Remember the drought?
The one that enveloped the entire southeastern part of the US. The one that started the water wars between Georgia, Alabama and Florida? The water cops were out in full force. Neighbors were ratting on neighbors for watering lawns, gardens, flower beds.
Articles were written about conservation. Some even went so far as to collect the water in their showers in buckets and reuse it for outdoor watering. And many had expensive wells dug in their yards to bypass the official water sources and watering restrictions. Lush, green lawns were suspect. Signs went up "This lawn is watered using "WELL WATER"
Plans were made to plant cactus gardens.
Lakes Lanier and Allatoona were 12 to 15 feet below average levels. Florida said they needed MORE water released from Lake Lanier so the snail darters could survive. (We human Georgians wanted to survive also). Polititians fumed and fought.
Lake front lots were dry docks. It was HOT and DRY. PARCHED. It went on and on. Year after year. Almost to "dust bowl" proportions. the "Okies" among us were considering loading up the pickups and heading for California.
Then March, April and May 2009 came:
"Unusually active weather pattern brings frequent torrential rains to the Southeast. The last week of March and first week of April brought a shift in the large-scale weather patterns across the Southeast U.S., characterized by an active pattern with frequent low pressure systems moving across the northern Gulf Coast. Several of these systems were slow-moving, allowing soaking rains and thunderstorms to dump heavy accumulations of rain over the two-week period across most of Georgia, Alabama, and North Florida.. The widespread nature of the heavy rainfall has resulted in flooding of low-lying or poorly-drained areas and record or near-record floods on some Georgia and North Florida Rivers."
And according to WSB-TV Channel 2 meteorologist David Chandley
"Finally, the drought is OVER!.
As I track showers and t-storms across the southeast, I found this little nugget on the computer. For the first time in more than 2 years, the state of Georgia is drought free!! "
Oh. And by the way. about a month ago we had a soaker system installed for our tiny front yard and new shrubs.
Probably that did it and the heavens opened up and blessed us all with
Rain.
Beautiful Rain.
Wet wonderful water.
Rain.
cloudburst, deluge, drencher,flood, liquid sunshine, monsoon, pouring, raindrops, rainstorm, sheets, showers, sun shower, torrent, wet stuff.
Whoopee!!!
8 comments:
You can't fool (or fool with) Mother Nature.
Ain't that just the way!!
Our drought is over too, but now we're getting too much of a good thing!
Don set up a watering system for my veggie garden (at the back of our property)so that I wouldn't have to lug the garden hose out there.
I figure that's almost a guarantee that we'll have a rainy summer.
Cas
Have a great day!
True, rain in the south can be fickle, but I wouldn't count on this as the end of all ends to drought if the scientific pundits are anywhere near correct.
But, you know that :-)
Kenju is right. I live in the same area and we've had an over abundance of the good stuff...but it's still better than the drought.
Glad you have water! I'm sure glad your drought is over, but no such luck here in Southern California. Our city is considering adopting the same conservation plan of the city of L.A. -- watering briefly only twice a week. My grass will die, as I cut back earlier, though to more than that, and it's been browning already.
Ten years or so ago I tried to convince my husband to go to natural desert landscaping in certain areas and keep only a smaller area in grass. He would have no part of that suggestion. How I do regret we had not done so, I had been more demanding, or whatever it took. I just really don't want to have to get into doing this yard, am not really able to do it myself, but may have to find someone to tackle the job.
Oh, we've definitely had our share of rain Chancy....I would have sent you some of ours during your drought if I had known. So glad all is well now.... ~Joy
Am I glad I live in a damp and drizzly part of the world? Hm, maybe. I love my garden and my wildflowers but I'd also like a drop of sunshine now and then. Having said that, I've actually fled indoors the last three days because we had temperatures in the high 20s!!
You can never please all of the people all of the time.
Post a Comment