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* From the US Drought Monitor…
Not completely out of the woods, but for sure good news.
posted by Rich Miller
Friday, Mar 1, 13 @ 10:28 am
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It can’t be good the most severe drought conditions (by this map’s measure) are right along the Illinois and Mississippi Rivers.
Comment by Dirty Red Friday, Mar 1, 13 @ 10:43 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.
Comment by McLean Farmboy Friday, Mar 1, 13 @ 10:46 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.
Comment by TCB Friday, Mar 1, 13 @ 10:56 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.
Comment by Rich Miller Friday, Mar 1, 13 @ 11:03 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.
Comment by Slick Willy Friday, Mar 1, 13 @ 11:05 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.
Comment by wordslinger Friday, Mar 1, 13 @ 11:08 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!!
Comment by JoeVerdeal Friday, Mar 1, 13 @ 11:19 am
After the past two miserably dry summers/falls, seeing water going over the local lake’s dam is a pleasant sight
Comment by Roadiepig Friday, Mar 1, 13 @ 11:39 am
Took the puppy for a walk the other night and stepped off my sidewalk into about three inches of mud.
Felt great.
Comment by Rich Miller Friday, Mar 1, 13 @ 11:45 am
My sump pumps have kicked in the for the first time in a year. Good news.
Comment by Nuance Friday, Mar 1, 13 @ 11:56 am
I must have missed all the rain you are talking about. My pond is still down about 7 feet. No runoff since May 2011.
Comment by Very Old Soil Friday, Mar 1, 13 @ 12:54 pm
There’s something oddly amusing about the “land of 10,000 lakes” having drought issues.
Comment by Shore Friday, Mar 1, 13 @ 1:23 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”.
Comment by Slick Willy Friday, Mar 1, 13 @ 2:15 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.
Comment by wordslinger Friday, Mar 1, 13 @ 2:19 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…
Comment by Rich Miller Friday, Mar 1, 13 @ 2:21 pm
Well, whatever floats your boat is a good thing.
Comment by wordslinger Friday, Mar 1, 13 @ 2:24 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!!!
Comment by Just The Way It Is One Friday, Mar 1, 13 @ 3:35 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.
Comment by 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-
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.
Comment by wordslinger Friday, Mar 1, 13 @ 4:45 pm