Societal Impacts of Climate on Texas: September 2011 Report

Office of the State Climatologist

October 1, 2011

Dr. John Nielsen-Gammon, State Climatologist

Brent McRoberts, Graduate Assistant

Justin Womack, Undergraduate Assistant

Andrew Cook, Undergraduate Assistant

Burn Bans/Drought/Fires/Water Supply

Burn Bans

September 8, 2011 – Texas is a tinderbox and fires can be caused by even routine tasks, so only 4 of the 254 counties in Texas are without burn bans.

Drought

September 7, 2011 – John M. Crisp of Del Mar college describes the horrors of drought and how the 2011 drought compares to past droughts.

September 9, 2011 – Seventh Day Adventist ministers used their annual convention in Dallas to pray for an end to the drought.

September 10, 2011 – The Houston Chronicle recently published a photo-blog of the drought across the state of Texas.

September 14, 2011 – The city of Llano will put on a series of seminars for dealing with heat and drought.

September 16, 2011 – Midland recorded 1.44” of rain, but after several months of dry weather, the city still faces a significant long-term precipitation deficit.

September 22, 2011 – The city of San Angelo may have its driest year in recorded history.

September 26, 2011 – The Seguin Gazette encourages residents of Texas to document the current drought and its effects on the environment through photography.

Fires

September 1, 2011 – Fire fighting crews were optimistic that calmer winds would help crews gain control over a wildfire at Possum Kingdom Lake that had already destroyed at least 39 homes.

September 1, 2011 – Firefighters in East Texas were dispatched to assist with a wildfire in Palo Pinto County that had already consumed more than 6,000 acres.

September 2, 2011 – Three twin-engine aircraft capable of scooping and carrying lake water were brought in to assist with a wildfire in North Texas.

September 4, 2011 – A wildfire between Gladewater and Liberty City claimed the lives of a woman and her 18-month-old daughter, who were unable to escape their burning home.

September 5, 2011 – More than 5,000 people were forced to evacuate their homes in Bastrop County as strong winds from Tropical Storm Lee quickly spread a massive blaze that had already consumed 500 homes.

September 5, 2011 – Texas Governor Rick Perry said he was focused on the wildfires that were burning across the state rather than his presidential campaign, despite an upcoming GOP presidential debate on the 7^th in California.

September 6, 2011 – The “101 Ranch” fire in Palo Pinto County was nearly contained after burning more than 6,500 acres and destroying 39 homes.

September 6, 2011 – Residents of the Foxfire subdivision, located on the Grimes-Montgomery County border, were forced from their homes because of a nearby wildfire.

September 6, 2011 – The recent outbreak of wildfires have destroyed more than 1,000 homes across the state, thanks in large part to winds associated with Tropical Storm Lee, which struck the Louisiana Gulf Coast.

September 7, 2011 – Recent wildfires in Magnolia have shown the need for volunteer firefighters.

September 10, 2011 – A Longview woman hosted a rain dance to pray for rain and to raise money for firefighters fighting the wildfires across Texas.

September 14, 2011 – Lightning struck a house and started a fire overnight in northeastern El Paso, causing minor damage in both floors of the two-story home.

September 15, 2011 – The massive 34,000-acre fire in Bastrop County that has been burning for nearly 2 weeks was about 75 percent contained, thanks in large part to some much needed rain.

September 22, 2011 – Drought conditions have firefighters expecting another wildfire in Montgomery County, but local officials have provided residents with advice on avoiding becoming the next fire victim.

September 26, 2011 – A large grass fire in San Leon burned about 9 acres of land and may have been intensified because of brush and debris left from Hurricane Ike in 2008.

Water Supply

September 4, 2011 – A resident of Central Texas invented a device that captures water from the air and works more efficiently when relative humidity values are higher.

September 7, 2011 – Anheuser-Busch recently donated 70,560 cans of drinking water to wildfire-stricken Texas.

September 8, 2011 – Stage 2 water restrictions are in place in Houston while crews battle the numerous pipeline breaks across the city.

September 9, 2011 – Water restrictions were put in place as the Brazos River Authority placed the region under a Stage 1 drought watch due to low reservoir levels.

September 10, 2011 – The city of Huntsville enacted mandatory stage 2 water restrictions, which limit outdoor watering and request voluntary cutbacks.

September 11, 2011 – The Tarrant Regional Water District must now consider new options to feed the water supply as the drought progresses.

September 14, 2011 – The Lower Colorado River Authority is currently making plans to mitigate a drought worse than the drought of record in the 1950s.

September 22, 2011 – Movement of water from flooded areas of the United States to the north of Texas has crossed the minds of many Texans during the current drought.

September 22, 2011 – Low lake levels have increased the mineral content of water in the Permian basin, giving water a different odor and taste.

September 23, 2011 – Beginning on November 1, many North Texans will be under Stage 3 Water Restrictions.

September 25, 2011 – Water conservation must become a habit for residents in the Austin area in order to meet future watering needs in times of drought.

Agricultural Impacts

September 2, 2011 – Texas AgriLife Extension Service experts say that mesquite bean have become a large part of the diet for livestock in West Texas thanks to the current drought conditions.

September 3, 2011 – The current drought has forced the closure of the Buda Farmer’s Market, but organizers are hopeful of the market reopening the first day of October.

September 3, 2011 – The drought has significantly increased the number of reports of loose livestock in Central Texas.

September 6, 2011 – Scientists are using a drought simulator funded by a $1.5 million grant to help develop drought-resistant crops for farmers.

September 7, 2011 – The cotton crop in Texas this year has seen the highest crop abandonment rate ever, with an abandonment rate of 54%.

September 13, 2011 – As the unprecedented drought caused crops to fail, researches gained new insight on the drought tolerance of many types of crops.

September 15, 2011 – Farmers can no longer afford to feed their herds so pregnant cows are being sold to ranches to the north of drought-afflicted Texas.

September 15, 2011 – Fertilizer thefts have dropped due to farmers not buying much fertilizer in the current drought.

September 16, 2011 – Drought is causing huge impacts on the local cattle industry in San Antonio.

September 18, 2011 – The current drought has actually been a blessing to the Texas wine industry because it has led to the production of tiny grapes that are ideal for wine production.

September 19, 2011 – A Texas A&M soil scientist says it may take years to recover the rangelands of Texas after the drought is over.

September 20, 2011 – The pumpkin supply across Texas has dropped due to the widespread crop failure attributed to the drought.

September 21, 2011 – Low water levels in the San Marcos River have threatened the wild rice crop that grows near the river.

September 22, 2011 – The state peanut crop has been battered by the heat and lack of rain, meaning consumers should expect an increase of about 30% for the price of peanut butter.

Inclement Weather

Heat

September 1, 2011 – A meteorologist with the National Weather Service says that Texas likely broke an all-time United States record for summer heat.

September 4, 2011 – The Electric Reliability Council of Texas was hopeful that the expected cooling of the brutal summer temperatures would place less strain on the Texas electrical power grid.

September 8, 2011 – The extreme heat may have curbed crime this year in Amarillo, criminologists with West Texas A&M University say.

September 9, 2011 – A large dust devil suddenly appeared in the Plano/Garland area and was caught on tape.

September 13, 2011 – The city of Houston hit a record high of 99°F on the 12th and more record heat was expected in the days to come.

September 13, 2011 – A record for total number of days above the century mark in a given year was surpassed in North Texas as the region rose above 100°F for the 70th time in 2011.

September 14, 2011 – Heat is on the mind of organizers for this year’s version of the Austin City Limits music festival that is held annually in the capital of Texas.

September 24, 2011 – The 86 days of 100-degree heat at Austin Camp Mabry shattered the previous record set in 1925 by 15 days, with records going back to 1854.

September 25, 2011 – The city of Corpus Christi hit 101 degrees, leaving residents to ponder when fall weather will finally arrive.

Hurricanes/Tropical Weather

September 2, 2011 – National Weather Service meteorologists are worried that Tropical Storm Lee might provide more problems than relief to wildfire conditions in Texas.

September 3, 2011 – The outer bands of Tropical Storm Lee brought some much needed rain to Southeast Texas.

September 7, 2011 – Fifty years after hurricane Carla hit South Texas her effect still lingers and motivates people that experienced Carla to prepare for hurricane season.

Severe Weather

September 27, 2011 – A severe thunderstorm dropped quarter-sized hail in Burnet County, though no damage was reported.

Other Climate Impacts

September 2, 2011 – The Electric Reliability Council of Texas reported that wind turbines located along the Texas Gulf Coast generated more power than turbines located in West Texas.

September 28, 2011 – Part of the set for the 2003 film “The Alamo”, located just outside of Austin, was destroyed by a wildfire that was likely sparked by a lightning strike.

Air/Water Quality

September 2, 2011 – The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality hailed the decision by President Barack Obama to cancel his push for more strict air quality standards in Texas.

Animals/Aquatic Life

September 14, 2011 – Drought has recently been causing wildlife to wander into urban areas in search of food and water.

September 16, 2011 – Increased salinity levels in Galveston Bay have placed a great deal of stress on the bay’s oysters.

September 21, 2011 – Drought has caused an increase in the operation costs at Crowe’s Nest Farm, a non-profit hybrid nature center in Manor.

September 22, 2011 – Rare minnows had to be rescued from the dry Brazos River and were taken to the Possum Kingdom Hatchery.

September 27, 2011 – The current drought has made it difficult for donkey owners to afford their feeding, and this has led to dozens of stray donkeys being rounded up in Van Zandt County.

Construction

September 10, 2011 – The drought has caused the soil to dry up underneath the Burton City Hall and has adversely affected the foundation.

September 14, 2011 – Low lake levels have allowed for the construction of a channel to help refill Lake Meredith in the Panhandle.

September 22, 2011 – A Fort Worth community center has begun cracking under a shifting foundation as the clay under the concrete slab has begun expanding because of the warm weather.

September 25, 2011 – The Texas water infrastructure plan will theoretically supply the water needs of all Texans… at a cost of $53 billion.

Economics

September 7, 2011 – This year alone FEMA has issued 54 disaster grants to the state to fight wildfires. Over the past decade Texas has received $3.8 billion worth of grants due to disasters.

September 24, 2011 – Businesses that sell shrubs, trees, and flowers have floundered amidst the ongoing drought.

September 26, 2011 – The cost of removing dead trees in Houston city parks has been put at $4.5 million by the Houston Parks and Recreation Department.

Homes/Gardening/Trees

September 7, 2011 – Despite the drought and heat some plants are easy to take care of and thrive in the heat.

September 14, 2011 – The drought in East Texas is causing many trees to wither in the unusually excessive heat.

September 15, 2011 – A Victoria gardening expert provided tips on how to prepare your organic garden for drought conditions.

September 21, 2011 – Drought has led to the death of about 9,000 trees in Houston city parks.

September 23, 2011 – Ragweed season this year will be better than usual due to the low number of blooms, directly attributed to the drought.

September 24, 2011 – Trees in the Big Country may change color earlier this year with a less than spectacular fall foliage season expected because of the drought.

September 1, 2011 – The Texas Forest Service has provided tips on how to water and take care of trees during the exceptional drought conditions most of the state has been experiencing.

Hunting/Fishing

September 7, 2011 – Migrating teal will be hard pressed to find marshes for a layover in Texas this year, making it difficult for hunters even though the flock will be the biggest flock in years.

September 9, 2011 – By placing guzzlers, hunters can attract wild boar and deer in search of desperately needed water.

September 16, 2011 – The drought has caused the white-tail deer population to dwindle and has driven up costs on food used in deer feeders.

September 21, 2011 – The fishing at Stillhouse Hollow Lake is still quite good despite the drought, as the Brazos River Authority has released water from Stillhouse Hollow Dam throughout the summer.

September 24, 2011 – The bass population has been thriving at Choke Canyon thanks to high winds that have driven away anglers.

Recreation/Leisure/Athletics

September 4, 2011 – Players on the Texas Tech Red Raiders and Texas State Bobcats football teams were forced to withstand a dust storm that blew in from the north during the second quarter.

September 5, 2011 – A fire sparked by downed power lines filled the College Station air with smoke only hours before the Texas A&M Aggies football game against the SMU Mustangs.

September 8, 2011 – The San Marcos river level has dropped to dangerous levels and Sewell Park attendance has suffered due to it.

September 9, 2011 – Due to excessive dryness and the risk of fire, the mayor of Houston has banned all open flames in city parks.

September 15, 2011 – The West Texas Rodeo and Fair blamed a drop in agriculture spectacles on the drought.

September 16, 2011 – A thunderstorm caused the cancellation of the main attraction at the Plano balloon festival.

September 16, 2011 – The drought caused the mayor of Houston to ban smoking in public parks.

September 21, 2011 – The Celina Bobcats homecoming football game was cancelled due to lightning that accompanied a thunderstorm.

September 25, 2011 – The Austin Marathon Relay went on as planned despite the unusual autumn heat.

Roads/Traffic/Travel

September 5, 2011 – The Harris County Office of Homeland Security & Emergency Management advised travelers to exercise caution while traveling during the Labor Day weekend because of the numerous wildfires across Texas.

September 17, 2011 – Thunderstorms caused road flooding and forced the closure of several roads due to high water.

September 20, 2011 – The drought has created conditions too dangerous for road blading in Gonzalez County, and because of a potential fire danger, the County Commissioners voted against this practice at a recent meeting.

September 23, 2011 – Automobiles may still suffer from symptoms of heat exhaustion even though the scorching temperatures of summer have started to cool.