Our ongoing Texas drought has become entertaining fodder for late-night comedians, political pundits, and critics of Rick Perry, our Secessionist-in-Chief. It’s pretty amusing to some folks, no doubt, especially when much-hoped-for tropical storm “Don” fizzled, leaving us to bake some more, despite Perry’s hot-line to God and his upcoming Day of Prayer.
As a displaced New Englander, it took me a while to embrace life in Texas, but it’s really not that bad… for the most part. The drought has impacted nearly every aspect of life, sometimes in ways we might not have considered. Follow along below the crushed roadside armadillo for more...
Air quality: With little living vegetation to hold soil in place, and hot, dry windy conditions, there’s more fugitive dust in the air, blowing up in “dust devils” and settling on homes, trees, and ponds.
Bats: The 1.5 million bats living beneath a bridge in Austin, drawing spectators every evening, are facing critical food shortages as the pests they normally pick from the crops are in short supply.
Crops: The Central Texas corn harvest is down by two-thirds or more. In the Panhandle, there’s not enough water to support irrigation, and farmers are turning of their systems and letting the corn die in the fields. Cotton (a surprisingly large crop in Texas) is suffering similar yield decreases, and hay production statewide has been decimated.
Deer (and other critters): In their quest for food and water (and shade), animals are leaving their traditional habitats. Black bears and deer are showing up in urban areas, and coyotes and raccoons are out and about in broad daylight.
Economic impacts: The cost of the drought to the Texas are still being tallied, currently estimated at 3 billion dollars or more. The economic impacts will reverberate beyond our borders. Texas leads in national production of cotton, watermelons, cabbages, spinach, and grain sorghum.
Fires and fireworks: The 4th of July just wasn’t the same in many counties, where fireworks were banned due to parched conditions and risk of further brushfires. In Texas, where the right to do whatever we want is one of the top reasons for celebrating Independence Day, this was unprecedented.
Grasshoppers: In the past week, we’re seeing a surge in grasshoppers. At least they’re not locusts… yet.
Homeowners: The unrelenting heat and drought means higher electricity and water bills for many, as they struggle to keep their lawns, gardens, and trees alive.
Islamic population: With the start of Ramadan, the front page of the Houston Chronicle noted the dangers of the faithful going without food and water during the daylight hours in the extreme heat and dry weather.
Jobs: While jobs in the oil & gas industry is relatively unaffected, for those employed in ranching, farming, fishing, tourism (and those whose businesses depend on those sectors) are facing very difficult times.
Kinky Friedman: Not to get political, but at times like this, it’s really too bad we ended up with Rick Perry instead of Kinky Friedman as governor. Maybe Kinky couldn’t have solved our drought problems, but you can be sure he’d do more than declare a day of prayer.
Lakes: Some of our lakes have dried up completely; in others, water levels have dropped enough to preclude use of boat ramps. Some lakefront hotels and restaurants have closed as business wanes.
Military: Texas is home to 7 Army posts, 7 Air Force bases, 3 Navy bases, and 2 Coast Guard bases. Like the rest of us, they are facing water restrictions.
Noah’s Flood: “A visitor to Texas once asked, “Does it ever rain out here?” A rancher answered, “Yes it does. Do you remember that part in the Bible where it rained for 40 days and 40 nights?” The visitor said “Noah’s flood, yes.” “Well, the rancher replied, “we got about two and a half inches out of that.” (From “Kinky Friedman’s Guide to Texas Etiquette”)
Oysters: Texas has had a booming shellfishing industry. Unlike our Gulf Coast neighbors, we were spared by the BP oil spill. On the mend after Hurricane Ike’s massive sediment loading, our Gulf oyster beds are now facing predation and disease from high salinity levels in Galveston Bay due to the lack of freshwater influx.
Pets: In addition to the usual concerns about keeping your outdoor pets cool, providing them with shade and fresh water, the drought has ramped up the risks of rabies, as more wild animals venture into suburbia. Flea infestations are up, along with bites from venomous snakes.
Quotes about Texas: One that sounds better and better: “If I owned Texas and Hell, I would rent out Texas and live in Hell.” (General Philip P. Sheridan, at the Officers’ Mess at Fort Clark, Texas, 1855).
Ranching: Facing depleted grasslands and unable to afford other feeds due to soaring prices, ranchers are selling of thousands of head of beef cattle. The Central Texas auction markets have had to turn cattle away, as their stock pens don’t have enough capacity. Mature cows are being slaughtered; calves are being shipped out of Texas for [literally] greener pastures.
Soil and foundation problems: Soil desiccation is cracking foundation slabs, resulting in cracked walls and masonry and structural damage across Texas. Typical foundation repairs may range from $1500 to over $20,000 and – you guessed it – they’re not covered by many homeowners’ policies.
Tourism: Texas is hardly inviting during the drought. Our beloved bluebonnets, usually a big draw, were a bust this year. For the small towns and businesses that depend on tourism dollars, the drop in tourism is a major setback.
Utility damage: Dried-out, shrinking soil and buckling pavement are causing water lines
and sewers to break. Since we don’t worry much about frost here in Texas, these vulnerable pipes are often very shallow.
Venomous snakes: Back yards, with the possibility of water and food missing from their usual haunts, are becoming attractive spots to venomous snakes and scorpions.
Water rights: As you would expect, irrigation withdrawals from Texas rivers, even when
technically feasible, have been curtailed.
Xeriscaping: Once a mainstay in West Texas, where dry conditions are the norm, this may be one of the few businesses to benefit from drought conditions in otherwise lush and green East Texas. Replacing standard garden plants with drought-tolerant native species makes sense environmentally and economically.
Youth football: In the land of “Friday Night Lights”, life for many folks revolves around youth football. The stadium in my town rivals that of many colleges and universities. Keeping fields green is a distant second in priorities to keeping players, coaches, and spectators safe in triple-digit heat.
Zoos: Keeping our zoo animals hydrated and cool has been a major challenge. In some cases, this means altering their habitats, and struggling to keep vegetation alive.
Tue Aug 02, 2011 at 4:05 PM PT: NBC News is reporting that a possible piece of the Shuttle Columbia debris has been found in a dried-up lake. Who knows what else we'll find?