With the northeast U.S. emerging from yet another snowstorm, California has just recorded its hottest winter ever, with average temperatures 4.4 degrees hotter than the 20th century average. Continue reading… “The cost of California’s drought”
Precision agriculture moves farmers into the high tech age
A variable rate irrigation system installed to water crops saves hundreds of thousands of gallons of water.
The U.S. has seen record-setting drought in recent years. The drought has pushed everyone to look for new ways to save water. So, the The Nature Conservancy (TNC) has joined forces with America’s beer brewers to change how farmer irrigate their crops. For the non-profit, conserving America’s rivers meant growing America’s barley, one of the primary ingredients in one of our favorite cold beverages, with less water.
Continue reading… “Precision agriculture moves farmers into the high tech age”
2012 drought reaches proportions not seen since the ‘Dust Bowl’ era
Over 50% of the U.S. is under drought conditions.
More than half of the United States is under drought conditions right now, putting 2012 in the same category with some of the worst droughts in the nation’s history. This makes 2012 the sixth worst drought on record with a 54.6 percent figure (not counting Alaska and Hawaii) in terms of area covered, behind only the brutal droughts of the mid-1950s and the “Dust Bowl” era of the 1930s. Other more recent droughts — such as 2000, 2002, and 1998 — saw a greater percentage of the country suffering from the “severe” or “extreme” drought categories. However, even by that standard, June 2012 still ranks among the top 10 worst droughts of all-time.
Continue reading… “2012 drought reaches proportions not seen since the ‘Dust Bowl’ era”
Extreme weather ravaging U.S. could worsen, warn experts
Alabama tornado 2o11
Epic floods, massive wildfires, drought and the deadliest tornado season in 60 years are ravaging the United States. Scientists warn that climate change will bring even more extreme weather than we seen in the last century.
Continue reading… “Extreme weather ravaging U.S. could worsen, warn experts”
Second Severe Amazon Drought This Decade Spells Disaster for Rainforests
Drought is a problem in the Amazon Rainforests.
The Amazon suffered a record-making drought in 2005, which was thought to be the worst in the 108 years since tracking rains and droughts began. However, researchers are now saying that the drought the region struggled through in 2010 was likely even worse. The impact of two major droughts within a decade could mean that the rainforest so important to carbon capture could be hitting an irreversible downward spiral.
Continue reading… “Second Severe Amazon Drought This Decade Spells Disaster for Rainforests”
