Texas Summer 2018

[weatherdude1108]

They are some places here in CTX that haven’t seen rain since July 9th . Also stage 1 water restrictions for Austin go into effect Aug 27th ! Rip

Austin should be in Stage 1 restrictions all of the time IMO. San Antonio has year-round water restrictions, regardless of how full the aquifer is. Only makes sense with a region that is prone to regular droughts and a booming population.

[Yukon Cornelius]

They are some places here in CTX that haven’t seen rain since July 9th . Also stage 1 water restrictions for Austin go into effect Aug 27th ! Rip

Austin should be in Stage 1 restrictions all of the time IMO. San Antonio has year-round water restrictions, regardless of how full the aquifer is. Only makes sense with a region that is prone to regular droughts and a booming population.

I feel like most drought prone areas should have some sort of permanent water restriction plan set up, unless of course you use well water.

[Ntxw]

Yeah I'm not sure why most municipalities don't have permanent low end restrictions given what happened in 2011 along with explosive population growth. It's only going to get worse as more people move in.

[weatherdude1108]

They are some places here in CTX that haven’t seen rain since July 9th . Also stage 1 water restrictions for Austin go into effect Aug 27th ! Rip

Austin should be in Stage 1 restrictions all of the time IMO. San Antonio has year-round water restrictions, regardless of how full the aquifer is. Only makes sense with a region that is prone to regular droughts and a booming population.

I feel like most drought prone areas should have some sort of permanent water restriction plan set up, unless of course you use well water.

Yeah, water wells are exempt from restrictions. In 2011, there was a lot of water well drilling going on in people's yards in the Austin area, just to get water to water their yards without restrictions. The water well drillers were booked solid for months I heard. Of course, the wells need to produce water in any case.

There is a church down the street from us that has two water wells they use only for irrigation. One well they had way before the 2011 drought. The other they drilled in Spring 2014. In fact there is a sign at the church parking lot that says something like "Grounds and landscaping irrigation is provided by well water".

Sometimes I see the sprinklers on in the middle of the afternoon, but most times they go along with the city rules, even though they use wells. Only makes practical sense. Less evaporation. Why not make the most use of your well water too?

If I paid that kind of money for drilling a water well, I'd want the well to produce as long as it can, and only use the water in the late night/early morning as needed.

[Yukon Cornelius]

Austin should be in Stage 1 restrictions all of the time IMO. San Antonio has year-round water restrictions, regardless of how full the aquifer is. Only makes sense with a region that is prone to regular droughts and a booming population.

I feel like most drought prone areas should have some sort of permanent water restriction plan set up, unless of course you use well water.

Yeah, water wells are exempt from restrictions. In 2011, there was a lot of water well drilling going on in people's yards in the Austin area, just to get water to water their yards without restrictions. The water well drillers were booked solid for months I heard. Of course, the wells need water. There is a church down the street from us that has two water wells they use only for irrigation. One well they had way before the 2011 drought. The other they drilled in Spring 2014. In fact there is a sign at the church parking lot that says something like "Grounds and landscaping irrigation is provided by well water". Sometimes I see the sprinklers on in the middle of the afternoon, but most times they go along with the city rules, even though they use wells. Only makes practical sense. Less evaporation. Why not make the most use of your well water too? If I paid that kind of money for drilling a water well, I'd want to get as much as I can from the well.

Same thing happened here. I have a buddy that drills water wells and there for a while he was booked solid for months and months. I have two wells out on my property that were drilled back in the late 60s. One for livestock and one for the house. Without both of them, theres no telling what water would cost me.

[weatherdude1108]

I feel like most drought prone areas should have some sort of permanent water restriction plan set up, unless of course you use well water.

Yeah, water wells are exempt from restrictions. In 2011, there was a lot of water well drilling going on in people's yards in the Austin area, just to get water to water their yards without restrictions. The water well drillers were booked solid for months I heard. Of course, the wells need water. There is a church down the street from us that has two water wells they use only for irrigation. One well they had way before the 2011 drought. The other they drilled in Spring 2014. In fact there is a sign at the church parking lot that says something like "Grounds and landscaping irrigation is provided by well water". Sometimes I see the sprinklers on in the middle of the afternoon, but most times they go along with the city rules, even though they use wells. Only makes practical sense. Less evaporation. Why not make the most use of your well water too? If I paid that kind of money for drilling a water well, I'd want to get as much as I can from the well.

Same thing happened here. I have a buddy that drills water wells and there for a while he was booked solid for months and months. I have two wells out on my property that were drilled back in the late 60s. One for livestock and one for the house. Without both of them, theres no telling what water would cost me.

We're on city water, and my bill shoots up during the Summer, even though I only water the landscape once a week (if no soaking rain). Once a week watering is even pushing it with 100+ temps for weeks on end. St. Augustine is mixed with Bermuda and other grass weeds in the dryer spots. The St. Augustine starts getting thirsty within a few days of 100s. Bermuda does fine.

Cedar Park was once a week, but moved to twice a week last year, but I still do mine once a week so the landscape is used to it, for when they decide to go back to once a week, or maybe even once every other week like San Antonio did at some point. That would take a huge drop in the lake levels for every other week to happen. Of course you can go out and hand water with a shut-off spigot at any time of any day. I guess because you have control of the water and where it goes.

I have a sprinkler head that came off last week in one of my zones. There was a "spring" coming up from the yard, moving down the street. So I turned that zone off and hand watered it early Sunday morning. I didn't used to have a sprinkler system in my last house, but I've gotten used to this one at this house, and notice when it's broken. Things take a lot longer to water! But at same time, even though hand watering and hose sprinkling takes more time, it uses much less water than irrigation systems with my experience.

I used three times more water with an irrigation system. My dad noticed it too when he got his irrigation system in the late 90s. His water bill shot up. But irrigation systems distribute the water more evenly. Anyway. Pros and cons I guess.

[Yukon Cornelius]

Yeah, water wells are exempt from restrictions. In 2011, there was a lot of water well drilling going on in people's yards in the Austin area, just to get water to water their yards without restrictions. The water well drillers were booked solid for months I heard. Of course, the wells need water. There is a church down the street from us that has two water wells they use only for irrigation. One well they had way before the 2011 drought. The other they drilled in Spring 2014. In fact there is a sign at the church parking lot that says something like "Grounds and landscaping irrigation is provided by well water". Sometimes I see the sprinklers on in the middle of the afternoon, but most times they go along with the city rules, even though they use wells. Only makes practical sense. Less evaporation. Why not make the most use of your well water too? If I paid that kind of money for drilling a water well, I'd want to get as much as I can from the well.

Same thing happened here. I have a buddy that drills water wells and there for a while he was booked solid for months and months. I have two wells out on my property that were drilled back in the late 60s. One for livestock and one for the house. Without both of them, theres no telling what water would cost me.

We're on city water, and my bill shoots up during the Summer, even though I only water the landscape once a week (if no soaking rain). Once a week watering is even pushing it with 100+ temps for weeks on end. St. Augustine is mixed with Bermuda and other grass weeds in the dryer spots. The St. Augustine starts getting thirsty within a few days of 100s. Bermuda does fine.

Cedar Park was once a week, but moved to twice a week last year, but I still do mine once a week so the landscape is used to it, for when they decide to go back to once a week, or maybe even once every other week like San Antonio did at some point. That would take a huge drop in the lake levels for every other week to happen. Of course you can go out and hand water with a shut-off spigot at any time of any day. I guess because you have control of the water and where it goes.

I have a sprinkler head that came off last week in one of my zones. There was a "spring" coming up from the yard, moving down the street. So I turned that zone off and hand watered it early Sunday morning. I didn't used to have a sprinkler system in my last house, but I've gotten used to this one at this house, and notice when it's broken. Things take a lot longer to water! But at same time, even though hand watering and hose sprinkling takes more time, it uses much less water than irrigation systems with my experience.

I used three times more water with an irrigation system. My dad noticed it too when he got his irrigation system in the late 90s. His water bill shot up. But irrigation systems distribute the water more evenly. Anyway. Pros and cons I guess.

Definitely interesting. Id love to be able to install some type of irrigation system in my front "yard" area but it just wouldn't be practical. I tried this year to keep it green in the day after day stretch of 100s with impact sprinklers, but trying to water a 3 acre front yard and beat the drying out of the soil was a losing battle to say the least.

[weatherdude1108]

Same thing happened here. I have a buddy that drills water wells and there for a while he was booked solid for months and months. I have two wells out on my property that were drilled back in the late 60s. One for livestock and one for the house. Without both of them, theres no telling what water would cost me.

We're on city water, and my bill shoots up during the Summer, even though I only water the landscape once a week (if no soaking rain). Once a week watering is even pushing it with 100+ temps for weeks on end. St. Augustine is mixed with Bermuda and other grass weeds in the dryer spots. The St. Augustine starts getting thirsty within a few days of 100s. Bermuda does fine.

Cedar Park was once a week, but moved to twice a week last year, but I still do mine once a week so the landscape is used to it, for when they decide to go back to once a week, or maybe even once every other week like San Antonio did at some point. That would take a huge drop in the lake levels for every other week to happen. Of course you can go out and hand water with a shut-off spigot at any time of any day. I guess because you have control of the water and where it goes.

I have a sprinkler head that came off last week in one of my zones. There was a "spring" coming up from the yard, moving down the street. So I turned that zone off and hand watered it early Sunday morning. I didn't used to have a sprinkler system in my last house, but I've gotten used to this one at this house, and notice when it's broken. Things take a lot longer to water! But at same time, even though hand watering and hose sprinkling takes more time, it uses much less water than irrigation systems with my experience.

I used three times more water with an irrigation system. My dad noticed it too when he got his irrigation system in the late 90s. His water bill shot up. But irrigation systems distribute the water more evenly. Anyway. Pros and cons I guess.

Definitely interesting. Id love to be able to install some type of irrigation system in my front "yard" area but it just wouldn't be practical. I tried this year to keep it green in the day after day stretch of 100s with impact sprinklers, but trying to water a 3 acre front yard and beat the drying out of the soil was a losing battle to say the least.

Wow! My front yard is about 0.02-acre (900 to 1,000 square feet).

Three acres. That would be a challenge, especially up there with the winds blowing so much.

[weatherdude1108]

[JDawg512]

They are some places here in CTX that haven’t seen rain since July 9th . Also stage 1 water restrictions for Austin go into effect Aug 27th ! Rip

Austin should be in Stage 1 restrictions all of the time IMO. San Antonio has year-round water restrictions, regardless of how full the aquifer is. Only makes sense with a region that is prone to regular droughts and a booming population.

Austin does have year around restrictions. Regardless of time of year or how much rain we get. Depending on address number you can only water twice a week before 10 a.m. or after 7 p.m. those with automatic sprinkler systems can only water once a week. My address ends in odd numbers so I can water Wed, and Sat.

Problem that I see is many people don't follow the restrictions. City needs to crack down harder on those who don't.

[Ntxw]

Reminder that in one week at midnight we will be moving to the Fall thread .

Now we just need it to feel like fall...

[weatherdude1108]

They are some places here in CTX that haven’t seen rain since July 9th . Also stage 1 water restrictions for Austin go into effect Aug 27th ! Rip

Austin should be in Stage 1 restrictions all of the time IMO. San Antonio has year-round water restrictions, regardless of how full the aquifer is. Only makes sense with a region that is prone to regular droughts and a booming population.

Austin does have year around restrictions. Regardless of time of year or how much rain we get. Depending on address number you can only water twice a week before 10 a.m. or after 7 p.m. those with automatic sprinkler systems can only water once a week. My address ends in odd numbers so I can water Wed, and Sat.

Problem that I see is many people don't follow the restrictions. City needs to crack down harder on those who don't.

That's the way ours is in CP.

[Brent]

Reminder that in one week at midnight we will be moving to the Fall thread .

Now we just need it to feel like fall...

That would be nice...

[Ntxw]

What difference a year makes...

 https://twitter.com/philklotzbach/status/1033326128742555648

[austin06]

Austin should be in Stage 1 restrictions all of the time IMO. San Antonio has year-round water restrictions, regardless of how full the aquifer is. Only makes sense with a region that is prone to regular droughts and a booming population.

I feel like most drought prone areas should have some sort of permanent water restriction plan set up, unless of course you use well water.

Yeah, water wells are exempt from restrictions. In 2011, there was a lot of water well drilling going on in people's yards in the Austin area, just to get water to water their yards without restrictions. The water well drillers were booked solid for months I heard. Of course, the wells need to produce water in any case.

There is a church down the street from us that has two water wells they use only for irrigation. One well they had way before the 2011 drought. The other they drilled in Spring 2014. In fact there is a sign at the church parking lot that says something like "Grounds and landscaping irrigation is provided by well water".

Sometimes I see the sprinklers on in the middle of the afternoon, but most times they go along with the city rules, even though they use wells. Only makes practical sense. Less evaporation. Why not make the most use of your well water too?

If I paid that kind of money for drilling a water well, I'd want the well to produce as long as it can, and only use the water in the late night/early morning as needed.

At some point there should be restrictions for wells - there is going to have to be. Many of us in Dripping are on wells and this year I've been hearing about more and more going dry. Yes, it's the drought but also the out of control growth. I am hearing that people are dropping their pumps lower. That's the least expensive option if you go dry. We did get an LCRA line we can tap into, but the cost of that is about $12K just for the access to the line and then a big monthly bill.

If you are in these conditions, on 1.5 acres, have rain barrels for gardening, and leave your property native, there is nothing more frustrating than seeing your next door neighbor water patches of his St. Augustine grass every day for hours. Yes, he is on a well, and it is plain stupid. Many out here want to ban St. Augustine grass and traditional lawns - it grows great where I grew up in Fl with all the rain, but can't and shouldn't survive out here. The native "landscaping" is so much better for keeping groundwater in and capturing more to flow back to the aquifers. There's a lot of water shaming going on out here that I haven't seen in the past. Having a well go dry is not fun at all.

[Haris]

eps are nice!!!

[Brent]

Maybe some signs of Gulf tropical action towards Labor Day? The pattern would seem to favor whatever it is getting pretty far west

This is our only chance at anything interesting soon

[bubba hotep]

Maybe some signs of Gulf tropical action towards Labor Day? The pattern would seem to favor whatever it is getting pretty far west

This is our only chance at anything interesting soon

Some of the long range guidance is showing the Western part of the basin shifting a bit more favorable, this includes the MJO. The biggest issue, it's hard to get a WCAB or Gulf system when the EPAC is so active. It's at least something to watch and the 18z GFS is all in with a system into Houston and then tracking westward lol

[starsfan65]

Maybe some signs of Gulf tropical action towards Labor Day? The pattern would seem to favor whatever it is getting pretty far west

This is our only chance at anything interesting soon

Some of the long range guidance is showing the Western part of the basin shifting a bit more favorable, this includes the MJO. The biggest issue, it's hard to get a WCAB or Gulf system when the EPAC is so active. It's at least something to watch and the 18z GFS is all in with a system into Houston and then tracking westward lol

Why is there a hole in the middle?

[Ntxw]

Meh I'd rather see a few EPAC recurves in Sept and October. That's where we get the best rains anyway inland. That is what makes El Nino Octobers prolific with rains.

The Texas coast doesn't need to see another Atlantic/Gulf system come at it. Many are still rebuilding.