These extreme weather cycles will test the fortitude of the hardiest New Englanders and likely require changes to their lifestyles.
In the last three years, weve had two major droughts and then the wettest growing season on record in the last 30 years, said Trevor Hardy, a seventh-generation fruit and vegetable farmer with a farm in Hollis, N.H. Were talking about complete opposites.
The projected swings between wet and dry periods may seem counterintuitive, especially with scientists predicting that, on the whole, New England is trending wetter as a result of climate change. But Young said the intensified climate variability is a consequence of a warming planet: Higher temperatures allow the atmosphere to pull more water out of the ground and hold it for longer, resulting in periods of drought. Because a warmer atmosphere can hold more water, when atmospheric conditions call for it, the rainfall is much heavier. The warming atmosphere will at times pull more water from the earth for extended periods, while at other times it will release more water.
While the bone-dry fire-prone West captures the headlines, all or large portions of the New England states are experiencing drought conditions.
And it came on fast: Three months ago, only about 15 percent of the Northeast had drought conditions. Unlike in the West, where droughts can span years, the Northeast usually experiences short dry periods of a few months.
Kearney Kirby, 71, went on vacation for a month and came home expecting her small lawn in Dorchester to be overgrown. Instead, it was half-dead, with the exception of weeds. Her little 13-year-old chihuahua mix, Sophie, sometimes struggles to navigate the spiky dead grass. Kirby finds the lawn disconcerting.
It freaks me out a little, she said. When I walk across, it crunches.
The most severe drought conditions are concentrated in eastern Massachusetts, eastern Connecticut, and almost all of Rhode Island that have been designated by the US Drought Monitor as experiencing a D3 extreme drought, the second-highest classification on the agencys scale. The data, released Thursday morning, do not capture the recent rainfall. But the rain, while welcome, will not be enough to alleviate drought conditions in many areas.
The rain parts of the Northeast received [Wednesday] is the proverbial drop in an empty bucket, said Michael Rawlins, the associate director of the University of Massachusetts Amhersts Climate System Research Center. Given the existing rainfall deficit, well need normal, ideally above normal precipitation, for several weeks or a few months to alleviate the current drought.
Massachusetts has its own classification system, with much of the state currently in a Level 3 critical drought. The conditions have led to increased fire risk across the state, and Governor Charlie Baker activated the National Guard on Thursday to battle a wildfire in Rockport that has been burning for about a month.
Gloucester Assistant Fire Chief Robert Rivas said he cant remember the last time hes seen a Level 3 drought in his time as a firefighter. He grew up in San Diego, Calif., and his mother lost her home in Paradise, Calif., to the 2018 Camp Fire. Rivas worries about Massachusetts fire risk.
Anything that lights up is going to take off because its so dry, he said.
Gloucester battled a brush fire that broke out at the start of August and grew to about 20 acres. Over two days, a National Guard helicopter dropped 600 gallons of water at a time about 80 times, Rivas said.
Municipalities across the region have either mandated water restrictions or urged residents to limit their use. Rhode Island issued a drought advisory last week, and around 150 cities and towns in Massachusetts have implemented mandatory water restrictions.
In Westwood, the Dedham-Westwood Water District upgraded its restrictions in early August to broadly prohibit outside lawn watering. Though golf course greens were exempt from the restriction, Chad Brown, superintendent of the Norfolk Golf Club, still hustled to conserve water, having spent about $20,000 to truck in water after the clubs storage pond ran drastically low. He sends his staff out with hoses to water the greens, tees, and fairways with more precision than could be achieved with sprinklers.
Weve gotten dinged up on the edges, he said. Weve definitely taken our licks this season, but overall, the fairways are hanging in there.
In addition to financial and ecological consequences, drought can take a toll on health. Aaron Bernstein, a pediatrician at Boston Childrens Hospital and the interim director of Harvard Chans Center for Climate, Health, and the Global Environment, said his biggest concern right now is the safety of well water.
About a half-million people in Massachusetts and many more elsewhere in New England rely on private wells, Bernstein said, and as water levels drop, toxic pollutants and pathogens that can make their way into groundwater become more concentrated.
Bernstein said hes also worried about the effect on the health of farmers, especially the stress from worrying about crops and livestock. Researchers have observed increased rates of suicide in farming communities during severe drought, and the financial burden can affect farmers access to health care.
We are not the West, and in some ways, that makes us complacent, Bernstein said. We dont have the mindset that water is precious and that we should design water systems to conserve what we have.
Hardy, the seventh-generation farmer, agreed. Hes the president of the New England Vegetable & Berry Growers Association and said farmers need to be able to handle extremes in precipitation, such as by switching from overhead to drip irrigation and installing soil moisture sensors.
If youre not preparing yourself to be a farmer for the future, its going to be harder for you to produce a crop, he said.
Ed Hennessey, who owns Hennessey Brothers in Machias, Maine, said he wants to expand irrigation on his 700-acre blueberry farm. But its expensive for smaller farmers, even if it pays off in the end.
His farm started the harvest a week earlier this year, and the blueberries, especially those picked later in the summer, were smaller, though they are still sweet. Blueberries are mostly water, he said, and larger farms, such as Wymans, have plump fruit thanks to irrigation.
His three sons now run the farm. If they continue to install irrigation and improve the land, I think the land will give them a good future, he said.
But buying water costs money, and the drought has also hurt hay and grain yields for farmers, driving up the costs of raising and feeding livestock.
Mark Duffy, who operates Great Brook Farm in Carlisle, said this is the worst drought hes seen since getting into the farming business nearly five decades ago.
Duffy, a dairy farmer, is trucking in feed from Vermont, New York, and Canada to keep his herd of over 100 cows healthy since his fields havent produced enough. The cows are fine, but Duffys bottom line is not: Each cow requires 120 pounds of hay and grain a day. He is not sure what the coming years will bring.
Whats the future going to be? he asked. Drought after drought?
Kate Selig can be reached at kate.selig@globe.com. Follow her on Twitter @kate_selig.
Read the original here:
Whats the future going to be?: This summers drought warns of increasing climate variability in years to come - The Boston Globe
- Halsnead Garden Village community facility thriving thanks to investment - Knowsley News - October 28th, 2024 [October 28th, 2024]
- Ponds by Michael Wheat Announce New System for its Swimming Ponds in Response to the Growing Concerns Over ... - The News Front - March 23rd, 2024 [March 23rd, 2024]
- 6 Bedroom Home in Maxwell - $515,000 - North Platte Telegraph - November 24th, 2023 [November 24th, 2023]
- Sumter outdoors columnist Dan Geddings: Building the aviary - The Sumter Item - November 24th, 2023 [November 24th, 2023]
- The Artful Life: 6 Things Galerie Editors Love This Week - Galerie - Galerie Magazine - November 24th, 2023 [November 24th, 2023]
- Inside the Enchanting Home Where the Madness of 'Saltburn' All ... - Architectural Digest - November 24th, 2023 [November 24th, 2023]
- Armoured excavator deployed for remediation works at World War II ... - Demolition & Recycling International - November 24th, 2023 [November 24th, 2023]
- Newly listed homes for sale in the Central Illinois area - The Pantagraph - November 24th, 2023 [November 24th, 2023]
- Was it love at first sight or a slow burn? Your love letters to Boston - WBUR News - November 24th, 2023 [November 24th, 2023]
- Fisker and Octopus EV launch new US entrant the Fisker Ocean ... - Automotive World - November 24th, 2023 [November 24th, 2023]
- 31 Giftable Small Businesses Finds They'll Cherish Basically Forever - BuzzFeed - November 24th, 2023 [November 24th, 2023]
- 43 Things That'll Make A Big Difference In A Small Apartment - BuzzFeed - November 24th, 2023 [November 24th, 2023]
- Coverings Announces 2023 Installation & Design Award Winners ... - Floor Focus - April 21st, 2023 [April 21st, 2023]
- Water gardeners to show off ponds | Castlerocknewspress.net - Castle Rock Newspress - April 21st, 2023 [April 21st, 2023]
- The Top 4 Outdoor Design Ideas to Improve Your Home's Value - fine homes and living - April 21st, 2023 [April 21st, 2023]
- Office of the Governor | Governor Murphy Announces Nearly $100 ... - NJ.gov - April 21st, 2023 [April 21st, 2023]
- Acclaimed Artist Recreates 'Water Lilies' From Iconic Bricks - Goodnet - April 21st, 2023 [April 21st, 2023]
- Ximen Receives Final Mines Act Permit for the Kenville Gold Mine ... - Digital Journal - April 21st, 2023 [April 21st, 2023]
- The House of Lights / CUBISM Architects - ArchDaily - April 21st, 2023 [April 21st, 2023]
- The water bearers: Meet the five Atlanta artists of Flux's "Flow" project - Atlanta Magazine - April 21st, 2023 [April 21st, 2023]
- Construction underway on Las Colonias zipline - The Grand Junction Daily Sentinel - April 21st, 2023 [April 21st, 2023]
- Ijams presents the Second Annual Fleurish 2023: Keep Growing - Inside of Knoxville - April 21st, 2023 [April 21st, 2023]
- Engineering benefits of replacing natural sand with manufactured ... - Nature.com - April 21st, 2023 [April 21st, 2023]
- 10 green jobs of the present and future | News | toronto.com - Toronto.com - April 21st, 2023 [April 21st, 2023]
- Will Canadas next national park be in Windsor? - The Narwhal - April 21st, 2023 [April 21st, 2023]
- Cleo Collects' stunning antiques are coming to a lush new Subiaco ... - Perth Is OK! - April 21st, 2023 [April 21st, 2023]
- Peterborough GreenUP shares five things you may not know about rain gardens - kawarthaNOW.com - August 20th, 2022 [August 20th, 2022]
- Two nations, one family: Bay City celebrates a 60-year partnership with its sister city in Germany - Second Wave Media - August 20th, 2022 [August 20th, 2022]
- A pig in a spacesuit? How Geoff Raby amassed a $2 million Chinese art collection - Sydney Morning Herald - August 20th, 2022 [August 20th, 2022]
- Electric boats poised to make waves on Maine coast - Press Herald - August 20th, 2022 [August 20th, 2022]
- Lowering the Cost of Sustainable Solar Fuel Production - AZoCleantech - August 20th, 2022 [August 20th, 2022]
- Water Garden Ponds OKC | Water Features | Garden Ponds Unlimited - June 12th, 2022 [June 12th, 2022]
- How to Design and Construct a Fish Pond - Agro4africa - June 12th, 2022 [June 12th, 2022]
- Retention Ponds: [Everything You Need to Know About] - June 12th, 2022 [June 12th, 2022]
- Koi pond - Wikipedia - June 12th, 2022 [June 12th, 2022]
- Is North Korea Restarting Construction of the 50 MWe Reactor at Yongbyon? It's Unlikely - 38 North - June 12th, 2022 [June 12th, 2022]
- James Hurst on his new role at Google, Big Tech's bad press and why he's hopeful for the future - Creative Boom - June 12th, 2022 [June 12th, 2022]
- The Met Hosts an Exhibition of Employees' Art, Open to the Public for the First Time - Hyperallergic - June 12th, 2022 [June 12th, 2022]
- Patio Perfection: Find inspiration in your own backyard - Traverse City Record Eagle - July 28th, 2021 [July 28th, 2021]
- $2.8 Million in Grants Awarded in New England to Improve the Health of Long Island Sound | US EPA - U.S. EPA.gov - December 10th, 2020 [December 10th, 2020]
- Why I Abandoned the Traditional Museum Education Model - aam-us.org - December 4th, 2020 [December 4th, 2020]
- The Black residents fighting Atlanta to stay in their homes - Al Jazeera English - December 4th, 2020 [December 4th, 2020]
- 60 Backyard Pond Ideas (Photos) - Home Stratosphere - October 30th, 2020 [October 30th, 2020]
- Landvista Aquascapes - Pond Design, Installation, Repair ... - October 30th, 2020 [October 30th, 2020]
- The Mandalorian season 2: Everything we know ahead of Baby Yoda's return to Disney Plus on Oct. 30 - Best gaming pro - October 20th, 2020 [October 20th, 2020]
- 15 projects recommended for community preservation funds in Springfield - MassLive.com - August 14th, 2020 [August 14th, 2020]
- Conundrums of Dry Tombs and Possible Solutions - waste360 - August 14th, 2020 [August 14th, 2020]
- Grundon Sand & Gravel enjoy the benefits of a new PowerX Equipment Wash Plant and Water Treatment System. - Hub 4 - August 14th, 2020 [August 14th, 2020]
- Go With the Flow: Water Feature Maintenance - Mother Earth News - May 2nd, 2020 [May 2nd, 2020]
- The extension of the City of Erie's Water Intake into Lake Erie. - - Would it eliminate the Typhoid Fever problem? - GoErie.com - March 30th, 2020 [March 30th, 2020]
- DAHS addition approved by Planning and Zoning Commission - HNGnews.com - March 30th, 2020 [March 30th, 2020]
- Interested in a pool? Consider these reasons today! - Observer-Reporter - March 30th, 2020 [March 30th, 2020]
- Paradox Valley salt injection well nears end of life - The Journal - December 21st, 2019 [December 21st, 2019]
- Koi Pond Design The Pond Digger - November 10th, 2019 [November 10th, 2019]
- Brookside Landscape Design - Water Features & Garden Ponds ... - November 10th, 2019 [November 10th, 2019]
- Ponds Design and Install Home Builder Developer ... - October 8th, 2019 [October 8th, 2019]
- Kim's Ponds Above Ground Pond Kits - October 5th, 2019 [October 5th, 2019]
- Containment | Geomembrane/ Liner Design & Install ... - March 29th, 2019 [March 29th, 2019]
- Frac Water Ponds | Nilex | Geotextile Materials, Erosion ... - February 17th, 2019 [February 17th, 2019]
- How to Build a Pond - Allan Block - November 17th, 2018 [November 17th, 2018]
- Review Best Pond, Waterfall and Landscaping Design ... - September 21st, 2018 [September 21st, 2018]
- Pond Design Gone Wrong The Pond Digger - September 16th, 2018 [September 16th, 2018]
- Garden Ponds Unlimited - Garden Ponds & Aquariums - September 5th, 2018 [September 5th, 2018]
- Pond.com - Complete Guide & Shop for Garden Ponds - August 1st, 2018 [August 1st, 2018]
- Ponds and Waterfalls Design and Install - July 15th, 2018 [July 15th, 2018]
- WATER FEATURE DESIGN SERVICES - Ponds/Streams & Garden ... - June 25th, 2018 [June 25th, 2018]
- How to Build a Pond - Allan Block Wall Systems - September 25th, 2017 [September 25th, 2017]
- Selectmen Limit Water Projects At Upcoming Special Town Meeting - Cape Cod Chronicle - September 7th, 2017 [September 7th, 2017]
- Mel-Min breaks ground on new consolidated campus project | Local ... - Jacksoncountychronicle - September 7th, 2017 [September 7th, 2017]
- Long Island Pond Maintenance And Koi Fish Available - August 28th, 2017 [August 28th, 2017]
- California Water Gardens California Water Gardens - August 28th, 2017 [August 28th, 2017]
- Things That Kill Duckweed in Ponds | Garden Guides - August 28th, 2017 [August 28th, 2017]
- Houston's Flood Is a Design Problem - The Atlantic - August 28th, 2017 [August 28th, 2017]
- Ganesh Chaturthi Decoration Ideas: Innovative & Eco-friendly Designs for Decorating Homes This Ganpati Festival - India.com - August 27th, 2017 [August 27th, 2017]
- Langdon's streets and waste water replacement project - Cavalier County Extra - August 27th, 2017 [August 27th, 2017]
- EuroGeo Transcript: Geomembrane Wrinkles, Bridging, Ballasting, Parts 3 5 - Geosynthetica.net - August 27th, 2017 [August 27th, 2017]
- HTC U11 Review: AMAZING Camera, AWFUL Design - Android Oreo Update Officially Confirmed - Know Your Mobile - August 27th, 2017 [August 27th, 2017]
- 2017 Pond Installation Costs | Price to Add a Pond - August 10th, 2017 [August 10th, 2017]
- Senate's failure to pass a capital budget leaves local projects hanging - The Daily World - August 10th, 2017 [August 10th, 2017]
- The Daily Standard - The Daily Standard - August 10th, 2017 [August 10th, 2017]