I find it amusing that the Bangor Daily News – in the middle of what feels like monsoon season across New England and successive days of news about flooding – felt the need to run a public interest piece on drought and the state’s drought task force.
The task force is made up of officials from state and federal agencies representing agriculture, emergency management, the weather service, public utilities and health providers. While there have been no official meetings, Roy did say members have been holding ongoing discussions to stay on top of conditions.
“I check the Northeast drought early warning system about once a week during non-drought periods to get a sense of trends,” Roy said. “Maine is a big state, and we often see different trends in different areas — that is not really true at the moment. Today the state is pretty evenly wet.”
The worry is that any lower than average period or precipitation – no matter how much water fell from the sky in previous weeks or months – means Drought Action Task Force Assemble! To do what, make it rain? Issue a press release seems more likely. We at the drought task force have read the goat entrails and consulted the climate bones, and based on the absence of precipitation in recent days or weeks, this or that part of Maine is dryer than it was when it was raining.
If I may, especially this year, will it be a drought problem or a water mismanagement problem? California is a naturally dry place that sometimes – and at present, has tons of water trapped in record winter snowfalls, melting into streams and rivers. Despite all that natural water, when it comes to resources, the state is so poorly managed – mostly because of radical left-wing environmental morons – much of the potential benefit will be lost or wasted. Desert nations with coastlines build desalination plants. California Dems whine about drought, raise taxes and beg for money, then waste it on more government.
In my hometown, they announce odd-even outdoor water restrictions yearly while encouraging exponential growth by approving new apartment complexes that will further stress the (allegedly) sparse resource. Hundreds if not thousands of new flushing toilets, drinking, cooking, washing clothes, dishes, bathing – every day. Not much outdoor watering at apartment buildings but a lot more indoor water use. It makes for a bizarre contrast.
But the odd-even restriction suggests drought even when there’s plenty of rain, so is there a drought of common sense, responsible management, forward-thinking, or all of the above?
Maine, by the way, has had above-average annual rainfall for 17 of the past 20 years. And unless it stops raining and snowing from now till Jan 1, 2024, it will be 18 out of 21.
This past June was Maine’s first above-average (way above) June in several years. 2020-2022 were all below average, with 9 of the last 20 years being below average for the month, but that looks normal for June in Maine. The state has a very up-down relationship with rainfall in that month, mostly drier, but when it rains, it does, and that story is over 120 years old. Nothing about modern Western lifestyles has a wit to do with it, according to The Science™.
July runs about the same as June, with 9 of the past 20 years below average and 11 of 20 above, with 4 of the past 5 Julys above average (this year making it 5 of 6).
And sure, these are statewide averages. There will be places with less and others with more. And that gives the Drougth Taskforce something to do, which is why they exist. And who doesn’t love a little press to help justify the existence of your thing, whatever it may be, even in the wake of record rainfall?
Maybe they have some “indigenous people” on the task force who can teach them a dance or two about celebrating rain. It’ll be about as helpful as a Drought Taskforce but way more fun to watch.
