61. Coping With Drought In The Landscape Because of Florida s sandy soils, plants may experience drought or when conditionsindicate a drought may be imminent, the water management districts have http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/BODY_MG026

Coping with Drought in the Landscape Gary W. Knox For a PowerPoint presentation on Coping with Drought, visit http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/media/MG026/MG02600.ppt Drought is likely to occur in every part of Florida at one time or another. Increased urbanization, coupled with a limited water supply, is predisposing much of the state to a greater chance of water shortages. Because of Florida's sandy soils, plants may experience drought stress after only a few days without rain or irrigation. During a drought, or when conditions indicate a drought may be imminent, the water management districts have the authority to restrict water use. The restrictions are designed to be equitable, but high priority is given to water use for human consumption, agriculture, and industry. Accordingly, irrigation for commercial and home landscapes may be restricted. With these limitations on water, the landscaper or homeowner must decide how best to use the limited water available for landscape irrigation. The following guidelines are given as suggestions for management practices during drought. Some of the recommendations should be followed as normal irrigation practices; they are included here for those individuals not already using proper water management practices, and as reminders for those who are. Further information on proper water management practices can be found in ENH-9 Watering Your Florida Lawn ENH-57 Improving Drought Tolerance in Your Florida Lawn ; and ENH-72 Landscape Design for Water Conservation

62. Ohio Agronomy Guide, Water Management Pewamo, populations on sands, eroded knobs, and other droughtprone soils shouldbe may be able to justify irrigation as a water management practice in http://ohioline.osu.edu/b472/water.html

Ohio Agronomy Guide Bulletin 472 Water Management Efficient water management is perhaps the most important aspect of crop production. Crop yields are affected adversely by the presence of too much or too little water, and unfortunately, many Ohio farmers are faced with both problems in the same year. Thus, soil drainage and moisture conservation are both extremely important management concerns in the state. Researchers at Coshocton (USDA ARS) have shown that Ohio crops use the following amounts of water during a typical growing season: Corn: 20-22 inches Wheat: 12-15 inches Meadow: 18-26 inches In a typical year, precipitation exceeds crop requirements in winter, spring, and autumn. During the summer, however, crop needs may exceed precipitation, and the crop relies on water stored in the soil from previous rains. Therefore, the ideal water management system allows maximum intake and storage of water in the soil profile while providing a means of draining excess water quickly from the field. Surface Drainage Surface drainage is a low-cost method of removing excess water, and if properly designed and installed, requires little maintenance. Surface drainage may be the only practical method of draining soils with high clay contents and impermeable layers at shallow depth. Three principle methods of surface drainage are: (1) land grading, or shaping the land surface to allow movement of excess water evenly from the surface and to remove small depressions or "wet spots;" (2) surface drains and channels to remove concentrated flows of water; and (3) ridge tillage to raise the seed above the zone of saturation.

63. Water Portal | Links concerns food security and fight against droughts and desertification results. toWebsite (Added 200107-19 Hits 213 ). soil and water management and Crop http://www.unesco.org/water/water_links/Water_Issues/Water_and_society/Water_and

Search Water Portal IHP WWAP Water Events Water Links Home to Water Portal About the Water Portal IHP - International Hydrological Programme - National Committees ... Water and society : Water and food Links AQUASTAT AQUASTAT is FAO's global information system of water and agriculture developed by the Land and Water Development Division. The objective of AQUASTAT is to provide users with comprehensive information on the state of agricultural water management across the world, with emphasis on developing countries and countries in transition. >>>to Website (Added: 2001-12-06 Hits: 842 ) CARE CARE International’s mission is to serve individuals and families in the poorest communities in the world. CARE's programmes include Water and Sanitation, Environment. >>>to Website (Added: 2001-10-08 Hits: 642 ) Centre régional d'agro-hydro-météorologie - AGRHYMET The AGRHYMET regional center is a specialised institution of the Permanent Interstate Committee for Drought Control in the Sahel (CILSS). Its mission is to collect and disseminate the informations concerning food security and natural resources management, as well as to insure training in these domains. >>>to Website (Added: 2001-07-19 Hits: 288 ) Desertification Section of FAO The FAO Web site on desertification aims to assist national, regional and international stakeholders and networks involved in sustainable development of drylands and in particular in the implementation of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD).

64. Drought Resistant Soils To minimize the impact of drought, soil needs to capture store as much of that wateras possible These conditions can be achieved through management of organic http://attra.ncat.org/attra-pub/drought.html

Drought Resistant Soils Agronomy Technical Note ATTRANational Sustainable Agriculture Information Service PO Box 3657 Fayetteville, AR 72702 Phone: 1-800-346-9140 - FAX: (479) 442-9842 By Preston Sullivan NCAT Agriculture Specialist November 2002 The PDF version of this document is available at http://attra.ncat.org/attra-pub/PDF/drought.pdf kb Abstract : To minimize the impact of drought, soil needs to capture the rainwater that falls on it, store as much of that water as possible for future plant use, and allow for plant roots to penetrate and proliferate. These conditions can be achieved through management of organic matter, which can increase water storage by 16,000 gallons per acre foot for each 1% organic matter. Organic matter also increases the soil's ability to take in water during rainfall events, assuring that more water will be stored. Ground cover also increases the water infiltration rate while lowering soil water evaporation. When all these factors are taken together the severity of drought and the need for irrigation are greatly reduced. Table of Contents Introduction Texture Aggregation Organic Matter and Water-Holding Capacity ... References Introduction With severe drought an all-too-common occurrence, some farmers turn to irrigation for a solution. Irrigation may not be feasible or even desirable. Fortunately, there are management options that can increase the soil's ability to store water for plant use. Soil can be managed in ways that reduce the need for supplemental watering and increase the sustainability of the farm. This publication details some of the strategies for drought-proofing soil and the concepts that support them. Any worthwhile strategy for drought management optimizes the following factors:

65. Soils & Compost: ATTRA - National Sustainable Agriculture Information Service drought Resistant soils, soil and water Quality Protectingwater Quality on Organic Farms, http://attra.ncat.org/soils.html

800-346-9140 (English) Home Site Map Who We Are Contact Us ... Master Publication List Enter your email above and click Go. Newsletter Archives ATTRA - National Sustainable Agriculture Information Service P.O. Box 3657 Fayetteville, AR 72702 Home Healthy soil can improve crop and livestock production. The publications and other resources listed here offer information on how to assess, improve and maintain soil health for both croplands and pastures. Several publications address fertilization and composting specifically for organic production. Soil management can also play an important role in protecting water quality, and additional resources are listed on that topic. ATTRA Publications NOTE: Some of the following documents are available as Adobe Acrobat PDFs. Download Acrobat Reader Soil Management: Sustainable Soil Management Summary HTML PDF / 3.8 mb

66. Drought, Water, Forages And Cattle Litter, insulates rangeland by keeping soil temperatures lower and by reducing waterloss. During drought, grazing at normal stocking levels will hasten http://www.agric.gov.ab.ca/agdisaster/0106l.html

Drought, Water, Forages and Cattle Range-land management during drought By Barry W. Adams, Range Management Specialist, Sustainable Resource Development, Southern Region Are You Ready for the Next Drought? This drought checklist was first published in June of 1992 and its distribution was followed by heavy late-spring precipitation perhaps its time to publish it once again! The checklist is an accumulation of management practices from the experience of many of our grazing lease holders in Southern Alberta and from other jurisdictions in North America, lessons that are worth reconsidering at times like this. This is a distressing time for farmers and ranchers given the extended dry conditions of the past years. We don't know what the future holds, but when drought hits, livestock producers face the painful dilemma of reducing stocking rates (grazing pressure) or damaging their range-land. This checklist examines some of the measures you might consider to reduce the impacts of drought on your livestock operation and the range resource, and hasten recovery when the drought is over. Drought Effects on Range-land During drought, low soil moisture levels limit plant growth and cause reduced forage yields.

67. X3996e21 ie the prevention of loss of water through evaporation from the soil, and from course,most important to choose plants with drought tolerance and http://www.fao.org/DOCREP/003/X3996E/x3996e21.htm

INFORMATION SHEET 9 WATER MANAGEMENT Soil and water management are closely interrelated. Although there are great differences in the water requirements of different plants, no plant growth is possible without a certain amount of water. Out of necessity, however, a number of plants have developed great drought tolerance, and some even drought resistance. Plants can contain up to 90 percent water. The water is absorbed mainly through the root system of the plant. With the water, plant nutrients are absorbed. Healthy roots need air (aeration) for development. Excess water in the soil prevents air from penetrating and damages a plant's roots. Water management is therefore extremely important in regions with good water resources as well as in those where water is scarce. The water-holding capacity of soil varies according to soil type. Soil with a high content of organic matter has better aeration, better structure and better water-holding capacity. Heavy, sticky soils are too dense to allow air in and water out, so roots cannot breathe and plants can have growth problems. When this kind of soil dries out, it sets like cement, and water takes a long time to soak into it. On the other hand, sandy, coarse-grained soils are too loose to hold water before it drains away. In this kind of soil, without a regular external water supply, a plant's roots cannot find enough water for growth. Regular application of organic matter will improve the ability of both these kinds of soil to hold and release enough water and air.

68. I. INTRODUCTION, SUMMARY OF RECOMMENDATIONS AND ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS under rainfed agriculture, special soil and water conservation measures plant varietiesmost adapted to sandy soils and especially drought resistant ones http://www.fao.org/docrep/x5869e/x5869e02.htm

I. INTRODUCTION, SUMMARY OF RECOMMENDATIONS AND ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS 1. Introduction 2. Summary of Recommendations 3. Acknowledgements 1. Introduction The FAO/UNDP Seminar on Reclamation and Management of Sandy Soils in the Near East and North Africa was held in Nicosia, Cyprus from 3 to 8 December 1973, by courtesy of the Government of the Republic of Cyprus. The Seminar was attended by 42 government participants from 17 countries of the Near East and North Africa, by 19 observers and special participants, 8 FAO/UNDP project staff and 5 technical officers from FAO. The subjects presented for discussion were along the following lines: - classification, distribution and agricultural potentialities; - fertility and fertilization; - soil management and conservation; - water management; - applied research. It provided a good opportunity for the presentation and discussion of 9 technical papers, 3 supplementary papers and 17 country reports dealing mainly with sandy soils. The excursion gave the participants the chance to see and observe the profile characteristics of sandy soils, stabilized sand dunes and the experimental activities of the Agricultural Research Institute in fertility and water management studies. From the proceedings of the Seminar it became clear that although sandy soils are frequently described as droughty, erodible, infertile and uneconomical to develop, they can be as productive as any other type of soil provided that the right soil and water management practices are followed. There is a need in the Region under irrigated as well as rainfed conditions to expedite research on reclamation and management of sandy soils with special consideration to water utilization and fertilization and to strengthen the technical training and the extension services.

69. Drought Tip 92-51 and how much water to apply is crucial during a drought. is determined by monitoringor estimating the soil water depletion and applying water when the http://lawr.ucdavis.edu/irrigation/drought_tips/dt51.htm

Author: Richard L. Snyder Biometeorologist University of California, Davis Drought Tip 92-51 is a publication series developed as a cooperative effort by the following organizations: California Department of Water Resources - Water Conservation Office Department of Land, Air and Water Resources University of California USDA Drought Response Office USDA Soil Conservation Service If you have comments or suggestions, please email lawrweb@ucdavis.edu. Last reviewed September 9, 2003 Drought Tip 92-51 Irrigation Scheduling of Surface-Irrigated Crops During a Drought Knowing when to irrigate a crop and how much water to apply is crucial during a drought. Irrigation timing depends on the irrigation method, soil water intake characteristics, and the difference between the soil water content at field capacity (when the soil is full of water) and the measured or estimated (actual) soil water content. The most important consideration in setting the management allowable depletion level is optimizing application efficiency, but the MAD may have to be lowered to avoid yield-reducing water stress. Labor factors and other management considerations also affect the choice of MAD. An irrigation system evaluation is very important for efficient water management. A crop should be irrigated when the actual soil water depletion is near the management allowable depletion. The gross amount of water to apply is figured according to the following equation:

70. Alfalfa Management During Drought Alfalfa is one of the most droughtresistant crops. root system which can get to moistsoil, if it When it does not find water, alfalfa goes dormant rather http://alfalfa.okstate.edu/webnews/variety698.htm

Alfalfa Management During Drought For several years prior to 1998, we became used to rainy summers in most of Oklahoma, and excess water had been a bigger problem than not enough water during several summers for most of the alfalfa producers in the state. In 1998, things have changed. High temperatures, little or no rain, and little moisture reserves have combined to bring up several questions recently. How can we make high quality hay during this weather? I think alfalfa producers should change their target market for alfalfa hay during the hottest part of the summer. It is always hard to make good tonnage and high quality during hot weather because the alfalfa develops so quickly. It is hard to harvest early enough to catch it when protein and other quality factors are good. If you normally try to make hay for the dairy or horse markets, reorient your harvest timing to make hay for beef cattle. Wait to harvest until it is in full bloom or when you have at least a ton of hay per acre. What is the most drought resistant alfalfa variety?

71. Publications drought contingency planning and implementation at the local Report to the NationalSoil and water Guelph, Ontario Rural water management Group, Department of http://www.uoguelph.ca/gwmg/pubs.htm

Selected publications resulting from research conducted by Guelph Water Management Group members, including graduate theses, are listed here. For a bibliography of work that we've found useful, along with other helpful links, visit our Resources page. A few of the publications listed here are available in Adobe Acrobat format; click on the icon following the reference to download the document. If you don't have Acrobat on your computer, then you can download it from Adobe's web site. At the bottom of this page, we've provided samples of our current work. Note: In November, 2002, we changed our name from the "Rural Water Management Group" to the "Guelph Water Management Group". Some of the publications listed below were published under our old name. Local Capacity for Water Management Canadian Water Resources Journal Proceedings of the CWRA 55th Annual Conference, Winnipeg, Manitoba, June 11-14, 2002. Cambridge, Ontario: Canadian Water Resources Association. Journal of Environmental Management Canadian Water Resources Journal Environmental Management Strengthening Rural Community Capacity for Adaptation to Low Water Levels . Report submitted to the Climate Change Action Fund. Guelph, Ontario: Rural Water Management Group, Department of Geography.

72. Yellow River Basin of flood prevention, antidrought, soil conservancy, constructing and managementof important hydraulic projects, performing water related legislation http://www.waterforfood.org/BB_Yellow_River_Basin.asp

Research themes Theme 1: Crop Water Productivity Improvement Theme 2: Water and People in Catchments ... Theme 5: Benchmark basins Andean system Indo-Gangetic Karkheh Limpopo river ... Yellow river Yellow river basin visit dedicated web site Main issues Under the new national strategic policy of boosting the development of western China, where a larger part within the Yellow River basin has nationally significant poverty problems due to scarcity of water resources, it is urgent for the YRCC to promote water resource management to ensure the sustainable development of the whole river basin. YRCC has rich experiences in water resources management, but advanced techniques and management expertise from outside are always welcomed. It has been determined that the YRCC will cooperate with the CP consortium in some medium sized irrigation areas as pilot projects and prepare to popularize and dissimilate the result to the whole Yellow River basin and other areas.

73. Water, Water Everywhere... To combat droughts, biologists on the CNWR staff began a new water management programin 1989. This program, referred to as moist soil management, calls for http://www.assateague.org/plover/1-99-c.html

Return to Piping Plover Menu [From Spring 1999] Water, Water Everywhere... Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge Manager John D. Schroer was reminded of the old adage, "Water, Water Everywhere and Not A Drop To Drink," this fall and early winter when the refuge's freshwater impoundments were completely dry but surrounded by a "sea" of water. Unfortunately, the "water, water everywhere" was salt water and freshwater was needed to fill these impoundments to accommodate the thousands of migratory waterfowl that normally rely on the refuge for food, water, and shelter during the fall migration and over the winter. Since the refuge does not have any natural freshwater streams or lakes, rainfall is the only source of surface water. Even the freshwater ponds and impoundments are slightly brackish to highly saline because of overwash, salt spray, and the accumulation of salt residue as freshwater evaporates. The fresh ground water beneath the island forms a lens-shaped layer that floats on underlying salt water. Consequently, it is also brackish. Ducks Unlimited, Inc. (DU) provided funds to have the impoundments' borrow ditches cleaned out to improve drainage in the spring and to provide habitat for wading birds during normal summer dry conditions. DU has also assisted the refuge with designing double flap gates that will be installed on the water control structures in three of the impoundments. These new flap gates will improve our ability to de-water the impoundments in the spring, as well as to allow salt water to flow into areas that are managed for brackish water, if drought conditions persist well after September 1. A DU engineer is also helping refuge biologists establish pumping stations at North Wash Flats and Snow Goose Pool, since these areas must be de-watered in a timely manner. North Wash Flats must be ready to accommodate nesting piping plovers, and Snow Goose Pool must be de-watered in time because of its impact on the drainage pattern of all the lower impoundments.

74. Template.gif Erratic rainfall and poor soil and water management, including relentless groundwater extraction has led to cycles of droughts and ongoing water scarcity. http://www.farmingsolutions.org/successtories/stories.asp?id=160

75. Developing Management Packages For Acid Sulphate Soils Based On Farmers And Expe rice, and the associated water management practices. Land quality (potential) soilacidity is important Land qualities flood hazard , drought hazard , salt http://www.dow.wageningen-ur.nl/ssg/publ/Tri.htm

L a b o r a t o r y o f S o i l S c i e n c e a n d G e o l o g y Developing management packages for acid sulphate soils based on farmers and expert knowledge. Field study in the Mekong Delta, Vietnam. Le Quang Tri A study at farmers shows that the history of farmers' land use, including their soil-water-crop management practices clearly indicates changes of land use over time and the important role of expert knowledge in initiating these changes. Developments also illustrate the positive effects of the creative interaction between farmers and experts in developing innovative management systems. Ten, four, sixteen and eleven actual land use types, including land and water practices, were described for the Tan Thanh, Tri Ton, Phung Hiep, and Hong Dan areas, respectively. Water-soil-crop management practices such as construction of canals and infrastructure for irrigation, construction of high raised beds for cultivation of upland crops, and construction of ditch system for the prawn/shrimp-rice system were essential parts of these land use systems. Back to Dissertations

76. Landscape Drought Survival for the grass to take full advantage of the water. To improve soil, add severaltopdressings of dirt or New growth is less drought-tolerant and less cold http://www.swfwmd.state.fl.us/waterres/drought/landspsurv.htm

@import "../../swfwmd.css"; Landscape Drought Survival Home Contact Us Search Site Map ... Up Landscape Drought Survival Lack of rainfall can make it difficult to establish and maintain a high-quality lawn and landscape. Here are several helpful tips: Know and follow the water restrictions in your area. The lawn and landscape account for about 15% of a home’s value, so regional water management districts and local governments only impose watering bans when necessary to minimize the potential impacts of drought on public safety, health, and welfare. Use low-volume watering. Most watering restrictions allow the use of low-volume methods to efficiently irrigate non-lawn areas as needed (instead of only a certain day of the week). Soaker hoses can be laid along a row of hedges, wrapped under the drip line of a tree, or weaved in between plants. Faucet timers can be used to regulate when and how long the hoses apply the water. Drip tubes, micro-jets, and other devices can be used to upgrade zones in an irrigation system. Garden supply stores and catalogs offer "tree bladders" and other efficient ways of applying water to specimen plants. No-cost devices (such as punching a hole near the bottom of an empty milk jug, then filling it with water and placing it near a plant that needs extra water) are also an option. Give the irrigation system a tune-up.

77. Drought Assistance For Tree Fruit Production system in place to avoid any droughtstress problems. of system applies a high volumeof water over the top of trees and can correct soil-moisture deficits http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/disaster/drought/dro-23.html

Drought Assistance for Tree Fruit Production In the southeastern United States the potential for a drought during the growing season is a very real probability. The length and severity of droughts vary greatly and cannot be predicted, so planning is critical in order to minimize the effects of a drought. However, the potential for a drought is such that current recommendations for fruit orchards include irrigation as an integral part of fruit production and not as an option. With perennial tree fruit crops it is best to take a proactive position rather than waiting for a drought before taking action. Many orchards are poorly located where water is not readily available. Also, in mature orchards, where fruit trees are relatively deep rooted, installation of an irrigation system during a drought period is impractical and usually not as effective. The effect of a drought on tree fruit production can result in reduced yields for several years, assuming that the trees survive the drought. With fruit trees, the flower buds for the following season are initiated during the previous summer, and prolonged drought can inhibit the initiation of flowers for the next season. A drought can also reduce the quantity and quality of the current season's fruit crop as well. Apple Shoots on mature apple trees normally grow for about 50 days, but on young trees shoot growth may continue for nearly 100 days. Drought stress during mid-season is more likely to reduce shoot growth on young trees than on mature trees. The majority of trunk enlargement and root growth occurs during late summer and fall, so a late-season drought can reduce both tree and root growth. This is crucial for young trees when the goals are to produce the largest tree possible on which fruit production will occur and to develop a well-anchored tree with an extensive root system for moisture and nutrient uptake.

78. Drought Management For Trees & Shrubs trees and shrubs will generally survive long periods of drought without too much becauseyou may not be getting as much water in dry compacted soils as you http://www.msue.msu.edu/reg_se/roberts/drought/

David L. Roberts, Ph.D. Michigan State University Extension Now that we are in the midst of a drought that rivals that of 1988, we should take some special steps to minimize the effect of drought on our trees and shrubs. Many of the turf areas are rather crispy now and many trees and shrubs are showing signs of drought. Incidently, based on my own personal observations during the drought of 1988, lawns which were irrigated infrequently, wasting precious reserves by cycling in and out of dormancy, died by the end of the season and needed replacement. Lawns which were watered infrequently and received abundant fertilizer were almost guaranteed for doom. Those lawns which received regular irrigation and those lawns which remained dormant, survived. My own lawn received no irrigation during the drought of ‘88 and came roaring back with the rains. Regardless, don’t forget the trees and shrubs!!! In my opinion, because I’m partial to trees and shrubs, you can let the turf go, [ don’t tell the turf specialists I said this-they never read the CAT Alert anyway Recognize Drought Symptoms - Don't Overreact!

79. Great Plains: Water Use And Quality On The Prairies Recent droughts have stimulated interest in additional water management projects.Unless the water is wisely used soil salinity problems may be experienced. http://www.iisd.org/agri/GPwater.htm

Select an issue to continue Measurement of Sustainability Land Use Degradation of Soil Resources Preservation of Biodiversity Water Use and Quality Rural Communities Economic Situation Use of Common Property Impacts of Trade on Sustainability Global Changes Water Use and Quality on the Prairies The great need for water by agriculture is one of the reasons why water is in short supply on the prairies. The lack of water in the southern prairies contributed to the devastating experience of farmers in the drought area of the 1930s. Indeed, during the 1961 - 90 period, the average annual precipitation in Regina was 362 mm while the average evaporation rate was 1016 mm, resulting in a net deficit of 654 mm . This difference illustrates the need to conserve moisture supplies and reduce the evaporation rate through the application of technology. Furthermore, quality water constitutes only part of the supply available. On the other hand, agricultural operations can contribute to loss of quality in water. A further complicating factor is the unequal distribution of water in the prairie region. Consequently, water use and quality have become a major issue on the prairies with regard to the sustainability of agriculture in the region. The low level of precipitation and its uneven distribution on the prairies in combination with evapotranspiration has made redistribution of the available supply of water of paramount importance. Redistribution may be accomplished by on-farm techniques to retain the precipitation that falls. More generally, water is drained from undesirable locations to others more desirable as well as transferred within basins and also between basins. The latter techniques decrease the impact of the variability of precipitation. Such redistribution activities are not without cost and may have an undesirable effect on the environment.

80. NIE WORLD Special Feature: Hot Issues And Cool Ideas (Drought, Uncommon Cold Bri numbers from the KeetchByram drought Index, which district conservationist for thesoil and water water, said Jeff Cole, water management district spokesman. http://www.nieworld.com/special/hotcold/2001/water2.htm

NIE World Home Teachers Students Families ... Projects Drought, uncommon cold bring new pressures to area By MATT GRIMISON and DINAH VOYLES PULVER NEWS-JOURNAL STAFF WRITERS Freeze dried plants are ready to burn and did just that in at least three local brush fires Thursday. Fern growers have pumped water to freeze protect more nights than they care to count in the last few weeks and a corresponding drop in the aquifer the underground source of water for North Central Florida left seven homeowners temporarily without water this week. The unrelenting drought and creeping wildfire danger may prompt even tighter water regulations in Volusia County in February. Tom Carey, the county's groundwater program manager, said if conditions do not improve and the County Council approves new water rules, they would be among the strictest in the state. Carey and Deputy Fire Chief Ken Gaines delivered a sobering fire and water report to the council Thursday. "The situation is very serious," Carey told council members Thursday. "Things are not going to improve until the rainy season, which as it stands today is six months away." Gaines presented numbers from the Keetch-Byram Drought Index, which assigns higher values reflective of the greater wildfire danger. At this time last year the average in the county was 272, and in 1998 it was less than 100, Gaines said.

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