Worst TX Drought In A Decade; Forecasters Expect It To Continue Into This Winter
Texans across the state are facing water restrictions as the state experiences its worst drought since 2011. Almost the entire state of Texas is experiencing a severe level of drought, and only a few corners of the state, such as El Paso, are not “abnormally dry” amid this year’s particularly hot summer. And while the state is seeing some pockets of rain in late August, the drought likely will extend into winter because of current climate patterns that could lead to hotter and drier weather.
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The U.S. Drought Monitor classifies drought conditions into five categories based on how unusual the dry conditions are in an area at a given time of year according to climate data, Nielsen-Gammon said. In Texas, about 27% of the state is under an “exceptional drought,” the most severe category, and about 62% is under an “extreme drought,” the second-highest classification, according to the monitor’s latest report.
Left - 2022: Right - 2011
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The drought conditions have primarily hurt agriculture in Texas so far. For example, Nielsen-Gammon said ranchers have sold off their cattle for meat or to other areas because they can’t afford to keep them under the drought conditions. “We’ve seen a very large increase in sell-offs of cattle, in some cases entire herds, because of lack of forage, lack of water and [the] prohibitive cost of bringing in provision feed and water from outside,” he said.
While this means ranchers can still bring in some income right now, it also means they’re giving up profitable cattle that they could use to raise more calves in the future. And rebuilding a good herd requires time and effort. For consumers, it could also mean higher prices down the road. In West Texas, which has been affected by drought since last August, farmers have said they fear crop losses because of the lack of moisture in the ground. The drought has also increased the risk of wildfires and the need for firefighting resources.
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https://www.texastribune.org/2022/08/19/texas-drought-water-conservation/