Water supply limited

Here in the Inland Northwest, water is relatively plentiful. But, according to scientists at the recent Goldman Sachs, “Top Five Risks,” economic conference in New York City, “Water will soon become the petroleum of this next century around the world.”

Usable water for drinking and irrigation purposes is “running out fast.” Fresh rainfall is not enough to refill dwindling underground water tables.

Contrary to popular opinion, water, in many locations, is not a renewable resource. People have been mining this precious commodity without restraint.

Both the southeastern and southwestern quadrants have continued to suffer from the drastic consequences of 400-year droughts.

Earlier this summer, drenching rains in Dixie from the dying remnants of tropical storm Fay barely made a dent in the overall water shortage situation in the Southeast. Only north-central Florida, which received upward of 30 inches of rain from Fay, saw a noticeable improvement in recharged underground water levels and filled-up lakes.

In the southwestern U.S., parts of bone-dry California are experiencing the worst drought conditions in living memory. This year’s forest and wildfire season started earlier than ever.

The Grand Canyon floods of mid-August briefly raised the Colorado River water level, but the levels of Lake Mead, the nation’s largest man-made lake, and Lake Powell, the country’s second largest man-made body of water, barely budged.

Lake Mead, on the Arizona-Nevada state line, has seen more than 200 miles of shoreline disappear in the past decade because of severe drought conditions. There are large white bathtub rings on the surrounding rock walls bordering Lake Mead, signs of just how devastating the water losses have been since the late 1990s.

As far as local weather is concerned, I see much colder and wetter conditions for the region finally ending a mini two-month-long dry pattern since late August. I wouldn’t wait too long to put on those snow tires. Measurable snowfall is still likely to arrive in the lowlands of the Inland Northwest sometime next week, during the normally chilly Nov. 11 through 18 full moon cycle.

The first half of winter looks good for snow, especially in the higher mountains. The chances of a white Christmas still look a little better than 50-50.

The second half of winter should be a bit drier and colder with our most frigid weather expected around mid-January. Overall snow totals should be above average with about 50 inches expected at the Spokane International Airport for the winter. The normal is about 42 inches.