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Drought Conditions

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Chuck (CA)

Well-known Member
Here in the central valley of California, we just broke the old record of 46 days with no rain. We're supposed to cut back a minimum of 20% of water usage, but my biggest concern is a mega almond orchard that some corporation planted last year on a hill above us. They drilled a huge amount of wells and we're very worried about our ground water.
I talked to the general manager when they were planting and his answer was basically "Too bad. This is Ag country and it's just the way it is." Irrigation won't start until March or April and they're watering because with the weather, the trees aren't going dormant.
It's a completely different problem you folks in the east and Midwest are suffering, but I just needed to vent. Thanks for listening.
 
Been thinkin about that alot lately here few miles to the north of you Chuck. We have a fire-weather warning for today and tomorrow in the mtns. There should be five feet of snow up there now. It"s bone azz dry.
Not gonna be a good year to be a farmer unless it starts raining and snowing SOON.

Ben
 
I sympathize with you. With the drought continuing here in SE TX water is a major problem. Just no easy answers for the problem. Surprising that ag would get preference for water there, here farmers & ranchers get the short end of things.
Water is the battle of now & the future.
 
When irrigation season starts, they are the ones to get cut off first if there is a shortage of water, but there's no control of them using wells and using all the ground water.
 
Yep understand you completely. Out here in Missouri we need moisture also. There is a burn ban in this area and has been for a few days now. So dry that all it takes is a small spark and you burn 100 acres
 
Hardly any snow pack in the mountains of AZ this winter; that means low water in the reservoirs that could lead to water rationing. Our town doesn't use any water from the reservoirs as they rely on deep wells.

The town has 4 " water ranches" designed to return waste water to the deep water table, but that is a very slow process so it's possible water could become short here.
 
I assume you are talking about your domestic well. You need to talk to whatever agency administers water rights in your state. You have some rights, even if you don't have a formal water right.

A similar situation occurred here, when a big fish farm came in and started pumping several thousand gallons per minute- a neighbor's house well went dry in short order (it was old and shallow)- he went and talked to the fish farm guy, who said "Give me 24 hours before you call Dept. of Ecology- Meanwhile, I'll have a water truck over to your place within a half hour."

A couple hours later, here comes a backhoe across the prairie, digging a ditch as it came, and guys behind laying pipe. They hooked him up at his pumphouse, and he got free water from them for over 30 years. Finally had to cut him off a couple years ago, because the pipe came across a third party's land, who wanted to develop.
 
Ben, with your handle (State of Jefferson), I guess you're up north of Yreka. Beautiful area. When I visit my son in Portland, that is one of my favorite areas to drive.
 
We usually have plenty of rain water here in northern NY state and last fall we had way too much. However in 2012 we had a drought that threatened our crops but we did get some timely rains and had a decent crop but it made me and the other famers see how vulnerable we are to the weather. Hope everyone gets enough water.
 
Just to the left of Yreka, Chuck.

Little place called Ft. Jones. In the Scott Valley. Beautiful country to be sure!

Holler the next time you're comin thru. I'll Buy ya a soda pop at the local brewery!

Ben
 
Southern Calif. is no different. If we don't get some rain soon I will not have any mowing or discing jobs. A few years ago, I remember we got a lot of rain in March. The extra income in the spring helps out a lot. Stan
 
Central Nebraska is dry too. Only a couple of inches of fluffy snow so far all winter and have not even used a tractor to move any yet.

Last year's rain totals looked better due to a couple of 5 inch fast rains last fall but most of that went down the crick. Our ground is dry and the fire danger is real.
 
I hear you. We had it bad in 2011. Some parts of Tx are still in drought conditions.

Folks imported hay from all over the US. Some survived, some didn"t.

We lost lots of trees, mostly oaks. Hope its never that bad again (at least in my lifetime).
 

I didn't know where Yreka is, since I'm on the opposite side of the country. Looks like a nice area. Wikipedia has a summary of the area and also has a "notable people" section. The first notable person they list is the woman accused of murdering her boyfriend in AZ, Jodi Arias, whose trial has received hysterical media attention.

About 19 inches average rainfall listed, which puts the area at risk for drouth if there is much rainfall shortage.

KEH
 
Been dry around here too, the we get concentrated flooding weather one month each spring, after July the moisture shuts off.

Nothing like some of you folks face tho, this is the land of water.....

Seems whomever is there first or has the most money to hire a drill rig gets the water?

I think I remember you talking about this a year or so ago, they were coming in with some new irrigation by you, and you kinda live off of a non natural pond feeding your shallow well? Something like that?

You have kind of a special deal there, if I am remembering this right. This would not be a normal draining the aquifer type of deal......

In other forums I read about the towns taking all the water, and farms have to shut down so folks can water their lawn and wash their cars.

Kinda just sux either way, frustrating.

Paul
 
We have snow here in central IL but the tiles haven't been running for several months. It was this way last year and everybody was wanting rain. It came and way too much. Then everybody wanted it to stop and it turn dry now. So be careful what you ask for.
 
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