Is The Drought Over?

[burtandnancy]

Or is this just a temporary thing? Although in SoCal we've had more rain in a week than we normally get in a year how are droughts and floods recorded? Anyone know how this works?

[Phat Matt]

Probably not. I think we need a slow steady rain spaced out over time. Not all at once. I am getting sick of all this rain and the traffic that comes with it!

[jbtrailerjim]

I heard somewhere that we would need at least a few years of above average rainfall, to get us out of the drought we are in. Not sure if it is true or not.

[SHOTKALLIN]

if only we could divert all this wayer into lake powell instead of lake pacific.

[My Man's Sportin' Wood]

They say we need like, three more years of above average rain. Like that's ever gonna happen. I think it's a big conspiracy. My rain gauge will say we got 3 inches and they will report we got 1. These differences are pretty consistant. I think they under report it, to keep us in fear of.. . . THE DROUGHT! Hellllloooooo! We live in the desert and we are trying to make it like the beach! We build all these homes and plant all this grass and use up the entire delta and Colorado river system and then cry, "Where's all the water?" They have to let it all out of Mead to feed the electricity demands of Vegas and Southern Calif and then cry because the water is gone. It's just a bunch of crap.
I'll stop ranting now.

[HavaTan]

I personally and professionally can't wait until this storm ends. I feel like I live in Seattle...I've been suicidal since the Chargers lost. :cry:
We need a break and some someshine until at least...March. :cool:

[My Man's Sportin' Wood]

everything from here goes to mead :idea:
you're such a giver :p

[burtandnancy]

Thanks for the report T & B, hope you weather it out. The rains here in SoCal are suppossed to end Wednesday, probalby be Thursday for you. The NPS don't usually upgrade the Lake Levels until Friday...

[DryHeatOnly]

I read a blurb that said the Sierra's have received the most snowfall since 1914 or something like that. :)

[BarryMac]

IMO, not by a longshot...

[Phat Matt]

When you see the word "Drought", does anyone think of Guinness, or is it just me? :D
http://www.leungyick.com/product/item/beer/guinness%20draught%20btl.jpg
Brilliant!

[Phat Matt]

SAVE ME ONE ,I'V NEVER HAD ONE :wink:
I have one in the fridge for you. I'll throw it up in the freezer for a bit. :rollside:

[jeepinscott]

The Colorado river basin is still in drought condition. The Utah, and Colorado side of the basin that feeds Powell are at 170% of average + or - for this time of year. That's good news. On the realistic side of things, it will take 13 years of normal average rainfall to fill powell back to 100%. If the drought up there continues, it is projected to be at dead pool by 2007.
Angie, Mojave and Havasu are not reservoirs. Water needs to run in the colorado river for everyone down stream, including the 1.3 million cu. ft. of desalinated water that we must flow through to mexico. Hoover energy is generated on water that was going to run anyways, we just get to turn it on and off when we want to. We have monthly water totals that we can not deviate from.
2004 is the first year in the history of the Colorado river project that every entity entitled to water has taken their maximum alotment. Before this, there was always water to spare to keep the reservoirs near full. With peak usage and low supply, reservoirs are drained..........but that's why they were built..............not for me to boat on!

[My Man's Sportin' Wood]

I was hoping you would jump on this thread, Scott. I mentioned that about Hoover because I read that ead was so low that they were talking about draining Powell to fill up Mead for the electricity. Altough, I could have read that at this here "reliable" location. :notam:
. . . but, Hoover was built to put people to work during the depression.
Just kidding, there were lots of reasons, flood control and electricity being two of them (along with the WPA).

[My Man's Sportin' Wood]

Scott, are you saying that in your opinion, Powells a goner regardless? Unless, of course, we get 13 more wet winters (I won't hold my breath for that one).

[ahhell]

up here in the high desert the "Mighty Mojave" is at 6 feet from Silverwood the silverlakes...I crossed over at Bear Valley road tonight and people are taking pix and just pulling over to see. Silver wood is letting loose 5500 cu. ft. per second just to keep from going over the dam...and it flows NORTH.. :idea:

[twistedpair]

Mead is supposed to come up 5 feet by the end of the month. However, I think those calculations are based on decreasing releases, not increased collected runoff. So it might come up a little more. Six more years of this, then the drought MIGHT be over. Check it out Here (http://www.coloradoriverinfo.com/waterflowreports/2005/0110.shtml)

[jeepinscott]

If the basin get's twice the normal rainfall this year, then it will only take 12 more years and so on. I am not saying that powell is a a write off, it is a reservoir. The top reservoir in a chain is always the first to be drained to supply the other interests downstream. Powell will reach high water again, but it will take a lot of rain in the right places to get it there.
Good thing we desert dwellers in our pseudo manmade tropical cities built these reservoirs to keep our grass green and pools full. With our green lawns comes a 37% full lake that I have used to recreate my whole life.

[Havasu_Dreamin]

We would need at least 3 years of above average rainfall to make a dent in the 6 year old drought.

[roostwear]

Here's a link I check out regularly (http://waterdata.usgs.gov/az/nwis/uv?dd_cd=02&format=gif&period=7&site_no=09423000) to see how the river fluctuates and what the levels are. Play around with it to view the flows from Parker, and Hoover, too. Expand it to 14 days.... any doubt they're trying to retain as much as possible in the reservoirs? :wink:

[VEGASBABY]

If this rain keeps up you boys in SoCal will be able to boat from there to havasu! nice!