when it hits the wheat producing areas, or the corn stock that feeds pigs etc.

Or environmentalists who want to substitute 'renewable' energy which is based upon grain stock that is subject to such irregularities. Their big sale doesnÂ’t include problems like this when touting their program. What happens when its bad enough that you have to make a decision whether we gas up our cars or gas up our diets?
Posted by: Flaving Omuger5227   2006-07-30 10:32  

#8  You mean you don't blame Bush???

Yeah, weather cycles occur and this isn't the first serious drought in the midwest. But it DOES affect our economy when it hits the wheat producing areas, or the corn stock that feeds pigs etc.
Posted by: lotp   2006-07-30 09:44  

#7  You should thank Bill Richardson.
Posted by: Nimble Spemble   2006-07-30 09:08  

#6  Up till this last month, New Mexico had been in a multi-year drought. Then for the first time since 1999, the regular monsoons have returned. WeÂ’ve had rain, lots and soaking, and the temps have dropped down to the 80s. While the rest of the country has roasted this week, its been rather comfortable in this area. I expect the next update of the drought listings to have our area fade from extreme to moderate or abnormally dry. You can keep track of the drought conditions here.

http://www.drought.unl.edu/dm/monitor.html

Last year, eastern Oregon and Northern Illinois were in particular extreme drought. This year the problem is elsewhere. ItÂ’s like that with the weather, over time.

Posted by: Flaving Omuger5227   2006-07-30 08:54  

#5  Setting aside the whole 'climate change' thing, this is a serious economic issue for many in the heartland.

Their economics gets bad, you think they'll vote to have their tax monies keep up the fight in Iraq and eleswhere?

It's a concern, over and beyond the concern for decent farmers losing their livelihoods.
Posted by: lotp   2006-07-30 07:19  

#4   ^^^ I heard it's a La Niña year.
Posted by: Jake-the-peg   2006-07-30 04:58  

#3  Wait a sec El nino was gonna flood us all to death what, 2 years ago now?
Posted by: Oldcat   2006-07-30 02:59  

#2  A Montana cousin has been having water hauled in to her ranch for quite a few years now. The nearby Musselshell river has been dry for years.
Posted by: 3dc   2006-07-30 00:35  

#1  We are in the 5th years of the cold cycle of the North Pacific Oscillation...which appears to have a ~25 year period. Look back at the 50s and early 60s for an analog.
Posted by: anymouse   2006-07-30 00:28  

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