It's official: 52 percent of Maryland in drought
The Drought Monitor Map for this week is out, and it shows parts of Maryland are now experiencing "moderate" drought conditions. The rest of the state is rated "abnormally dry."
The measurements were taken on Tuesday, so the rating does not reflect yesterday's rain. And there is more rain due this weekend. But hydrologists do not believe the latest rainfall will significantly impact the dry conditions that have been deepening since last October.
Don Soeder, a hydrologist with the U.S. Geological Survey in Baltimore, says this year's setup looks a bit like the months leading into the record-breaking drought of 2002, although he does not believe this will be as severe. We'll have more on the drought in Saturday's print editions.
The good news is that Baltimore's reservoir system remains in good shape. It stands at 91 percent of capacity. Loch Raven and Prettyboy are full or nearly so. Liberty Reservoir is at 85 percent, and looks a bit parched where Md. 140 crosses the north end out at the Baltimore County/Carroll County line.
Comments
While watching the news regarding the river flooding in North Dakota this morning I wondered has the Bay ever caused flooding like these Midwestern rivers? I know we have had significant high tides i.e.: Hurricane Isabel, but that seems to be a different phenomenon than the slowly rising, then cresting floods that are reported from the Midwest. Is the bay capable of that kind of flooding, or are the hydro dynamics of an estuary that different from a river?
FR: The estuary is essentially an arm of the ocean. It rises and falls with the lunar tide. As you mention, the bay can flood its shores when winds out of the south or southeast drive water up the estuary and into the tidal rivers and creeks, or during wind-driven tidal surges such as we saw during Hazel in 1954 and Isabel in 2003. Unusual alignments of the sun and moon can also cause some unusually high (and low) tides and minor flooding. Heavy rains or snow melt can certainly flood the rivers and creeks as they make their way to their tidal reaches, as we saw during Agnes and any number of flood events over the years on the Susquehanna and the Potomac above the fall line. That's more like what we're seeing on the Red River in Fargo this week. But the tidal portions of the bay and the ocean are simply too big to show much response to big rain and snow melt events.
Posted by: Drew | March 27, 2009 9:41 AM
I continue to see more and more NEW subdivisions WHY does MDE continue to issue the Water Appropriation and Use Permits?
When I read that THOUSANDS of new homes are being planned in Çharles County and the Town of LaPlata, I just can't help but wonder: Why do they continue to allow this, with the FULL AND COMPLETE KNOWLEDGE that Charles County in particular may face severe water shortages by 2030, as reported by the Maryland Geological Survey?
Obviously, the future availability of groundwater, of which Charles County is 100% dependent, is not enough to curb the intense, insatiable appetite for more development!
Posted by: Cheryl | March 29, 2009 6:29 PM
Why, oh WHY must the weather reporters ALWAYS bemoan the fact we are receiving rain? 52% of this state is in Drought. REPORT the weather...PLEASE quit, stop & desist moaning, whining, complaining, & bitching about the fact we are receiving what is Obviously needed. If I want to hear whining, I'll listen to children. REPORT the traffic conditions...YES, rain will affect this, but REPORT it....Please Stop Editorializing.
Posted by: Vicki Russell | September 11, 2009 5:25 PM