THE TEXAS DROUGHT
Dealing with Drought, Freshwater Shortages, and Climate Change
Click on a map for its original full-size image. The two
Plant Hardiness Zone Maps on the far right are
for 1990 (above) and 2006
(below) and show northward movement of zones caused by global warming.
Texas Citizens for Science Compiled Resources
Impacts of Climate Change to Western Water Resources
Permanent Drought Predicted in the Southwestern United States
Anthropogenic Climate Change and Climate Science Denialism
National Drought Resources
- Current U.S. Drought Monitor
- The National Drought Mitigation Center
- U.S. Drought Assessment (National Weather Service)
- National Integrated Drought Information System
- Drought Information Center Archive (NOAA)
- NOAA Climate Services (NOAA)
- NOAA's Climate Prediction Center: La Niña is back (NOAA)
- Environmental Protection Agency's WaterSense Program
- How Drought Stress Predisposes Trees and Shrubs to Diseases (pdf)
- Caring for Trees in a Dry Climate
- Drought Damage to Trees
- Recognizing Drought Injury Symptoms on Plants
Texas Drought Climate and Meteorological Resources
- Texas Climate Initiative (Public resource dedicated to the advance of climate change science and education in Texas)
- Texas Climate News (essential source for information about climate change)
- Texas Water Resources Institute
- Texas Drought Information (TCEQ)
- Drought Impact on Texas Surface Water (TCEQ, jpg)
- Texas Drought Officially The Worst Ever (TAMU)
- Why Are This Drought and Heat Wave Happening? (National Weather Service)
- Texas Wildfires of 2011 (TCEQ)
- Drought Under Global Warming: A Review, PDF (Aiguo Dai, 19 Oct 2010; the best scientific review about the effect of global warming on drought and the prospects for life on Earth)
- The Next Dust Bowl (pdf, Joe Romm, Nature, v. 478, 27 October 2011; also see here)
- The Impact of Global Warming on Texas, Second Edition (Texas Climate Initiative, pdf, free, essential; also available as a UT Press book for $55)
- The Changing Climate of South Texas 1900-2100: Problems and Prospects, Impacts and Implications (Texas Climate Initiative, pdf, free)
- Drought in Texas (A special e-newsletter about dealing with the Texas drought, Texas Water Resources Institute; subscribe, free)
- Texas Drought: Now and Then (in txH20, Fall 2011 Magazine of the Texas Water Resources Institute, pdf, free, essential, subscribe)
- After exceptionally hot and dry 2011, more drought forecast for new year (Texas Climate News)
- Hansen et al: "Extreme heat waves...in Texas and Oklahoma in 2011...were 'caused' by global warming" (Climate Progress)
-
Perceptions of Climate Change: The New Climate Dice (pdf, Hansen et
al., NASA)
". . . the extreme summer climate anomalies in Texas in 2011. . . almost certainly would not have occurred in the absence of global warming with its resulting shift of the anomaly distribution. In other words, we can say with a high degree of confidence that these extreme anomalies were a consequence of global warming. . . Today’s extreme anomalies occur because of simultaneous contributions of specific weather patterns [such as La Niña] and global warming." - Hansen et al., 5 January 2012.
Click on the image for full-size version.
Southern Plains Wildfire Outbreak - A New Texas Weather
Phenomenon
(This newly recognized Texas weather phenomenon is the result of the
current drought cycle: years 2005-2012)
- Southern Plains Wildfire Outbreak Recognizable, Predictable, Inevitable
- Texas Firestorm: Introduction to the Southern Plains Wildfire Outbreak (video)
- Texas Firestorm and Southern Plains Wildfire Outbreaks (Texas Forest Service)
- Ready, Set, Go! and Firewise Communities (Texas Forest Service)
- A Meteorological Composite of the 2005/06 Wildfire Outbreaks in the Southern Plains (pdf, National Weather Service)
- Overview of the April 9th, 2009 North Central Texas Wildfire Outbreak (pdf, Texas Forest Service)
- Fire Operations Briefing, April 10, 2011 (pdf, Texas Forest Service)
- 2011 Texas Wildfires (Wikipedia)
- Bastrop, Texas, Wildfire, Sept 4, 2011 (video)
- Texas Wildfires 2011 (Worst in Texas History) (video, must watch)
Texas Resources for Drought Management
- Turfgrass Water Use, Irrigation, and Water Conservation (Prepared for Midland & Ector Counties by Dr. David Chalmers)
- Water-Wise Landscaping for the Permian Basin (Permian Basin Master Gardeners, pdf, 2.8 MB)
- Useful Drought Web Resources (AgriLife, pdf)
- Drought Proofing Your Landscape (AgriLife, pdf)
- Irrigation Check-up (AgriLife, pdf)
- Keeping Your Lawn Alive During Drought (AgriLife, pdf)
- Weather-based Irrigation (AgriLife, pdf)
- Water Education in Texas (AgriLife)
- Effects of Drought Stress on Trees and Landscape Plants (Texas Forest Service)
- Will My Tree Make It? Assessing Pine and Shade Tree Damage from Drought (Texas Forest Service)
- Helping Drought-Stressed Trees (East Texas Gardening)
- Lawn Water Management (pdf)
- Keep Your Lawn Alive During Drought (pdf)
- Insects also bugged by Texas drought
- Rainwater Revival (Texas Hill Country Rainwater Collection Symposium)
- Wildflower Center Drought Resource Center (UT Austin)
Rainwater Harvesting
- Rainwater Harvesting (AgriLIFE Extension)
- Rainwater Harvesting Publication (AgriLIFE Extension, 36 pages, pdf)
- The Texas Manual on Rainwater Harvesting (Texas Water Development Board, 88 pages, pdf)
- Innovative Water Technologies FAQs (Texas Water Development Board)
- Making a Rain Barrel (AgriLIFE Extension, 6 pages, pdf)
- Rainwater Harvesting, Landscape Methods (AgriLIFE Extension, 4 pages, pdf)
- Water Resources and Environmental Resources for Texans (AgriLIFE Extension, 5 pages, pdf)
- Rainwater Harvesting: Examples, Sources & Equipment (AgriLIFE Extension, 6 pages, pdf)
- Harvesting, Storing, and Treating Rainwater for Domestic Indoor Use (TCEQ, 52 pages, pdf)
- Rainwater Harvesting (Denton County Master Gardener Association)
Firewise Landscaping (Landscaping to mitigate wildfire damage caused by drought)
- Firewise Landscaping and Plant Lists
- Firewise Landscaping Checklist (pdf)
- Firewise Landscaping Brochure (pdf)
- Firewise Landscaping (pdf, Texas Forest Service)
- Firewise Communities
- Communities Compatible with Nature (pdf, 2 MB)
- Firewise Guide to Landscape and Construction (pdf)
- Safer From The Start: A Guide to Firewise-Friendly Developments (pdf, 3.7 MB)
- Sample Home Ignition Zone Assessment and Mitigation Guide (pdf)
- User Reference Guide to the Firewise Communities/USA® Recognition Program (pdf, 1.6 MB)
- Using Water Effectively in the Wildland/Urban Interface - Study notes (pdf)
- Wildland/Urban Interface Fire Hazards: A New Look at Understanding Hazard Assessment Methodologies (pdf, 1.1 MB)
Earth-Kind Drought Preparedness (AgriLife, pdf files)
- Efficient Use of Water in the Garden and Landscape (html)
- Irrigation Systems for Earth-Kind Landscapes
- Lawns Don't Waste Water, People Do!
- All Plants Have a Place in an Earth-Kind Landscapes
- Landscape Maintenance Practices Save Water
- Water Efficient Practices for Saving Your Landscape
- Watering Landscapes
- Composting
- Composting Leaves
- Fall EarthKind Practices
- Improving Landscape Soils: Crucial to Long Term Success
- Irrigation System Auditing
- Landscape Fertilizers: Selection, Handling, Application, & Storage...
- Landscape Design
- Low Volume Irrigation
- Landscape Mulch
- Plant Selection
- Rainfall Harvesting
- Water Conservation
Indoor Water Conservation and Harvesting
Mulching
- Mulching (AgriLIFE, 5 pages, pdf)
- Mulching (Natural Resources Conservation Service)
- Value of Mulching Soils (AgriLIFE, 9 pages, pdf)
- Proper Mulching Techniques for Trees
- Mulching Trees and Shrubs
- Mulching for a Healthy Landscape (Virginia Cooperative Extension)
- Mulching Your Trees (AgriLIFE Extension)
Water-Wise Landscape, Plants, and Irrigation
- Texas Urban Landscape Guide: What is a WaterWise Landscape?
- Landscape Water Conservation...Xeriscape (AgriLife)
- Water-Wise Gardening (AgriLife)
- Landscape Irrigation (TCEQ, 4 pages, pdf)
- Irrigation Water Use Management (Texas Water Development Board, 12 pages, pdf)
- Efficient Use of Water in the Garden and Landscape (AgriLife)
- Water-Wise Landscaping for the Permian Basin (Permian Basin Master Gardeners, pdf, 2.8 MB)
- A Watering Guide for Texas Landscapes (AgriLIFE, 7 pages, pdf)
- Low Maintenance Landscaping Tips (AgriLIFE, 4 pages, pdf)
- Landscaping for Energy Conservation (AgriLIFE)
- Landscape Texas: Online Lawn and Garden Problem Solver
- Texas SmartScape: Landscaping with Native and Adapted Plants
- Earth-Kind Landscaping (AgriLIFE Extension)
- Save Water - Nothing Can Replace It (Save Dallas Water)
- Drip Irrigation
- Drip Irrigation for the Home Garden
- Drip Irrigation in Landscaping
- Drip Irrigation or Xeriscaping?
- How To Install a Simple Drip Irrigation System
Texas Citizens for Science Last updated: 2012 March 27