Saturday, February 18, 2012

GETTING AHEAD ON OUR RAINFALL

Thankfully, it's getting harder and harder to say the 'D' word; DROUGHT! I look at the drought map and then glance outside and the two don't match up at all. With all the flooding in our area, we might make another dent in the RED ZONE and finally be back to NORMAL. It's almost too much of a good thing since this is now the time for farmers to start plowing fields and planting crops. Still, NOBODY'S complaining.
Getting AHEAD on our rainfall is a BIG DEAL!
Things are looking UP!
(giant, ancient Olmec Head in Mexico)

RADAR from last night. Somehow it reminds me of the shape of Western Europe.

Ah! I propose a toast using my rain gauge. 2.5" of rain in one day.

The pond project is on hold, but it filled up without my help. It's too muddy to do the edge.

We still are technically in a drought even though I can't walk through my backyard due to standing water.
It will take a day to sink in and add to the groundwater.

My garden is in the tan zone, but our farm is still in the red zone.
Many parts of Texas still need rain, but at least it's not ALL RED like most of last year.
I'm thankful to see white areas again like Dallas and Fort Worth.

No water ~ No garden!

While out in the muck, I noticed a pretty set of hackberry leaves framed in a green arch by walking iris.
Some of our oaks and other trees keep their leaves all winter, then lose them just before Spring.

Now, let's do the numbers.
LAST 6 MONTHS OF RAINFALL (HOUSTON, TEXAS)
February (so far) 6.09"
January 5.07"
December 4.28"
November 4.70"
October 3.36"
September 1.28"
*******
Drought months 2011
August 0.09"
July 2.98" (:-)
June 0.11"
May 0.33"
April 0.11"
March 0.78"
February 2011~ 0.69"
Another way to look at how bad it all was; we just got the same amount of rain in ONE DAY(today) as we got in 6 MONTHS last year (if you skip July)!

12 comments:

  1. Yep, the rain gauge is getting quite full over here, too. So far over 3" and it is still coming down. No standing water except in my collection bowls.

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  2. Our granddaughter's soccer tournament, That was being played in your area, was cancelled because of some flooding.
    This rain is a good thing, though. We've made our way up to the severe level. Hope we're all at least that light, light yellow, by summer.

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  3. Wow. So happy that you all are starting to catch up. Your poor parched ground is going to need some TLC for a little while. We have friends in Brenham, TX who just moved back from PA... sad time to move away from all of our green hills! Looking forward to reading more about your garden greening up. Julie

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  4. Thank goodness it's raining for you. We've had a very dry winter which means it will be a long dry spring until the June rains begin.

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  5. David, you've got our rain! Give it back right now. I think we.re heading for a dry spring again which bodes il for sowing seeds on our sandy soil. East of Scotland dry? Unheard of!

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  6. When the garden perks up, we perk up! I have not been on Blotanical for ages! In a way it is good to be back to say hello to some enthusiastic gardeners. I like the drop of rain, it tells a whole story. I also keep chickens, they are great to have around, could not imagine my garden without them. My black Angelina's.

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  7. Please allow me to tell you whatever I am learning in my Environmental Stewardship class :-). Drought, dry-season, etc are declared based on the amount of water in the reservoir and in groundwater level. So, it might rain a lot but still it will be declared drought or water emergency etc because the reservoir and groundwater do not have the required amount (required amount is usually the average amount of water required by a city/town for consumption plus the amount that should be left over, after consumption, for emergency.

    You have both a garden and a farm? I don't think I saw pictures of your farms here.

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  8. Oh David, I just could not be happier with the amount of rain we have received in recent months. It certainly puts a spring in my step. I’m thrilled to see how my own garden has benefited, but I really enjoy looking out my car window at the rest of the county…SO MUCH GREEN! I’m a happy girl!

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  9. Oh, the rain has been wonderful. And even though I've been gazing out the window, wishing I could work outside, like you say - nobody's complaining!

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  10. Relieved to hear that you seem to be avoiding "the D word" this year. Hope it continues! Love your little pond. I hope to have one like it someday.

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  11. Glad to hear you're getting rain at last. And yes I can see Europe in that radar picture. It just looks like Spain and France. How weird.

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  12. Your area sounds a bit like ours - feast or famine - drought or floods. Never the happy medium. We still have water restrictions a year after the worst flood to hit Brisbane in years.

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I always appreciate your comments & questions! Happy Gardening from David/ Tropical Texana