How dry is San Antonio?

Thought I would share with you some photos I have taken at various parks throughout San Antonio over the past six weeks that show just how dry San Antonio is. Unlike most other states, Texas is suffering drought conditions and they are saying that this summer we will experience the worst drought on record here in San Antonio. Yikes! We had our first rainfall since 5/12 on 6/22 and they say that because of that rain we may have extended our water restriction increase for an additional week. Currently we are under level 2 water restrictions but will probably hit level 3 very soon. Currently we are 12″ below normal in rainfall for the year which is a pretty big deal when our water supply is coming from an aquifer. Now I know this is nothing compared to the floods, hurricanes, and tornadoes ravaging the country. I just wanted to post some pictures so you can see just how dry it is here in town. Also, I think someone needs to get on inventing a giant funnel that can take all the rainfall landing on the Dakotas and Ohio and filter it down south- I am pretty sure that could solve a lot of our problems.

May 8th- Robert L.B. Tobin Park – dried up creek bed

 

May 22nd- Mitchell Lake – water levels receded to the point that the bed has been exposed so long it is starting to dry and crack

 

June 18th – Lady Bird Johnson Park/ Salado Greenway Trail – no water at all under or around the mile long bridge

My photo taken on 6/18/11

Photo taken from the City of San Antonio website of same location. I wanted to show that at some point there was water here. I mean why else would you build a mile long bridge?

Photo Copyright City of San Antonio

http://www.sanantonio.gov/parksandrec/greenway_trails_salado_greenwaynorth.aspx

June 25th, three days after our last rainfall- Salado Greenway North

I walked along the red trail which as you can see runs along the blue line, which is supposed to represent water

 

I looked down from the trail and you guessed it, dry as a bone

 

I came to a flood warning sign at a creek crossing and found this dangerous looking puddle

 

Then I came to another creek crossing/flood warning sign and of course there was no water. There were however some really pretty Black-eyed Susans.

 

So you can imagine how surprised I was when I saw this, on the other side of the bridge pictured above set back about 100 feet, the creek. Hmmm…is it still considered a creek if it isn’t moving?

 

This is why all public fireworks displays have been canceled for the 4th of July and why the sale of fireworks has been banned.

 

We drove past several fires along the highway driving home from Ft. Hood after Paul’s graduation the other week. It was crazy to see this right off the shoulder of the highway. This is why drought conditions are so scary in this area- wildfires.

Thanks for reading!

June 28, 2011. Tags: drought, firework ban, parks, San Antonio, wildfires. San Antonio. Leave a comment.