Sunday, July 10, 2022

'Desperate for water': drought hits Mexican industrial powerhouse

On Monterrey's outskirts, the reservoir La Boca looks as empty as a dozen restaurants located on its recently renovated promenade. A cracking lakebed and boats left high and dry by the receding waters now greet visitors. https://www.france24.com/en/live-news/20220710-desperate-for-water-drought-hits-mexican-industrial-powerhouse

Governor Abbott Issues Drought Disaster Declaration In July 2022

WHEREAS, I, GREG ABBOTT, Governor of the State of Texas, do hereby certify that exceptional drought conditions pose a threat of imminent disaster in Andrews, Aransas, Armstrong, Atascosa, Austin, Bailey, Bandera, Baylor, Bee, Bell, Bexar, Blanco, Borden, Bosque, Brazoria, Brewster, Briscoe, Brown, Burnet, Caldwell, Calhoun, Callahan, Cameron, Camp, Castro, Chambers, Childress, Cochran, Coke, Coleman, Colorado, Comal, Comanche, Concho, Coryell, Cottle, Crane, Crosby, Culberson, Dallam, Dawson, Deaf Smith, DeWitt, Dickens, Dimmit, Eastland, Ector, Edwards, Ellis, Erath, Fisher, Floyd, Foard, Fort Bend, Franklin, Frio, Gaines, Galveston, Garza, Gillespie, Glasscock, Goliad, Gonzales, Guadalupe, Hale, Hall, Hamilton, Hansford, Hardeman, Harris, Hartley, Haskell, Hays, Hidalgo, Hill, Hockley, Hood, Howard, Hudspeth, Irion, Jackson, Jeff Davis, Jefferson, Johnson, Jones, Karnes, Kendall, Kent, Kerr, Kimble, King, Kinney, Knox, La Salle, Lamb, Lampasas, Lavaca, Live Oak, Llano, Loving, Lubbock, Lynn, Martin, Mason, Matagorda, Maverick, McCulloch, McLennan, McMullen, Medina, Midland, Mills, Mitchell, Moore, Motley, Navarro, Nolan, Oldham, Orange, Parker, Parmer, Pecos, Potter, Presidio, Randall, Real, Reeves, Refugio, Roberts, Rockwall, Runnels, San Patricio, San Saba, Schleicher, Scurry, Shackelford, Sherman, Somervell, Stephens, Sterling, Stonewall, Sutton, Swisher, Tarrant, Taylor, Terrell, Terry, Tom Green, Travis, Upton, Uvalde, Val Verde, Victoria, Waller, Ward, Webb, Wharton, Wichita, Wilbarger, Williamson, Wilson, Winkler, Yoakum, and Zavala counties https://gov.texas.gov/news/post/governor-abbott-issues-drought-disaster-declaration

Fishing limits increased at 5 Utah lakes, reservoirs as drought continues to take its toll

The U.S. Drought Monitor continues to list about 83% of Utah in at least extreme drought conditions, including 7.7% of the state in exceptional drought. More than 99% of the state has been in at least a severe drought for months. Utah's reservoirs are currently at 59% capacity statewide, according to the Utah Department of Natural Resources. But the reservoirs that the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources selected are much lower than that. For instance, Yuba Reservoir is currently listed at 12% capacity, while Otter Creek Reservoir is only about a quarter of its entire capacity. https://www.deseret.com/utah/2022/7/10/23201019/fishing-limits-increased-5-utah-lakes-reservoirs-drought-toll-fairview-minersville-otter-creek

Ongoing drought conditions hurting Central Texas farms

The current drought conditions are drying up some bodies of water and killing crops. Right now, Texas has the worst corn conditions in the country. https://www.kvue.com/article/news/local/ongoing-drought-conditions-impact-central-texas-farms/269-694697e0-f0a3-415a-986e-e1ae1ce14049

Tracking the California drought

Californians are living in the state’s driest period on record. Officials have urged people to conserve as reservoirs run low and demand exceeds a supply stressed by climate change. https://www.latimes.com/projects/california-drought-status-maps-water-usage/

Portugal Battles Wildfires Amid Drought, Heat; 29 Injured

The European Union on Sunday activated its firefighting air fleet assistance program that allows member nations to share resources to help Portugal. Spain, which has also endured wildfires recently, quickly responded by mobilizing two firefighting planes to send to its Iberian neighbor, according to the EU crisis commissioner, Janez Lenarcic. Portugal has long suffered large, and sometimes tragic, forest fires. In 2017, out-of-control wildfires killed more than 100 people. The European Union says climate change has the continent facing one of its hardest years for natural disasters such as droughts and wildfire https://www.voanews.com/a/portugal-battles-wildfires-amid-drought-heat/6652926.html

Lake Mead nears dead pool status as water levels hit another historic low

Lake Mead's water levels this week dropped to historic lows, bringing the nation's largest reservoir less than 150 feet away from "dead pool" — when the reservoir is so low that water cannot flow downstream from the dam. https://www.nbcnews.com/science/environment/lake-mead-nears-dead-pool-status-water-levels-hit-another-historic-low-rcna34733

Lake Mead Water Levels Dropping, Could Soon Be at Dead Pool Level

According to the U.S. Drought Monitor, more than 20 percent of land in the western U.S. was determined to be in an "extreme of exceptional drought," as of March 8, 2022. https://www.newsweek.com/lake-mead-water-levels-dropping-deadpool-level-1722632

'Not much relief in sight': Temperatures from powerful 'heat dome' lead to record-breaking highs

At least 10 heat records were broken in cities across the Southwest and central U.S. over the weekend, and more could fall this week amid continued forecasts of searing heat. https://www.yahoo.com/news/not-much-relief-sight-temperatures-163820074.html