Western Drought

[RedRoxx44]

From Dr. Jeff Masters Wonderblog ( on Weather Underground)

For the first time in history, the U.S. government has ordered that flow of Colorado River water from the 50-year-old Glen Canyon Dam be slashed, due to a water crisis brought about by the region's historic 14-year drought. On Friday, the Federal Bureau of Reclamation--a division of the Department of Interior that manages water and electric power in the West--announced that it would cut water released from Lake Powell's Glen Canyon Dam by 750,000 acre-feet in 2014. An acre-foot is the amount of water that will cover an acre of land one foot deep; 750,000 acre-feet is enough water to supply at least 750,000 homes for one year. The flow reduction will leave the Colorado River 9% below the 8.23 million acre feet that is supposed to be supplied downstream to Lake Mead for use in California, Nevada, Arizona and Mexico under the Colorado River Compact of 1922 and later agreements. "This is the worst 14-year drought period in the last hundred years," said Upper Colorado Regional Director Larry Walkoviak in a Bureau of Reclamation press release.

In the winter of 2005, Lake Powell reached its lowest level since filling, an elevation 150' below full pool. Lake levels recovered some in during 2005 - 2011, but the resurgence of severe to extreme drought conditions have provoked a steep decline in 2012 and 2013, with the lake falling 35' over the past year. As of August 18, 2013, Lake Powell was 109' below full pool (45% of capacity), and was falling at a rate of one foot every six days."


Get ready for higher water prices and stricter conservation ???

[big_load]

The entire Colorado basin is looking good.

The down side is that Colorado River water is apparently super muddy right now. I hope it clears up a bit in the next two weeks.

[DixieFlyer]

The down side is that Colorado River water is apparently super muddy right now.

true...here is what the Colorado River in the Grand Canyon looks like right now: [ image ]

Last year at this time it looked like this: [ image ]

[chumley]

All praise be to FSM! The drought is over!!

[azbackpackr]

@big_load
Launching April 7, I'm expecting a chocolate trip!

[azbackpackr]

@chumley
Sigh...Now I have to look up "FSM.". Acronyms are not my strong suit.

Edit: Finite State Machine or Female Seeking Male?

[big_load]

@azbackpackr I'm heading in on Tuesday 4/27 (Tanner/Beamer to the Confluence, back on the Escalante Route and New Hance), hiking out 4/3.

[azbackpackr]

@big_load
Nice territory!

[RedRoxx44]

Another article stating the west for the last 22 years is in the worst drought since 800AD and due to climate change. Of course just had to copy this comment from the thread--
"Headline, 1200 years ago Buffalo farts create massive climate disaster".

[SuperstitionGuy]

@RedRoxx44
While there is at least 4.5 million people now living in Maricopa County and I think they fart too.

[Jim]

The City Urban Liberal Types, or "CULT" members, for short, are using, "Climate Change", for nearly everything now. These people are insane. Any credibility they could milk has been lost over the last 2 years.

Don't you worry your pretty little heart, moron saying buffalo caused a climate disaster, Gate and cronies will still fly in their jets. You eat BUGS!!! Eat the BUGS!!

Even if the comment was sarcastic, people seem to believe this.

[Alston_Neal]

Buffalo farts 1200 years ago ironically correlates to the drastic shrinkage of their wings.

[chumley]

I wonder if it was also the worst drought in 1200 years at the end of December, or if the last 6 weeks of meh has had a material effect on those 1200 years of data?

[nonot]

My BS detector is triggering....gov't sponsored pseudoscience propaganda to cover up the mismanagement of Lake Powell perhaps?

I would like to see the rain data collected 1300 years ago for comparison as well. I'm sure the native Americans kept pristine records... in imperial units, no less!

[Nighthiker]

Check tree rings.

[big_load]

Check tree rings.

You might be able to trust a Ponderosa, but the rest of them are crooked.

[SuperstitionGuy]

The study of tree rings in the southwest include wooden beams the native people used to construct cliff dwellings where wind and rain left them untouched.

[Nighthiker]

Wooden beam in a ruin was great place to lose a Leatherman and to find it years later.

[ShatteredArm]

@nonot
It's not very hard to just go read the study. It requires just two clicks, several minutes, and a rudimentary understanding of science. But I get it, it's more fun to just call it a government conspiracy.

[PatrickL]

@ShatteredArm A grounding in reality is helpful too, but that’s not for everyone.

[DixieFlyer]

I saw that January, 2022 was the driest January in recorded history in the San Jacinto high country; there was only 0.75 inches of new snow on San Jacinto Peak during the month(normally there would be at least 2-3 feet of snow). Further, there has been no measurable precipitation in the first half of February.