Texas Heat!

[Western]

On the news tonight.

11 heat related deaths confirmed in Dallas county alone, 11 more being investigated and listed as probable heat related. Several more in surrounding counties.

Sad one was a 70+ year old woman had called Dallas police to report her AC stolen, She died 2 days later at her home of heat related issues. sad that this could happen in a place with so much wealth. I wonder if the Police even referred her to a non-profit, or if she even had filed an insurance claim. Sad

 

[jinman]

. . . I used and impulse sprinkler last week and let it run for an hour. I had a deep dish cooking pan I put out until I got to 1" of water in it. I dig down in one spot with my post hole diggers and found moisture at only about 2-3". I should have checked it again the next day after it was fully absorbed. I think If I continue watering, it will be long soaking and then wait, If my roots aren't being force to go deep, I'm just Pi$$&&*^ in the wind. IMO

I've calculated around 7,000 gallons each time I water (every other day). My yard is roughly 3/4 acre or 32,670 sq ft. If the water is delivered perfectly, that means 7,000/32,670 = 0.214 gallons per square foot or 0.107 each day. That's 0.856 pints of water on each square foot. Considering I've been generous with my quantities above, I'll just say I'm putting down 1-1/2 pints of water on each sqauare foot every other day. You'd think that would be plenty, but there are places where the grass is gasping for a drink on the evening of the 2nd day before the next morning's watering.

The evaporative power of the sun is unbelieveable. My deep pond is dropping 6" to 8" per week, but still has plenty of water. The level is down about 2-1/2' total. Because of the slope of the sides, I'd say that 2-1/2' is probably 1/3 of the total volume of the pond. I've seen lots of dry ponds, but mine is holding well, all things considered.

 

[Bird]

I haven't measured the water, but I ran 2 sprinklers from 6 to 10 p.m. last night and started them again at 4 a.m. this morning.

And Dennis, you've mentioned the places in the metro mess where they water the streets. And yes, it's still happening every day I guess. I go to Irving pretty often, including yesterday morning, right down MacArthur Blvd. and the grass sure is pretty and green through Las Colinas and while most places I try to drive in the right lane, on MacArthur I try to avoid the right lane because of the water puddles along the right curb.

 

[Kyle_in_Tex]

I really think if this drought persists, and water rationing becomes extreme, there will come a point in time that the "water police" will be examining those with bright green lawns as well as those that water the asphalt.

I remember back around year 2000, in Pflugerville Texas, rationing rules got so strict, you could only water by hand 1 day a week after 10pm depending on your house number. No sprinklers, you actually had to hold the hose in your hand.

As much as I love a lush lawn of St. Augustine grass, I'd recommend to anyone planting a new lawn to go with a more drought tolerant hybrid of bermuda.

 

[JESSE1]

The only plants we water are our crape myrtles. We have a drip irrigation system on twelve plants in our front yard. The rest we let the hose run slow on once a week. I let water trickle into the swimming pool so the level stays constant. I run the pool pump about eight hours at night and the water is crystal clear and about 92 degrees. Our electric bill naturally increases during the warm months due to the AC and pool pump. We keep the thermostat at 78 and run ceiling fans. The bill usually will climb over $500 at its peak during the summer and I was surprised yesterday when I opened the bill and it was $425. We cool about 2800 sq feet of living area, lots of attic insulation and two power roof vents. No trees close to the house to help with shade.

 

[Bird]

I really think if this drought persists, and water rationing becomes extreme, there will come a point in time that the "water police" will be examining those with bright green lawns as well as those that water the asphalt.

I remember back around year 2000, in Pflugerville Texas, rationing rules got so strict, you could only water by hand 1 day a week after 10pm depending on your house number. No sprinklers, you actually had to hold the hose in your hand.

As much as I love a lush lawn of St. Augustine grass, I'd recommend to anyone planting a new lawn to go with a more drought tolerant hybrid of bermuda.

Kyle, I expect more restrictions soon. And whether we do or not, I expect to go back to hand watering almost exclusively to keep my water bill from going so high. The problem with Bermuda is getting it to grow in places that are shady. It's great in the sun.

 

[Kyle_in_Tex]

Big wildfire on Camp Swift between Bastrop and closer to Elgin. this is about 18 miles from me. they said 25% contained, 850 acres so far. Maybe started by military exercises they are not sure yet.

So many fires caused by careless IDIOTS throwing their cigarette bu__s out the window still lit. I would call them worse but this is a family site.

I wish the DPS would start following people who have their car windows "cracked" down a bit to write them big fines when they see them flick out their bu__s instead of shooting radar all day.

 

[pacerron]

The evaporative power of the sun is unbelieveable. My deep pond is dropping 6" to 8" per week, but still has plenty of water. The level is down about 2-1/2' total. Because of the slope of the sides, I'd say that 2-1/2' is probably 1/3 of the total volume of the pond. I've seen lots of dry ponds, but mine is holding well, all things considered.

Jim,
Alan had quite a thread in 2006 about evaporation.
http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/rural-living/81477-how-much-water-evaporates-per.html

There are all kinds of formulas, weather evaporation reports, etc. to mess with even down to your local area but most are averages. "What is, is"
The best way to figure what you are losing at your place, in the weather conditions right now, is putting some pans out in your yard with an inch of your cold well water measured on a level surface when you fill them. As you know the area of a circle= 2.1416 x radius squared so it is easy to figure what percent of 144 square inches your pan equals. Measure the drop during daylight hours and calculate evaporation. Do it again at night and see the difference. Do it for 24 hours or whatever you want and do the calculations.
Then on a day you sprinkle set the pan/pans out empty under your sprinkler.
When done put the pan on the same level surface and see how much water your sprinkler is really putting out based on it's restrictions. Try your gauge out on the hose right before the sprinkler head and compare the results.
This would also give you an indication of the evaporation of the water during the 6 hours of watering.
Our high today is only going to be 85 but the humidity is 90% so we are sweating up here.
Ron

 

[ustmd]

Big wildfire on Camp Swift between Bastrop and closer to Elgin. this is about 18 miles from me. they said 25% contained, 850 acres so far. Maybe started by military exercises they are not sure yet.

So many fires caused by careless IDIOTS throwing their cigarette bu__s out the window still lit. I would call them worse but this is a family site.

I wish the DPS would start following people who have their car windows "cracked" down a bit to write them big fines when they see them flick out their bu__s instead of shooting radar all day.

I am between Elgin and Manor and could see the smoke from my place--looked bad

 

[txdon]

Kyle, TFS called out Blue VFD from Lee County. It looked like it was steadily burning Northward. If the wind would have been blowing from the west we would have responded. It was still going good at sunset. This picture (looking west) is from my hill about 20 miles away. They estimate 1000 acres burned by last night. HWY 290 was closed from McDade to FM696.

 

[txdon]

Update, camp Swift fire is 90% contained. 4 national guard helicopters have been dropping water on it today. Some military action on the base started the fire. I often hear rapid large gun fire and explosions coming from the camp.:thumbsup:

 

[mikim]

This is the second fire they've started in just a couple of weeks. Guess the first one wasn't serious enough for them to learn from. can we say "military intelligence"?

 

[Bird]

Noticed a relatively short strip (maybe 50 yards) of highway ROW along I-35E just north of Lake Lewisville that's burned recently. And a big sign in the median of F.M. 2499 says Highland Village has implemented Stage 2 of their drought plan; no watering on Monday or Friday or between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. But so far, I think Lake Lewisville is only down about 3' or at 84+% normal capacity.

 

[Western]

I know lake Whitney was down 14' a few weeks ago. Bridgeport is probably around 8' low when I was out last weekend.

They had a 10 acre fire just East of downtown Ft. Worth along the Trinity river near the big bridge interchange. Not usually a big deal, but throw it in a city of 500,000!!

If we get some high winds like we did a month ago, fires may be the "talk of the town" again.

 

[Kyle_in_Tex]

I could see the Camp Swift fire from Bryan Texas on Friday at 6pm

 

[Kyle_in_Tex]

Lake Somerville at all time low.


Home News Buffs S

 

[Patriotic Stabilist]

I worry so about fire here. We had concrete finishers working on a new garage floor slab and I saw one of those idiots smoking. I almost went out there but thought with all them around surely they could get it out if it started a fire but talk about dumb.

 

[pacerron]

I wonder with all the heat and dryness this year if you are seeing lots of Bagworms on the trees?
They are really bad up here.
Ron

 

[Bird]

Ron, I haven't seen any of those things in several years. Aren't they only on cedar? And we don't have much cedar in my area.

 

[pacerron]

Ron, I haven't seen any of those things in several years. Aren't they only on cedar? And we don't have much cedar in my area.

Bird,
Many different trees and shrubs are host to them. They eat the host and that becomes their cover/cacoon. I just spent an hour picking them off a beautiful blue Colorado Spruce that I planted about 10 years ago. I will have to use a ladder tomorrow to get the high ones. This is the first year it has had them. We have other trees with them too.
Like picking green beans, you think you have them all, but going back you find many more...
Ron
Bagworm