Drought

[PrescottPhotog]

Hi Everyone,

I haven't posted in a while (nothing to shoot) but thought these shots might be interesting.

Even though we are now in our Monsoon Season and it has rained 15 of the last 17 days I thought you might be interested in just how much the drought has affected the Southwest. Yes, we do have a Monsoon season and it brings incredible storms all over Arizona.

This Egret was a long distance away. I was shooting with a 500 plus one with a 1.4 II extension. You can see the waterline on the other side of the lake and judge the level from the small birds near the wall. It is down many feet, looks like 15 feet at least. I now have to walk out an extra 2 or 3 hundred yards to get to the edge of the water to set up.

The two lakes where I normally shoot at are so low it is amazing. So far the rains haven't done much to bring the levels up, but we have the whole month of August before the rainy season is over.

#1
http://webblinks.com/postings/egret/3221_egret.jpg

#2
http://webblinks.com/postings/egret/3186_egret.jpg

[GraphyFotoz]

WOW!

No picnic here in the Northeast either!
Drier than a popcorn fart here too. :D
Our local river is a good 10FT low and most places you can walk across it.
Look like a giant creek bed in most places!!

[Seefutlung]

wow ... that island looks as if it is just a mound rised a bit from the bottom. All I can say is at least you guys have some water ... only water we have in California is the Pacific .. and that seems to be rising ...

Gary

[ShepsMom]

:huh :huh that's just wrong! Such difference in water level, wow.

[Maestro]

Well, Texas has just come out of a three year drought. Most lakes in Texas were closed to boating because of severely low lake levels. Most aquatic activities were banned or limited. This spring and summer we are finally getting the rain. I am sorry to hear that others are now experiencing what we have had since 2003-2004.

Your shots are very telling. I hope you get some rain soon.

[dbaker1221]

jeezzz......turning into a drought heere in Wi too.

[anwmn1]

Chris-

Nice shots from that distance. Willow and Watson have been low for quite some years- though. Willow use to be a private lake (no paths, no boats allowed) and was owned by the ranchers in Chino Valley which used it for irrigation.

There is no doubt that the drought is in effect for the area though- just wanted to provide you with some info.

I was in Prescott this weekend and saw first hand how low the lakes are. I have never seen Lynx lake as low as it is. :cry Watson use to have water all the way through the woodland area that is now the Riparian Preserve. I canoed through there as a teenager.

Aaron