Some people are talking about the Texas drought being over. Those making this kind of statement are usually ardent football fans who are referring to the ending of the state’s national championship drought with the University of Texas’ victory in the Rose Bowl.
True, prior to last week the Lone Star State hadn’t had a national collegiate football champion in some 35 years and thus, in that respect, the drought could be considered ended. However, the drought that is on the minds of most Texans relates to water. A lack of significant rainfall over the past several months has resulted in a substantial drought in vast areas of the state. Prospects for better conditions any time soon are not highly favorable as the National Weather Service’s outlook is for continued dry weather across much of Texas until early spring.
The lack of rainfall over the past few months has not only affected Texas, but much of the US as well. In addition to the economic impact to some areas of the state and nation, the dry conditions have sparked fires that have caused extensive loss of property and timber.
Last week, there were 767 fires reported across America that covered approximately 485,000 acres. A great amount of this destruction has been in Louisiana, Arkansas, Oklahoma, and Eastern Texas.
Droughts in Texas are not new, of course. It seems like they occur frequently and are primary topics of conversation practically every year. Since 1996, much of the west-central part of Texas has seen brutal droughts. An exception occurred in 2004, when the state averaged 39 inches of rain and faced extensive flood damage in several central and northern communities. Last year, 28 counties were declared disaster areas because of the drought. Requests for drought designation and the related federal disaster relief are still pending in many other counties.
Annual rainfall in the Lone Star State varies from a total of about eight inches in El Paso to approximately 56 inches along the Texas-Louisiana border. During the first 11 months of 2005, Texas averaged 21.5 inches of rain, substantially less than the normal 26 inches. Despite Hurricane Rita, the total rainfall for the Houston area, for example, was about nine inches less than its usual 44 inch January-November total.
Although weather conditions have placed unusual burdens on many people, for some crops there was just enough rain at just the right time, and last year’s results are predicted to approach that of 2004. High cattle and calf prices were helpful in boosting the total agricultural income, and irrigation, especially in Southwest Texas, contributed to the near record cotton yields.
Still, the drought has had a huge impact on the hay crop and pastures. Much of the hay produced has not been of the best quality because of the lack of soil moisture. In addition, statewide reservoir storage levels have dropped dramatically.
Water played a unique role in the state’s development and economic growth. In fact, some say that water (and the lack thereof) defines Texas and gives it the mystique so often romanticized in stories of the “wild west.” There may be some truth to that concept as I well remember the expression I often heard growing up: “Whiskey is for drinking; water is for fighting.”
As the current drought continues, the pressure to find long-term solutions to the problem of growing need for water will undoubtedly rise. The drought conditions in the early 1960s caused the Legislature to pass a Weather Modification Act in 1967 to promote “cloud seeding.” The success of that measure was never accurately determined, but it led to the institution of water monitoring and better planning efforts across the state. Many aspects of Texas water law have evolved through litigation and legislation following major droughts.
The current drought is already causing problems and has the potential to affect the state’s economy to some degree, but we are well aware that there have been many droughts much greater than the one we are now experiencing. In all likelihood, there will also be some much worse in the future. Even so, as the dry days persist, let it be a reminder that ensuring the adequacy of crucial water resources to meet future needs is of paramount importance to the future prosperity of the state.