Yes, it is here in the maritime, rain-drenched Northwest. You may still want to disbelieve, but we are dry, and the prospects for avoiding drought conditions do not bode well again this year.
This has been a sneaky drought. It was five years ago that it settled in, and those who know have been denying its existence. But in my bones, and as I watch my beloved trees and shrubs, the plants have been telling me loud and clear.
I was surprised earlier this year to hear from the state's respected climatologist that all was well. It did not feel that way to me, even with the incessant rains that started early in October of last year. Yes, it rained in October, drizzled in November, froze in December, rained again a bit in January, but since then we have had open and mild weather. Yes, these balmy days have been thoroughly enjoyable.
But the earth is parched here in the western United States. News of the early wildfires in southern California should be read as a clear sign of severe drought. And we are a part of that climate pattern here in Western Washington.
The rainfall this past weekend was certainly a welcomed relief, but it will do little towards changing the drought conditions. With our deciduous trees in full leaf now, very little water can penetrate the soil below their canopies.
So why wait for the rules to be laid down? Let your lawn go brown, and start to think about all the ways you can reuse this precious resource called water that we all take for granted.[[In-content Ad]]
