Not only good news for farmers this spring, but also for barge trafic on the Mississippi River for everything from grains and fertizers to consumer products.
The State Climatologist blogged today (http://climateillinois.wordpress.com/) that the statewide average precipitation over the last three months was over 9 inches, several inches over the normals.
Thank goodness, now maybe Pat Quinn can get some sleep, lord knows he worked day & night to ensure the Mississippi River remained passable. The recent moisture should help that.
*** The State Climatologist blogged today (http://climateillinois.wordpress.com/) that the statewide average precipitation over the last three months was over 9 inches, several inches over the normals. ***
Everything in central Illinois has been ridiculously soggy for the last two weeks. Funny how after eighteen months of wishing for rain, I am kinda’ missing the dry ground.
Has the Corps needed to dredge anywhere on the Upper Mississippi? I believe by law they are required to maintain an eight-foot channel for barge traffic.
*** I must have missed all the rain you are talking about. My pond is still down about 7 feet. No runoff since May 2011. ***
Last week, I heard water running through the culvert for the first time in at least a year. Made me stop and look around. The pond on my property is still down about four feet, but it is slowly filling back up to “normal pool”.
Happy to hear the water running for some folks. I lived through one bad drought as a kid and the anxiety and frustration, day after day, month after month — you wouldn’t wish that on anyone.
Just went out to check because I’ve been so busy this week, but there’s finally enough water in my cove to float my boat. Now, if we could just get some warmer weather…
- Just The Way It Is One - Friday, Mar 1, 13 @ 3:35 pm:
Well it is sure is good to see some genuinely, God-given,given that WE have no control over the weather-GOOD news here in the Land of Lincoln FOR the residents of the Land of Lincoln. Drought be gone!!!
The Great Lakes are still way down - close to or surpassing the low water datum on 1964. Some boaters (myself included) had better get their depth finders tuned up or there’ll be alot of bottom paint left on the rocks. Here’s to hoping Billy Starbuck is more than just a travelling huckster.
–The Great Lakes are still way down - close to or surpassing the low water datum on 1964-
For Lake Michigan and Lake Huron, besides the draw and environmental factors of less precipitation and more evaporation, the Corps has been dredging the St. Clair River to keep the barges afloat, causing more flow into Lakes Erie and Ontario.
It’s a big environmental problem. The Great Lakes are our bread and butter here.
As an aside, one of the great spots to chill downtown is at the garden at the south end of the Art Institute at Michigan Avenue around “The Fountain of the Great Lakes” by Lorado Taft.
- Dirty Red - Friday, Mar 1, 13 @ 10:43 am:
It can’t be good the most severe drought conditions (by this map’s measure) are right along the Illinois and Mississippi Rivers.
- McLean Farmboy - Friday, Mar 1, 13 @ 10:46 am:
Not only good news for farmers this spring, but also for barge trafic on the Mississippi River for everything from grains and fertizers to consumer products.
The State Climatologist blogged today (http://climateillinois.wordpress.com/) that the statewide average precipitation over the last three months was over 9 inches, several inches over the normals.
- TCB - Friday, Mar 1, 13 @ 10:56 am:
Thank goodness, now maybe Pat Quinn can get some sleep, lord knows he worked day & night to ensure the Mississippi River remained passable. The recent moisture should help that.
- Rich Miller - Friday, Mar 1, 13 @ 11:03 am:
=== the most severe drought conditions (by this map’s measure) are right along the Illinois and Mississippi Rivers.===
Yeah, but it’s much better than it was. Most of those areas are now just dry and not officially in a drought.
- Slick Willy - Friday, Mar 1, 13 @ 11:05 am:
*** The State Climatologist blogged today (http://climateillinois.wordpress.com/) that the statewide average precipitation over the last three months was over 9 inches, several inches over the normals. ***
Everything in central Illinois has been ridiculously soggy for the last two weeks. Funny how after eighteen months of wishing for rain, I am kinda’ missing the dry ground.
- wordslinger - Friday, Mar 1, 13 @ 11:08 am:
Has the Corps needed to dredge anywhere on the Upper Mississippi? I believe by law they are required to maintain an eight-foot channel for barge traffic.
- JoeVerdeal - Friday, Mar 1, 13 @ 11:19 am:
Ponds on my farm (in S.E. Illinois) are full to the top and running over spillways.
If you don’t like the weather down here…..just wait a little while. It will change!
As usual, the greater local threat is…..flooding!!
- Roadiepig - Friday, Mar 1, 13 @ 11:39 am:
After the past two miserably dry summers/falls, seeing water going over the local lake’s dam is a pleasant sight
- Rich Miller - Friday, Mar 1, 13 @ 11:45 am:
Took the puppy for a walk the other night and stepped off my sidewalk into about three inches of mud.
Felt great.
- Nuance - Friday, Mar 1, 13 @ 11:56 am:
My sump pumps have kicked in the for the first time in a year. Good news.
- Very Old Soil - Friday, Mar 1, 13 @ 12:54 pm:
I must have missed all the rain you are talking about. My pond is still down about 7 feet. No runoff since May 2011.
- Shore - Friday, Mar 1, 13 @ 1:23 pm:
There’s something oddly amusing about the “land of 10,000 lakes” having drought issues.
- Slick Willy - Friday, Mar 1, 13 @ 2:15 pm:
*** I must have missed all the rain you are talking about. My pond is still down about 7 feet. No runoff since May 2011. ***
Last week, I heard water running through the culvert for the first time in at least a year. Made me stop and look around.
The pond on my property is still down about four feet, but it is slowly filling back up to “normal pool”.
- wordslinger - Friday, Mar 1, 13 @ 2:19 pm:
Happy to hear the water running for some folks. I lived through one bad drought as a kid and the anxiety and frustration, day after day, month after month — you wouldn’t wish that on anyone.
- Rich Miller - Friday, Mar 1, 13 @ 2:21 pm:
Just went out to check because I’ve been so busy this week, but there’s finally enough water in my cove to float my boat. Now, if we could just get some warmer weather…
- wordslinger - Friday, Mar 1, 13 @ 2:24 pm:
Well, whatever floats your boat is a good thing.
- Just The Way It Is One - Friday, Mar 1, 13 @ 3:35 pm:
Well it is sure is good to see some genuinely, God-given,given that WE have no control over the weather-GOOD news here in the Land of Lincoln FOR the residents of the Land of Lincoln. Drought be gone!!!
- dupage dan - Friday, Mar 1, 13 @ 3:52 pm:
The Great Lakes are still way down - close to or surpassing the low water datum on 1964. Some boaters (myself included) had better get their depth finders tuned up or there’ll be alot of bottom paint left on the rocks. Here’s to hoping Billy Starbuck is more than just a travelling huckster.
- wordslinger - Friday, Mar 1, 13 @ 4:45 pm:
–The Great Lakes are still way down - close to or surpassing the low water datum on 1964-
For Lake Michigan and Lake Huron, besides the draw and environmental factors of less precipitation and more evaporation, the Corps has been dredging the St. Clair River to keep the barges afloat, causing more flow into Lakes Erie and Ontario.
It’s a big environmental problem. The Great Lakes are our bread and butter here.
As an aside, one of the great spots to chill downtown is at the garden at the south end of the Art Institute at Michigan Avenue around “The Fountain of the Great Lakes” by Lorado Taft.