Texas Drought

[Texas Ranger]

http://photoblog.statesman.com/dry-season-the-texas-drought-of-2011

[clww]

Too bad Tropical Storm Lee isn't curving to the left.

[WH_Conley]

WOW. I feel for those people. A lot of lives will never be the same. I imagine the family farm will be hit the hardest.

[Woodwalker]

Pasture is dead. Dried up and eaten down to the dirt anywhere there is\were cattle. If they have something to eat it's being hauled in from out of state. The only part of the state that has had any measurable amounts of rain is an area between Houston and Orange along the coast.
Timber is dying everywhere you look. I quit counting at 32 dead Red and Water Oaks here around the house yesterday. The past week the amount has been increasing by two or three more dead ones a day when I come in from work. It's gotten so I don't even want to look.

[Norm]

Sorry to hear this guys, wish that latest ts had headed your way.

[red oaks lumber]

wow i knew it was dry down there but, man did those photos hit me hard! i know a rancher outside of dallas, i offered to graze and winter 100 head for him for a rate of gain. the trucking was a deal killer.
 farmaid is putting together a huge hay lift for oklahoma and texas so hopefully that can make a small dent into a very huge crisis. hang in there guys prayers are on the way

[Texas Ranger]

The storm has given south east Texas, maybe, a half inch of rain.  We are down over 20 inches for the year.  We could use a tropical weather pattern, but not so much a hurricane.

WoodWalker, yep, lots of sand pastures in this area, cattlemen selling off herds because of the cost of hay.  There is a potential to lose more timber from the drought, than from Ike.

[Texas Ranger]

Subject: The Great Midland Flood of 2011

Definitely one of the best yet--even if you don't live in Midland or Odessa, any Texan can relate to this one!

The Great Midland Flood of 2011

(Midland, TX, Aug. 12, 2011) The city of Midland yesterday received one of the most remarkable and devastating weather events in the history of Texas.

In a mere 37 minutes, from 5:24 PM to 6:01 PM, Midland International Airport recorded more than twice the total amount of rain than had fallen during the previous 319 days, dating back to September 26, 2010.

Police officers reported that it was like a wall of water had descended upon the city. The water mixed with the nearly years worth of oil that had collected on roadways to make rush-hour travel nearly impossible.

One driver reportedly saw a stop sign too late and tried to slam on his brakes, only to end up in Odessa.

Cattle, who for several months had taken refuge from the drought and heat in giant cracks in the ground, were swallowed up whole by the Earth as the soil suddenly absorbed all the moisture and closed in over their heads. Rescuers, trained in Alpine avalanches, were going from ranch to ranch listening for distant mooing sounds.
Meanwhile, panicked young rattlesnakes took refuge in the branches of nearby mesquite trees.

In one especially hard-hit neighborhood, volunteers were going door-to-door in rubber boots looking for people needing assistance.

Two persons have been hospitalized so far. One, a 23-year-old woman, was standing on a street corner when the rain began. The driver of a nearby car attempted to activate his windshield wipers, and pieces of dried, brittle rubber flew off and struck her in the left eye.

The other injury was to a 47-year-old man who sprained his ankle while dancing.
John Nielsen-Gammon, the Texas State Climatologist, said that the 0.36�� of rain Midland received in 37 minutes yesterday was still not sufficient to break the drought.
It's a very good start, he said. And the additional hundredth Midland received an hour later was really the icing on the cake. Just twenty-two more flooding events like this one, and Midland will be back up to normal precipitation for the year.

[Editor's note: the rainfall statistics in this story are accurate. Everything else is merely plausible.]

Texans still have a sense of humor about all this.  For now.

[Rocky_Ranger]

My Mom's place in western Arkansas is dry too for this year - not as bad as Texas, but pretty bad.  Record heat and lack of moisture.  I don't know how she will make it for hay this winter.  I've been looking around here in Arizona and may ship a load to her, if I can find some to buy.  Ya'll realize what this will do for beef and poultry prices down the road?  Heading to Colorado next weekend and may do some looking up there, I think they have had a pretty good grass year.  Will head back to Arkansas in late October or early November, I hope to time a trailer load of hay to arrive to unload, won't be all she needs but given some modest carryover and a below average first cutting it might make a difference.

TR, I feel for ya'll down there - I know you are still burning too..........

[GF]

I sure hope Texas and Oklahoma get some rain soon.   Texas is much worse than Oklahoma.   I sure wished the TS would have came up through Texas.   A colde front came through last noght and our high today is 81, no rain with it in our area.

GF

[Woodwalker]

Guess you can say we got a cold front. At least some cloud cover from Lee. First day in over 60 straight days that we haven't had temps over 100*.

[thecfarm]

I've been seeing this on the news. I sure do hope some rain will come your way.

[tcsmpsi]

Spending what time I have in trying to keep up with the harvesting of the larger dead trees, many of the smaller ones get 'left behind'.  Last night one fell across the drive (about 8" dia") and somehow, hit a rabbit, who have become much more prolific as with other wildlife, as I still have water in the pond.    From what I see out this way, the timber damage will be much more substantial than what was lost with Ike, even in the long run loss. 

Even with rain, and lots of it, it will be too little too late.   Going to be ....interesting.

[Texas Ranger]

Wildfire Update � Sept. 5, 2011

Current situation:

Texas Forest Service responded to at least 56 new fires Sunday that burned approximately 30,000 acres, including the following large fires:

BASTROP COUNTY COMPLEX, Bastrop County.  14,000 acres, no containment.  Heavy airtankers and single-engine airtankers assisted on this fire that started in the Lost Pines area just northeast of Bastrop.  The fire has moved unchecked for at least 16 miles to the south and has jumped the Colorado River twice.  The Circle D, K.C. Estates, Pine Forest, Colovista and Tahitian Village subdivision have been evacuated.   Firefighters are trying to hold the fire at FM 2571.  Reports indicate possibly 300 homes have been destroyed.

STEINER RANCH, Travis County.  150 acres, no containment.  The fire started just north of the Steiner Ranch subdivision.  More than 1,000 homes are under mandatory evacuation in Steiner Ranch.  At least 25 homes are reported lost.  A Texas Intrastate Fire Mutual Aid System strike team responded.

HENDERSON #495, Henderson County.  5,000 acres, unknown containment.  Three homes were saved.

#491, Limestone County.  3,000 acres, unknown containment.  Six homes were saved and one was lost on this fire 20 miles east of Waco.

DELHI, Caldwell County.  1,000 acres, unknown containment.  Twenty homes were saved and six were lost on this fire east of Lockhart.

BAILEY, Colorado County.  1,000 acres, unknown containment.  This fast-moving fire threatened 40 homes near Columbus.  Blackhawks, single-engine airtankers, and a heavy airtanker assisted.

MOORE, Smith County.  927 acres, 5 percent contained.  Ten homes were evacuated and five were lost on this fire burning on the Smith/Gregg County line.  Two civilian fatalities were reported. 

#545, Upshur County.  500 acres, unknown containment.  One hundred homes were saved; none lost.  The fire is burning East of Gilmer.

LUTHERHILL, Fayette County.  400 acres, unknown containment.  The community of Ruttersville was evacuated. 

BONBIEW RANCH, Van Zandt County. 350 acres, unknown containment.  Twenty homes were saved southeast of Canton.

CLEMANIS, Upshur County.  400 acres, 85 percent contained.  Twenty homes were saved.

#543, Gregg County.  300 acres, unknown containment.  Numerous homes were saved, none lost.

#538, Harrison County.  200 acres, contained.  One hundred fifty homes were evacuated in a trailer park east of Longview.

#502, Nacogdoches County.  200 acres, unknown containment.  More than a dozen homes have been evacuated, but none lost.

#841, Houston County.  200 acres, unknown containment.  Fifteen homes were threatened east of Crockett.

PLEASANT GREEN ROAD, Gregg County.  150 acres, contained.  Numerous homes evacuated and saved south of Longview.

KENNEDY ROAD, Rusk County.  150 acres, unknown containment.  Numerous homes threatened, one lost.

HODDE, Travis County.  325 acres, contained.  Two hundred homes were evacuated and saved east of Pflugerville.  No homes reported lost.

PETTYTOWN, Caldwell County.  200 acres, 90 percent contained.  Twenty homes were saved east of Lockhart.

OLD MAGNOLIA, Gregg County. 100 acres, unknown containment.  No homes threatened.  Two fuel tanks exploded.

SOUTH SULPHER, Hunt County. 100 acres, 70 percent contained.  Five homes were threatened and two were destroyed.

#839, Leon County.  100 acres, unknown containment.  Fifteen homes are reported lost.

 

[Rocky_Ranger]

TR, that one fire burned 300 homes?  I haven't heard a "peep" about these yet - this is just devastating............  

I just got a "buzz" on my Huckleberry (kin to a Blackberry) and the toll is now up to 400 homes destroyed, and over 16,000 acres.   

[Woodwalker]

TR, that one fire burned 300 homes?  I haven't heard a "peep" about these yet - this is just devastating............ 

I just got a "buzz" on my Huckleberry (kin to a Blackberry) and the toll is now up to 400 homes destroyed, and over 16,000 acres.   

Here's one news link http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/09/05/us-texas-wildfires-idUSTRE78426D20110905

[Autocar]

I was logging a job northwest of Lima Ohio and was crossing a pipe line right of way. A plane flew over checking me out a a bit later a Marathon pipeline truck shows up. We got to talking and I said to him I always wondered why the pipe line companys couldn't pump water though the lines when rivers on the east coast were at flood stage filling man made reservoirs out in Texas giving water for ranchers and farmers. I figure a win win for Texas and extra money for the pipe line companys. He tells me theres hundreds of abandoned pipe lines criss crossing the country. So I e-mailed the Lieutenant Govenor's office asking them there opinion. I never heard anything from them, go figure. 

[red oaks lumber]

autocar,
 that would make sense, so they can't have or do anthing that would work. :)send another email maybe send it to others of power

[Texas Ranger]

Bastrop fire now supposedly over 30,000 and 600 homes gone.

[ouachita]

Rocky and Texas Ranger,

Talked with a trucker Saturday.  Truckers are paying $35/round bale and hauling to Texas to sell at $100/bale.  Normal selling rate for local hay would be around $60-70/bale. 

Just pulled up the Conroe (Texas) Courier.  They just listed about 10 fires just in Montgomery County.  Montgomery County is the county just north of Houston, Texas. Most are smaller than 100 acres, but several could get interesting. 

In Fordyce, Arkansas, we were at the very edge of TS Lee and received about 1/2 inch of rain.  30 minutes after the rain stopped and the cool front came through, the pavement was completely dry.  Very dry air.

Going home from a trail walk this afternoon, I noticed major smoke west of Fordyce.  With 20 mph wind gusts, I don't think any one was on a summer prescription burn.

Rocky,
I heard yesterday that only 14 of the 44 P-3 Orions are flying, the rest being grounded by FAA for various reasons.  Any truth to that?

Ouachita

Charles Westmoreland CF, RF
Fordyce, Arkansas