Don't let the rain fool you
Despite recent rains and floods in the Grand Island-Hastings area, most of the state is dry, and conditions could get worse if there isn't enough rain this summer.
"There's been this misconception that Nebraska has been real wet this spring," said Mark Svoboda with the National Drought Mitigation Center.
Svoboda was among a group of drought experts and department heads who briefed Gov. Dave Heineman Tuesday afternoon on drought conditions across the state.
Conditions have improved in the last few months, but western Nebraska continues to be dry, Svoboda said. The only wet spots in the state are in extreme northeast Nebraska and central Nebraska, where heavy rains fell two weeks ago.
State officials expressed concern about low water levels in the Missouri, Platte and Republican rivers and Lake McConaughy, the state's largest reservoir.
"The Republican River is a grim situation," said Roger Patterson, director of the Nebraska Department of Natural Resources. "Only one of the 11 major (irrigation) canals will get any water."
Reservoirs on the upper Missouri River are at 65 percent of capacity, an all-time low storage record, he said.
Snowpack in the mountains of Colorado and Wyoming, where Nebraska gets most of its water for Lake McConaughy and the Platte River system, was about average this winter. Svoboda said it will take heavy snows over the next two years to make a dent in filling the reservoir.
Jack Daniel, who monitors public water supplies for the state, told the governor that "quite a few systems" are on year-round conservation plans because of the continuing drought.
"Lots of towns are hanging in there and lowering their pumps," Daniel said. "A lot of towns are also putting in new wells."
Daniel noted that 111 water systems in the state have only one well as their water supply.
"We are vulnerable to extended dry cycles," he added.
Towns and districts with water use restrictions in place include Seward, York, Grant, Madison County Sanitary Improvement District No. 5 and Stratton.
Most of Nebraska is about 1 inch below normal precipitation levels for May, said Mike Hayes, a climate impacts specialist with the High Plains Regional Climate Center at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.
As of Tuesday, Lincoln's precipitation was 1.13 inches, which is 2 inches below normal for May.
"Since March 1, we have had 4 inches of rain. Our normal is 8.24 inches," Hayes said. "That surprises me that we're less than 50 percent.
"I think that illustrates how drought can sneak up on you," he said.
Reach Algis J. Laukaitis at 473-7243 or alaukaitis@journalstar.com.
Memorial Day weekend weather
Look for dry weather on Saturday with a slight chance of thunderstorms Sunday night and scattered thunderstorms through Monday, according to the National Weather Service office in Valley. Weekend temperatures should be in the 70s.
"There's been this misconception that Nebraska has been real wet this spring," said Mark Svoboda with the National Drought Mitigation Center.
Svoboda was among a group of drought experts and department heads who briefed Gov. Dave Heineman Tuesday afternoon on drought conditions across the state.
Conditions have improved in the last few months, but western Nebraska continues to be dry, Svoboda said. The only wet spots in the state are in extreme northeast Nebraska and central Nebraska, where heavy rains fell two weeks ago.
State officials expressed concern about low water levels in the Missouri, Platte and Republican rivers and Lake McConaughy, the state's largest reservoir.
"The Republican River is a grim situation," said Roger Patterson, director of the Nebraska Department of Natural Resources. "Only one of the 11 major (irrigation) canals will get any water."
Reservoirs on the upper Missouri River are at 65 percent of capacity, an all-time low storage record, he said.
Snowpack in the mountains of Colorado and Wyoming, where Nebraska gets most of its water for Lake McConaughy and the Platte River system, was about average this winter. Svoboda said it will take heavy snows over the next two years to make a dent in filling the reservoir.
Jack Daniel, who monitors public water supplies for the state, told the governor that "quite a few systems" are on year-round conservation plans because of the continuing drought.
"Lots of towns are hanging in there and lowering their pumps," Daniel said. "A lot of towns are also putting in new wells."
Daniel noted that 111 water systems in the state have only one well as their water supply.
"We are vulnerable to extended dry cycles," he added.
Towns and districts with water use restrictions in place include Seward, York, Grant, Madison County Sanitary Improvement District No. 5 and Stratton.
Most of Nebraska is about 1 inch below normal precipitation levels for May, said Mike Hayes, a climate impacts specialist with the High Plains Regional Climate Center at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.
As of Tuesday, Lincoln's precipitation was 1.13 inches, which is 2 inches below normal for May.
"Since March 1, we have had 4 inches of rain. Our normal is 8.24 inches," Hayes said. "That surprises me that we're less than 50 percent.
"I think that illustrates how drought can sneak up on you," he said.
Reach Algis J. Laukaitis at 473-7243 or alaukaitis@journalstar.com.
Memorial Day weekend weather
Look for dry weather on Saturday with a slight chance of thunderstorms Sunday night and scattered thunderstorms through Monday, according to the National Weather Service office in Valley. Weekend temperatures should be in the 70s.
Copyright © 2002-2008 Lincoln Journal Star. All rights reserved.