California Drought

tmacklin said:

Easy Big Boy! You may be heading for another "turd" moment.

Until a little over one month ago, much of Texas was declared to be in a severe drought. That situation has taken a sharp 180 degree turn, lakes have risen more than twenty feet and there is extensive flooding. Neither governor Greg Abbott nor all the treehuggers in Austin had anything to do with this....they just wish they could claim they did. Californians will be complaining about mudslides soon enough and politicians will continue to assign blame and tax the survivors.

The tornado sirens went off here about 45 minutes ago and a tornado was spotted on the ground about seven miles north of where I live. This comes with the territory whenever you get over eight inches of rain in a 72 hour period.

It's good to see that you haven't lost your touch even after a week in the penalty box. :rofl:

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Part of the problem is that most of California (Southern, at least, where we get the mudslides) is essentially desert. A very small amount of rain, if it comes down too fast to be absorbed, can cause a huge amount of damage. And usually does.

o1d_dude said:

Pardon my delay in addressing your trademark passive-aggressive response to my factual statement...you are in my Ignore list and I only see your posts when they are quoted.

I fart in your general direction but no mention will be made of hamsters or elderberries because that would clearly violate the The Rocketry Forum's TOS.

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Is passive aggressive that thing where you tell someone, "I'm going to call you something you won't like, but you can't respond, because I've got you on ignore"? Or is that something else?

Anyway, my point was that if it had been me who had made the post about the Federal Government regulations requiring 80% of runoff in the state to flow to the oceans instead of going to farmers, and then I backed it up by posting links about a lawsuit involving agricultural interests suing the EPA about environmental rules that affect farmers, and the lawsuit was based on a constitutional argument regarding the commerce clause and states rights --- if I had done it, then I think I would have gotten a slap for posting about politics.

The truth is still important. If you want to reply but worry that the reply might be regarded as political, why not ask first? We all have an interest in keeping what's on here truthful and factual. If you know the answer (the facts) might be regarded as politics, why not run it past one (or more) of us first? We might surprise you. In fact, if it's a problem, we might even be able to offer some suggestions on how to say what you want to say without running afoul of the rules. Some of the mods live on the West Coast with you and might be able to offer some additional insights as well.

Seriously, we really are trying to make the forum the best it can be. We like it here. That's why we volunteer our time in the first place.

Peartree said:

The truth is still important. If you want to reply but worry that the reply might be regarded as political, why not ask first? We all have an interest in keeping what's on here truthful and factual. If you know the answer (the facts) might be regarded as politics, why not run it past one (or more) of us first? We might surprise you. In fact, if it's a problem, we might even be able to offer some suggestions on how to say what you want to say without running afoul of the rules. Some of the mods live on the West Coast with you and might be able to offer some additional insights as well.

Seriously, we really are trying to make the forum the best it can be. We like it here. That's why we volunteer our time in the first place.

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Thanks. I may take you up on that.

It seems like the weather gods are determined to only provide relief for the drought when it will interfere with my plans. I'm looking at the forecast for Dairy Aire, and there's a likelihood of rain on Friday. The big day is Saturday, and that should be clear, but Friday can be a nice day because it is low key and less hectic, and it's also nice to be able to set up your spot early.

And of course, as usual, I also have last-minute painting to do, and the wind will be gusting all week, temps are low, and humidity is high.

I know these complaints are petty when most of the country is under some kind of severe weather right now. I just find it ironic.

In the middle of the California drought, a thunderstorm is predicted for Day One of the Tripoli Central California's annual Dairy Aire launch.

That just figures, amirite?

So while waiting at the local fire department for the rocket launch fire permit, I read some of their flyers.
They claim that approximately 75% of residential water usage is for landscape. So now I can justify my dislike of mowing the lawn....

Airobert said:

So while waiting at the local fire department for the rocket launch fire permit, I read some of their flyers.
They claim that approximately 75% of residential water usage is for landscape. So now I can justify my dislike of mowing the lawn....

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Get rid of your lawn and get a drought tolerant landscape. I did it, and I do not miss mowing the lawn at all. It saves a ton of time and all the money spent on water, and fertilizer, and weed-n-feed chemicals that are bad for you and the environment anyway.

I'm from SC and live in NC...but when I lived in CO, I became a big fan of xeriscaping. Even here on the east coast (well, SOUTH, dang it), one can use native, drought-tolerant plants that look good. That's mostly what's in my flower beds.

HOAs seem to be big drivers in having nice lawns. I know that if I didn't have an HOA, my yard would look fairly different.

And yet more rain.

We here in Western Oklahoma have received more rain in the past three months then we’ve had in the previous three years.

The highly anticipated and long-awaited Dairy Aire launch that I was so excited about was canceled because rain had made the roads at the dairy impassible. This is just more supporting evidence that the drought will only be broken by rain ruining my rocketry activities.

The simple solution to the water problem is to drink beer instead of water.

ThirstyBarbarian said:

The highly anticipated and long-awaited Dairy Aire launch that I was so excited about was canceled because rain had made the roads at the dairy impassible. This is just more supporting evidence that the drought will only be broken by rain ruining my rocketry activities.

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We got some snow here in Palm Springs on Friday ...


Wait for it ...


Well, technically, the snow was up on the 8500' Mt. San Jacinto, but, you know, why let facts get in the way of a good story.

:cyclops:

Actually, we did get some rain down in the valley, and, fortunately, it came down slowly enough that we didn't have any flooding, but, ultimately, it wasn't much.

Here goes nothing, when I see the local water district's main office landscape being watered in the middle of a rainstorm last week, I call BS to how we must all conserve more. There are many ways to reclaim the water, very little is done by municipalities. California was warned decades ago to begin developing desalination plants, nothing done and now they are trying to catch up. If they truly want to conserve water why do they grant more new home permits? Why are all the common areas owned by cities landscaped? Residential usage is approximately 6% according to a news feed I heard months ago. agricultural use should not be limited as we feed a large portion of the Country. Why haven't water districts put systems in place to catch more grey water and recycle it? Why isn't all runoff water recycled? I mean from residential use not all rain water. All of this stems from the Sacramento manage by fear program, not a solve a problem system. Let my beating begin.

I was working near LA three weeks ago and was amused to see a number of residential lawns in the SF valley happily watering themselves one morning as a light rain was taking place.

Given the ease of adding a moisture sensor to the typical yard irrigation system, I just shook my head as I drove by.

Here in North Texas, all the local lakes are now full or more than full for the first time in a number of years. Our drought is on hiatus

Just received a notice from the water company announcing they plan to go before the Public Untilities Commission concerning a rate increase hidden inside a tiered drought response plan.

So lessee....I can't use as much water as before and to compensate the water company for diminished rate profit, they want more money. No word on whether the rates will be reduced when the drought breaks. Seems legit.

Anybody who has lived in SoCal for many years knows how this ends.

There will be enormous brush/forest fires that will pour enormous amount of particulate matter into the atmosphere and this is followed by torrential rains over the course of the next couple/few years.

I’ve experienced this cycle more times than I can count on one hand. The problem IMO is the suppression of forest and brush fires so all that soot and ash isn’t available to “Seed clouds”.

I hate to say it, but you’re going to have to let it burn.

boomtube-mk2 said:

Anybody who has lived in SoCal for many years knows how this ends.

There will be enormous brush/forest fires that will pour enormous amount of particulate matter into the atmosphere and this is followed by torrential rains over the course of the next couple/few years.

I’ve experienced this cycle more times than I can count on one hand. The problem IMO is the suppression of forest and brush fires so all that soot and ash isn’t available to “Seed clouds”.

I hate to say it, but you’re going to have to let it burn.

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If Kilauea's current period of activity (the lava pool in the crater is approaching and exceeding historical records) results in an eruption, your particulate problem could be solved for you. Besides that, not wishing a new disaster on anyone, the current eruptions in Chile and elsewhere might just trigger something as well. Or maybe El Nino?

Let's hope so.

And did I mention it is pouring rain again in Western Oklahoma?

Yellow Stone is roughly 40-50k years over due.
Look at google earth, you can see the craters of the last 4 eruptions.
At a 600k cycle, that 2.4 million years.
They don't look that big on google earth until you scale them.
If it's a asher like Mt. St. Helens was, it could cause a new Ice Age.
I don't think global warming is what it is made up to be.
For one, our sun is getting older, and slowly growing in size.
The earths core seams to be more active, and tectonic plates are speeding up movement around the world.
The cycle is beginning again. Preppers are prepping for the right event IMHO.
I will agree there will be Kayos, fighting for food and water.
As the planet freezes over again, ocean levels will drop. Islands around the equator will grow.
It should stay warm enough withing 15 degrees of either side of the equater to support life.
It's the few that live there, can get there, and have the means to sustain a community that will survive and be the next generation of humans.
(No, not back to Jean, Levi & Strauss, from the Big Foot Thread)

The El Niño pattern has definitely set in. If it holds until fall, then it will rain like crazy in California. Mudslides, floods, etc. It's less clear what it means for the summer. Often El Niño can cause droughts in summer in California, making the ongoing drought worse. But sometimes it can generate the "Pineapple Express" types of storms that bring tons of rain up from the tropics.

The other thing El Niño does is raise temperature. Last year was the hottest year on record, and this year is on pace to beat it. Record hot temps don't help with drought.

We should be seeing some crazy record-breaking weather this year. May you live in interesting times!

Its been a beautiful May here in Ohio. Loving it!

ThirstyBarbarian said:

The El Niño pattern has definitely set in. If it holds until fall, then it will rain like crazy in California. Mudslides, floods, etc. It's less clear what it means for the summer. Often El Niño can cause droughts in summer in California, making the ongoing drought worse. But sometimes it can generate the "Pineapple Express" types of storms that bring tons of rain up from the tropics.

The other thing El Niño does is raise temperature. Last year was the hottest year on record, and this year is on pace to beat it. Record hot temps don't help with drought.

We should be seeing some crazy record-breaking weather this year. May you live in interesting times!

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...and we've got the rocket launch detection system working at maximum setting.

The TCC June monthly/Dairy Aire continuation launch is scheduled for June 20...weather forecast for June 19 is thunderstorms.

o1d_dude said:

...and we've got the rocket launch detection system working at maximum setting.

The TCC June monthly/Dairy Aire continuation launch is scheduled for June 20...weather forecast for June 19 is thunderstorms.

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If we schedule enough launches, we can break this drought.

ThirstyBarbarian said:

If we schedule enough launches, we can break this drought.

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Now that right there was FUNNY!

BTW Thirsty, what was it I said that got your post and subsequent comments nuked over on the NAR Facebook page? Do you suppose my name is on some sort of "list"? c:

tmacklin said:

Now that right there was FUNNY!

BTW Thirsty, what was it I said that got your post and subsequent comments nuked over on the NAR Facebook page? Do you suppose my name is on some sort of "list"? c:

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I'm sure your name is on multiple "lists"!

But I don't think it was your reply that got the thread nuked. Partway through the discussion, someone from NAR (Ted Cochran, I think) said the post and replies were probably going to be deleted the next morning and warned not to restart the topic. He said the NAR Group page is for all rocketeers, NAR members or not, to discuss their rocket projects, not a place for discussing NAR policy or issues like JetHitch. I thought, "Great! Now I'm going to get banned from the NAR page!" After that, I was actually surprised they let it run as long as they did. So, I don't think it was your post, just the topic in general. I just thought it was funny that your post was the last that made it in before the nuke. Now I don't remember what you said, but it was a little off-topic.

ThirstyBarbarian said:

I'm sure your name is on multiple "lists"!

But I don't think it was your reply that got the thread nuked. Partway through the discussion, someone from NAR (Ted Cochran, I think) said the post and replies were probably going to be deleted the next morning and warned not to restart the topic. He said the NAR Group page is for all rocketeers, NAR members or not, to discuss their rocket projects, not a place for discussing NAR policy or issues like JetHitch. I thought, "Great! Now I'm going to get banned from the NAR page!" After that, I was actually surprised they let it run as long as they did. So, I don't think it was your post, just the topic in general. I just thought it was funny that your post was the last that made it in before the nuke. Now I don't remember what you said, but it was a little off-topic.

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Well that makes at least two of us who don't remember what I said. Hell, I don't remember what I said an hour ago! I do remember something attributed to Groucho Marx. "I refuse to join any club that would have me as a member."

tmacklin said:

Well that makes at least two of us who don't remember what I said. Hell, I don't remember what I said an hour ago! I do remember something attributed to Groucho Marx. "I refuse to join any club that would have me as a member."

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I remember it now. It was a comment about innovation and had a link to the Philly trainwreck story.

ThirstyBarbarian said:

If we schedule enough launches, we can break this drought.

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Mrs. OD said the same this afternoon while were on our way to Lowe's.

saw a bit on the web where some folks are 'painting' their lawns green, supposed to last 6 weeks per application .
Rex