Drought Advice Wanted

Paumon · #41 01/25/14, 06:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RedDirt Cowgirl

We seem to be in the same climate mode as 1851, 1884, and 1897. Don't know how you would find out if your creek has ever failed to run though. If you have a local history society they might have writings or records about your creek. With water users upstream you might want to look into your water rights and documenting your usage as far back as possible.

I can't spit out the correct name for the ocean oscillation thingie that means a warm water mass is sitting in the Pacific, and that's what's driving the high pressure cell. It's not going to be a sudden turnaround. And this is our third year droughty here.

You are thinking of the El Nino warming (and sometimes the opposite, the La Nina cooling) Pacific southern oscillation events. However, since 2012 it has been neither one - it is ENSO-neutral, what is called a "La Nada" event which means "nothing", no significant warming or cooling. According to the National Weather Service's Climate Prediction Center diagnosis issued January 9, 2014, this neutral, or "La Nada" event, has stubbornly persisted since spring 2012 and their projections suggest this pattern will continue through the summer of 2014.

RedDirt Cowgirl · #42 01/25/14, 09:36 PM

And the leg bone (ENSO)'s connected to...
I was thinking of the Pacific Decadal Oscillation - Drought Advice Wanted - Homesteading Questions

Here's the article: http://www.weatherwest.com/archives/1085

K.B. · #43 01/25/14, 09:42 PM

I first came across this story in Brad Lancaster's books, "Rainwater Harvesting for Drylands"... I like the story of the man who farms water:

http://ag.arizona.edu/oals/ALN/aln46/lancaster.html

fishhead · #44 01/26/14, 08:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by K.B.

I first came across this story in Brad Lancaster's books, "Rainwater Harvesting for Drylands"... I like the story of the man who farms water:

http://ag.arizona.edu/oals/ALN/aln46/lancaster.html

Excellent read. Thank you. It's definitely something that we should practice with the expanding droughts spreading across the US.

It reminds me of a guy traveling around India teaching villagers how to build reservoir ponds to store rainwater for the dry months. Before they built the ponds the rainwater just ran off the land and their wells were running out of water. Now by holding the rainwater on the land it percolates down into the wells and keeps them full of crystal clear drinking water.

We have done the opposite in MN and lots of other agricultural areas by draining the wetlands that used to collect and hold the water so that it could replenish the aquifers.

K.B. · #45 01/30/14, 09:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by where I want to

All our water comes from a creek. I just have two horses and the (at the moment) three goats. With a small creek and others taking from it before it gets to me, I expect there will be a chance of no water this summer. So prepared I will try to be.
There is still a chance as we have two months left in the rainy season. But some expert said it will take record setting rain to escape the hole we are already in.

Did you get any rain from this last system that came through? We got a little over a half inch... every little bit helps

where I want to · #46 01/30/14, 10:45 AM

Yes we did. Actually rained enough to puddle a bit. A bit of a dry spell again now but the forecast has another chance next week. Keeping good thoughts.

Rectifier · #47 01/30/14, 10:28 PM

With 2 horses and 3 goats you are not a huge water user, so that's good. Fingers crossed for more rain!

Regarding water harvesting, I'm always tempted to dig a dugout into my big 1-3' deep swamp and put the water into a usable dugout for irrigation or something. And of course recover what would no doubt be a great area to grow vegetables, fruits and other water-loving crops. But then I remember how the area of the swamp is important to recharge the aquifers underneath it, that the ducks love it, and the fact that nobody has drained it despite 100 years of cultivation, and I leave it alone just like all the previous owners of my farm.
We are lucky to have tons of groundwater, springs and ponds in an area which is considered dryland... and I'm sure that swamp is an important part of the system.

I often wish I could get rid of that ---- mosquito-breeding, otherwise useless swamp though.