The Official Drought Thread

[Jeff Lebowski]

Just think of the poor scientists who'll have to update their models!

You keep this up, you are going to need to send '71 a royalty check.

[byu71]

http://www.cougarstadium.com/showthr...=1#post1206986

I have tried to back off, but sometimes I just have to see if your chain is still one of the easiest to yank around.

[YOhio]

You keep this up, you are going to need to send '71 a royalty check.

Ouch. I had no idea how I was coming across. That was a proper chastening and I will immediately cease.

[PaloAltoCougar]

The next tragedy is going to be when El Nino drags heavy rain over all these burned areas.

Yep. The mudslides are going to be off the charts.

A year ago or so, when Jerry Brown started pushing legislation for drought relief (including a couple of new dams!), some were surprised that nearly half of the budget allocation was for flood control, etc. It seemed odd at the time to be worrying about too much water, and still does, I suppose, but yeah, if this winter rivals that of the last big El Nino, it should be a lot of fun around here.

[wuapinmon]

Yep. The mudslides are going to be off the charts.

When I was in Big Sur last year, some of those mudslide blocking fences seemed like they could withstand a large and moving Slor. While I know that anything could happen, are most of those systems designed to withstand something resembling current conditions during a deluge, or is this uncharted territory?

[Jeff Lebowski]

When I was in Big Sur last year, some of those mudslide blocking fences seemed like they could withstand a large and moving Slor. While I know that anything could happen, are most of those systems designed to withstand something resembling current conditions during a deluge, or is this uncharted territory?

Totally uncharted territory. Worst drought in at least 500 years followed by a massive El Nino. Going to be interesting.

[PaloAltoCougar]

Totally uncharted territory. Worst drought in at least 500 years followed by a massive El Nino. Going to be interesting.

On frequent Fast Sundays (most recently, last week), our SP has put out the word that we should be praying for rain. I'm sort of looking forward to seeing how the precip issue is addressed in the months ahead if El Nino is as advertised. January: "Yay, our prayers have been answered!" February: "Okay, eeeeeeeeeasy, Big Fella..." March: "Pleeeeeeeeeease, stop!"

[clackamascoug]

On the bright side - the perfectly green state just north had an absolutely gorgeous summer reminiscent of California. The camping business was totally pegged all summer.

[Pelado]

The camping business was totally pegged all summer.

Lot of campers from Seattle?

[Uncle Ted]

California Lake Mysteriously Runs Dry Overnight, Killing Thousands Of Fish

A Northern California reservoir ran dry overnight, killing thousands of fish and leaving residents looking for answers.


While a $3.5 million drought safety net at Folsom Lake finishes, a lake in another part of the state is left high and dry.


Thousands of fish lay dead in what used to be Mountain Meadows reservoir also known as Walker Lake, a popular fishing hole just west of Susanville.
[...]

http://sacramento.cbslocal.com/2015/...sands-of-fish/

The Mountains Meadows massacre... of fish.

[Uncle Ted]

Climate of doubt

The highway to Oroville, a small town in California’s Central Valley, runs into the foothills of the Sierra Nevada. As the road and the temperature climb, the neon lights of the valley’s box stores give way to orchards. Before the weather changed, this was a good place for fruit. Along the highway, hand-painted posters flash: ‘Fresh! Peaches’. The town was founded during the Gold Rush, and although today it’s home to more farmers than miners, it’s still a place where people search for what they don’t have. ‘Severe drought,’ highway signs blink. ‘Limit outdoor watering.’ There’s been no rain here since April, and the land is so dry even the moonlight is dusty. I’ve travelled 3,000 miles to California looking for a woman looking for water. I’ve come to a desert.


Sharron Hope, I’ve heard, can find water underground. As a dowser, she uses tools as simple as a stick to determine where to place a well. Holding a forked branch, Hope can tell if she is approaching a buried spring because she will feel these tools move in her hands. She can even estimate how many feet to dig and how many gallons per minute the finished hole will produce. She’s right so regularly that excavators often call her before breaking ground.


[...]

http://aeon.co/magazine/psychology/d...h-and-science/

Summon Cowboy...

[Jeff Lebowski]

Double yikes.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/...ficant-record/

[Donuthole]

All this celebrating in the "Steep and Deep" thread has me wondering how long it will be before the "Despite record winter, drought worse than ever" news story drops.

[BigPiney]

We aren't getting much where it counts for California.

[Donuthole]

We aren't getting much where it counts for California.

Sorry, ngas about California.