Sorry folks, no birds today. I’ve had other priorities.
Our long term, severe drought has been devastating for Utah and the rest of the western US but for the last two days, thanks to monsoonal flow coming up from the south, we’ve had the opposite extreme. It may not seem like all that much rain to some folks back east and in the south but here in the high desert it’s a deluge that stretches our resources and capabilities and blows our little minds.
This was my rain gauge yesterday afternoon. Most of that 2+ inches of rain fell in a three hour period just after noon yesterday. Streets have been flooded, a freeway closed, school opening has been delayed in some districts and there have been power outages and temporary evacuations with lots of flooding in some homes.
The upside is that we needed this rain desperately. There’s no question that it will help with our critical water situation but a surprising number of folks seem to think it puts an end to the drought, when in reality it barely puts a dent in it. Utah water managers are saying we “need at least 11.5 inches of precipitation between now and snowfall to get to an “average” water year”. That just ain’t gonna happen, not in Utah.
But this storm will green things up temporarily and slow down the depletion of our reservoirs which are at record lows right now. The increase in soil moisture content should also help with our runoff from the mountains next spring, assuming we get significant snow next winter which is far from guaranteed.
The wind and rain were intense but my house and yard survived intact, mostly. As you can see in the background in the photo above, even my 11′ tall amaranth survived those incredible winds. But I know from experience in past years that if I hadn’t staked them they’d either have blown over or their stalks would have been broken at mid-stem. Probably some of both.
However, “mostly intact” doesn’t mean completely.
The wind battered the hell out of my beautiful Trumpet Vine with most of its flowers ending up on the ground but that’s not why I’m including this photo. When I mow what’s left of my lawn in this drought I have to move this gutter downspout extension out of the way of the mower. Last time I mowed I forgot to move it back and the result was minor flooding in my basement yesterday afternoon.
And that’s why there are no birds in today’s post. I spent much of late yesterday afternoon dealing with the aftermath of the water leak into my basement, which tweaked my bad back so last night I laid low. That’s the time I usually spend preparing my bird posts.
And I can only blame it on myself. In the future I doubt I’ll forget to put that gutter extension back where it belongs.
Ron
Notes:
- I just checked my rain gauge in the morning darkness. We had another .4″ during the night for a total of 2.5″ so far. We’re supposed to get more during the day today.
- When we get these monsoonal flows it usually clears out our smoke but not this time. That’s confounding even the ‘experts’ at the National Weather Service.
A bit jealous of your rain (but not in the feast-or-famine way it came). Hope you didn’t get slides in the burn areas. Sorry about your basement and your back.
I’m always happy to see shots of your gorgeous yard — birds or not. 🙂
Thanks, Marty. Thanks to the storm I’m afraid my yard isn’t so beautiful now.
Sorry about the flooded basement and back tweak!
One of my gripes is automatic sprinkler systems. So much water is wasted using automated systems. They water when needed or not. I have seen so many sprinklers on both yesterday and today. I have a sprinkler system but not automatic.I turn the sections on and off. I water only when needed and only where needed. I go out and poke my finger or tool down into the soil about 2 inches, if it is dry I water, if moist I wait. I have one area that needs more water and more frequent watering, my entire yard is on an as needed basis. I usually only water once a week for 45 min per section, even in the hottest, longest days. When the lawn is still moist it can go 10 to 14 days til watered. This has been my schedule now and in the past except for the one dry area that sometimes gets twice a week. This year I made the dry area stretch to once every 5-7 days. Yes I have some yellow spots every year and this year a few more than usual but it comes back once we have good soaking rains like now.
April, I have an automatic system but it takes no effort at all to turn it off when it rains or rain is forecast. And I do.
Email some to NorCal.
I tried but got this error message: “Delivery failed to to soggy attachment”…
Don’t have a basement, and anyway downspouts are hard plumbed to the street storm drains which go to a retention pond, no rain gauge (nice holder!), no trumpet vine, no amaranth (next year), no lawn mower (pay a guy to cut the grass which is only in the back part of our lot 40 ft. from the house).
Do empathize with your !%#&% bad back (although I think yours is farther up the pain scale), lots of long stakes for next year’s amaranth, and, most importantly, a hummer feeder.
Lyle, the stakes I used for the amaranth this year, once pounded into the ground, were only about 3′ high. That amaranth is so tall this year I was afraid my stakes wouldn’t be high enough and the plants would break off in a wind anyway. Didn’t happen, at least not yet, but next year I’m going to use even taller stakes, just for insurance.
I am very, very sorry about your back and your basement – but thrilled that you had rain. Hopefully your fire is now out – and the remnants of the smoke disappear quickly.
The people who think that a storm breaks the drought are probably related to those who believe that a chilly day disproves global warming. Big sigh.
Now look after yourself. Please.
“The people who think that a storm breaks the drought are probably related to those who believe that a chilly day disproves global warming”
And those who prematurely declared that Covid was over, or wasn’t a significant threat. Thanks, EC.
Good analogy…hope damage to your back and basement is minimal…🍀🤞😟
Thanks, Patty. It was, just some wet carpet against the south wall. But wet carpet is plenty bad enough.
Happy for you to have that glorious rain (but jealous, yes) — and glad you (apparently) didn’t do serious damage to your back dealing with the basement water issue. Thankfully, it will dry out and your gorgeous vine will eventually recover. Interesting that your hummers aren’t interested in it—I have a vanilla trumpet vine that is similarly ignored by my buzzy little friends but chalked it up to the color…
Thanks, Chris, to be honest I’m not sure I’ve ever seen a hummer at that vine. Surprises me.
Glad your basement flooding was minimal. With the long draught not a surprise you forgot to move the drain pipe back to it’s proper place. The trumpet vine is gorgeous, must have been exquisite before the wind ravaged it.
That’s right, Kathleen It’s been so long since it’s rained that much that extension seemed like a worthless artifact of bygone days. I was so wrong!
Wow! I didn’t hear anything about that storm. Sure would have been nice to have that here in California to put out a few fires.
John, we were saying this morning that we’d gladly share an inch of our rain with the CA fire areas.
I sure hope your back will be back to something like “normal” very soon.
Thanks, Kris. It’s feeling better today.
Ron, as much as I enjoy your photos each day I am glad you are taking a break so you can recover. Flooded basements are horrible but glad yours wasn’t too bad. Hoping for better days for all of us.
Much appreciated, Reid.
In our dry western US water trumps birds – or at least for a day or two. We thankfully have been having the rains like yours now for about a month and we are very thankful. Had another last night, but now it looks like some dry weather coming up for a while. Just as for Utah, we will need the heavy snow in the mountains this winter to really fill up the lakes.
Like your Trumpet Vine.
Thanks, Everett. I wish you could have seen that vine pre-storm.
I am so sorry for your water problem. I hope things return to normal soon.
Kaye
Thanks, Kaye. It could have been much worse.
Your hummingbirds will be anxiously awaiting the return of the trumpet flowers. Back in 1969 when I was stationed in Calexico, irrigation canals actually flooded residential lawns periodically. Given the state of the Colorado River, this must not be happening any more. This drought may be truly disastrous.
Kenneth, surprisingly my hummers much prefer my feeder over my Trumpet Vine. I’ve watched those flowers very carefully for hummers so I could photograph them there but they visit the flowers so rarely I’ve never been able to get any photos.
YIKES! Glad you got the moisture – “gully washers” do end up somewhere even if they don’t necessarily help the ground in the immediate area and cause other problems. I’m sure there was some “blue air” and self flagellation involved in dealing with the basement….. 😉
We ended up with 1.3″ but it came at a reasonable pace so yard looks half green rather than the “brown”. Creek puddles expanded again which will help the well hold and a high of 50 yesterday with cold rain cooled the rocks some.
Judy, you have me pegged. Blue air prevailed all around me. For a good long time… 🙂
Sorry to hear about your flooding and back, Ron. But glad you got a bit of rain, minor as it was. I’d say fingers crossed but Mother Nature doesn’t recognise that.
Thanks for the good wishes, Pat.