Summer of drought continues

This summer’s drought is painted in the yellow of parched grass and fields, and the cracked brown and grey mud of a riverbed far more exposed than usual.

The St. Louis River is still running, but it’s the lowest Minnesota Power’s Chris Rousseau has seen since around 2005. “Right now we’re about 7 feet below what we consider a normal-high pond,” Rousseau said of the Thomson Reservoir, where the water has receded substantially, leaving beaches of drying mud and docks that serve no boats.

Only one gate is open on the Thomson Dam. It’s quieter there, and more rocks than usual are visible.

“That water through that gate is the entire river flow. That is every gallon that’s coming down the river right now,” Rousseau said. “And we’re passing everything down the natural river channel, for fish and recreation, for a week now. We haven’t had enough water at Thomson to generate [electricity] for a while.”

National Weather Service meteorologist Ketzel Levens said the St. Louis River is now measuring 2.23 feet in Scanlon, down from a high in April of 8 feet. The overall average for the past year is about 4 feet, she estimated. “Right now it’s as low as it’s been in the last year,” she said, adding that 10 feet, 6 inches is flood stage. “But the river changes quite a bit depending on the year.”

Last Thursday, the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources warned that Minnesota has entered the drought warning phase, with 52 percent of the state experiencing severe drought and 4 percent in extreme drought. Carlton and Pine counties and much of the Arrowhead region were classified as being in moderate drought, according to the U.S. Drought Monitor released

July 15.

While the whitewater rafting businesses that run between Scanlon and Carlton are still able to run trips, they are a different experience with the low water levels, said Swiftwater owner Cliff Langley, who had to postpone this year’s Paddlemania river races from this weekend to Aug. 14 due to low water levels.

“We’ve been warning people it’s not the 3- or 4-foot crashing waves we usually have,” he said. “This is crazy-low.”

It’s not just the rivers and lakes that are hurting. Wrenshall farmer Janaki Fisher-Merritt said it’s the worst drought — in terms of how early and how long it’s been — that he has seen since his family moved to their current Food Farm location in 1988. “Normally we are entering the dry period right now, so going into this period when we’re already barely keeping up has me worried,” he said.

Last year was also dry, but a hailstorm brought precipitation (and damage) and then they got another 2.5 inches all at once. “The pattern seems to be super-dry and then something violent breaks the spell, but we haven’t had that yet this year.”

So far they’ve been able to irrigate adequately to keep the crops growing. They started sending out shares to the 400-plus families they serve six or seven weeks ago, although much of the early crops were grown in the greenhouse. What’s growing now is mostly outside, and they’re in a middle period where they have not yet tilled under the early plantings — so they still need watering — and the late plantings are young and at a critical stage for water, so they need lots of water too.

“They don’t have a big-enough root system to go without water,” Fisher-Merritt said. Plus the cool-season crops such as broccoli, cauliflower and cabbage need more water because they’re not made for this hot weather. Vegetables are really sensitive — they’re different from grains, where you might just get a reduced yield. With vegetables, you have kind of an ‘on-off’ switch.”

Even fields where the dirt, inches down from the surface, is usually moist all summer are drying out, he said.

According to the Minnesota DNR, under current conditions it will take at least 3 to 5 inches of precipitation spread over a period of about two weeks to significantly alleviate the drought. Soils are more efficiently replenished by multiple rainfall events than by any single heavy rainfall event. Surface water and groundwater respond somewhat differently over time.

But there’s no relief in sight. According to NWS meteorologist Levens, the Climate Prediction Center is predicting higher than normal temperatures and below normal precipitation for the next 2 to 4 weeks.

This region of northeastern Minnesota is already between 4.5 and 7 inches below normal precipitation since January, Levens said.

“It’s summer, so we will probably get showers here and there, but to make up that [lack] of precipitation … it doesn’t look like there are any systems headed here anytime soon,” she said.

In the meantime, be careful with fires and mindful of burn bans, which are in effect in many counties across the state. People should also know their limits with heat, she advised.

Everyone can make a difference

Drought is a naturally occurring feature of Minnesota’s climate. Most severe drought in Minnesota is short-lived, but drought in Minnesota does occasionally enter the extreme-intensity classification. People can make a difference by consuming less water.

“While occasional water level fluctuations are natural, normal and beneficial to ecosystems, they can negatively affect tourism and recreation, agriculture, businesses and other activities that are dependent on water,” said DNR commissioner Sarah Strommen in last week’s drought announcement. “Times of drought remind us all about the importance of water conservation.”

Minnesota residents use an average of about 52 gallons per person per day. Strommen encouraged all Minnesota residents to identify ways to reduce water use now and in the future. Following are a few tips from the DNR website:

-Before watering the lawn, verify that it needs it, by stepping on the grass. Do not water if the grass springs back. Water the lawn if the grass stays flattened.

Water during the early morning, when it is still cool. Lawns need about 1 inch of rain or water per week. Deep soaking is better for roots than frequent shallow watering, so water once a week, or less frequently, if there’s no rain. Cut grass to a height of 3 to 4 inches.

-Toilets are one of the biggest uses of indoor water, consuming almost 24 percent of a home’s water. Older toilets use even more. To save water, purchase dual-flush toilets that use less than 1.6 gallons per flush. Look for the WaterSense label.

-Reduce water when showering by taking shorter showers, lasting about 3-5 minutes. Turn off the water while shampooing and lathering. Install a newer shower head. Older showerheads, especially those installed before the 1980s, have high rates of water flow, as much as 8 gallons per minute versus 2.5 gallons per minute for low-volume showerheads.

-Faucets are the fourth-largest source of home water consumption. Newer, low-volume faucets use aeration and flow restrictors that maintain performance while using less water. Install aerator flow restrictors on older faucets.

-To save water and money, wash only full loads of laundry. Wash lightly soiled items on shorter cycles, and use cold water. When it’s time for a new washer, buy a high-efficiency washing machine.

Additionally, the ongoing drought increases the risk of wildfire, and DNR officials urge caution in operating off-road vehicles, heavy equipment and agricultural operators under these dry conditions, as they could unintentionally spark a fire.

Minnesota’s wildland fire management agencies report an uptick in recent weeks of equipment-caused wildfires due to extremely dry grasses and brush.

“Proper equipment use includes knowing the fire danger condition before you operate and making appropriate adjustments or delays to your planned activities,” said Ben Lang, Bemidji Area Forestry assistant supervisor.

Lang said it takes about 500 degrees to start a wildfire in the summer, and that exhaust systems on both road- and recreational vehicles can reach temperatures of more than 1,000 degrees. “Use good judgement, avoid parking or operating in tall grasses or brush where exhaust systems could ignite vegetation, and keep ATVs on the trail,” he said.

If you spot a wildfire, call 911.