Thanks-- woo, that's quite a scarey map. Tom Skilling's been following the drought story in the Tribune, and he mentioned this morning that there is only one worse category left, as can be seen on the map.

(He's also on the WGN news at noon and 9, local and superstation.) IIRC, he said there's a possibility of getting some rain from the hurricane maybe Tuesday or Wednesday. The corn and soybeans are pretty toasty, though.

He's been keeping track of what benchmarks we are passing, and first it was the 1988 drought, then the dustbowl droughts of the 1930's, and now we are just out there on our own with new horrors every passing day.

There was some discussion yesterday in the Tribune of one sort of positive outcome of the drought happening now. People who deal with water issues are hoping we will focus on the future, for example, it said:

"Rain or shine, demand for water through the region is rising steadily. But supply, whether it is from Lake Michigan, underground aquifers or local rivers, remains fixed. In 2000, people in Illinois used 15,792 million gallons of water a day. In 2025, officials expect that number to jump to 20,198 million gallons of water a day--a 28 percent increase."

I don't know if you can get this URL, but it's a good discussion. You might have to register, but it's free.

Here is a link that might be useful: Drought may give a taste of the future

Mercy. That map sure is depressing.

Though I've been watering pretty regularly, I've still lost a few plants. The garden looks like a burn victim.

I heard yesterday on NPR a woman has tried yoga to bring on rain. Thinking about getting myself a mat and curling into the lotus position.. anything is worth trying at this point.

I'm praying for it everyday. Area here looks like CA in the summer. Last summer it was green as green can be. Now any area that doesn't get water looks like the hills in the summer back home.

I drive by the state parks and don't believe the signs that say fire danger is "low". I guess that they're not used to changing those signs! I certainly wouldn't want anyone lighting a fire in those wooded areas nearby...

And I cannot imagine what the farmers are going through.

So I look at Dennis' track map and think COME ON DENNIS, WE'LL TAKE YOUR RAIN! Which is a far morely likely occurence than counting on yoga. Great for the thighs, doubtful that the atmosphere is paying much attention.

smom40, I am guessing the fire sign you are seeing is off 109, Rockwoods reservation? I don't think I have ever seen that sign changed since it was put up. Maybe they lost the other signs.

I live in St. Charles county and we were kind of worried about the fireworks starting something in the woods behind us. Neighbor across the street has a tree already dropping its leaves. Might be because she doesn't water to much. Another neighbor said he is loving this because he doesn't have to mow now.

The morning news just showed the map for my area and it looks like it is going to stay just south of me again. I feel like I am living in a bubble this year. Told the DH get use to waterbills this year. I will water as I don't like the look or feel on my feet of a dead lawn.

Sandy

I just hope that people don't have problems with their wells drying up. Some people around here have issues because of it is getting quite built up and the new homes and sucking everything dry.
So far so good with my well. No issues.
My plants are alive but are kind of puny.

I've heard that out by me (west of St Charles IL) there are somme 300 foot wells running dry. No doubt the drought is not helping the matter any. I'm watering the garden but feel concerned that, if water does get tight, I'll be kicking myself for having watered.

It's times like this that make you realize how frightening a drought can be. What if everyone's wells dried up?

Sandy, that's it! LOL Hwy 109...I've been here less than a year but that sign has never changed as far as I can see.

We did get some rain with Dennis. I hope that it just keeps spitting and spitting. I can honestly say that yesterday was the first "rainy day" that I've experienced in this state. We've had rain here, but usually it hammers for 20-30 minutes and then stops completely.

I hope that this is a trend! I don't wish destruction on the Gulf Coast, but that was blessed relief, if only for the moment.

I live in St. Charles township. I have a friend who lives in Campton Twp. And their well gives them problems when it gets hot. And the developers keep building all around them. They never let little things like lack of a water supply and lack of schools stop them do they?

And to have a well re-dug is thousands of dollars. At least we got a little relieve, and SOME small amounts of rain in the last couple days.

I am trying to keep my watering to a minimum. My grass is absolutely brown where it does not get any shade.

I get so irritated when developers, etc., don't plan with any thought to the existing water supply. People in general just don't give much thought to that, I don't think, until it's too late. Although I'm living in the midwest now, I'm actually from the desert southwest. And every single time I flew anywhere, the same scenario never failed to occur: the plane would be flying over huge expanses of brown, dusty desert, and some yahoo would invariably say something like, "I don't see why everyone's so worried about overcrowding and sprawl...there's _plenty_ of land still available here!" And every time I would think, "Yeah...but there's no water, idiot." :)

One slightly connected story: When we first moved to Illinois, I was baffled all fall because of how the ground looked--all scorched and blackened, with stubble everywhere. So I just assumed that there had been huge forest fires recently, but I couldn't figure out why there wasn't anything about it on the news. I finally asked my class what the deal was with all the fires, and they just looked at me like, "We never understand what you're going on about. But this time you _really_ have us baffled." Finally, one guy who was a farmer realized what I was talking about, and he said, "Oh...that's what it looks after you harvest the corn." I had never seen rich black earth, coming from the southwest...but I had seen the aftermath of plenty of wildfires, so I just assumed that all the black and plant stubble was the remains of a forest fire! I've been here over 10 years now, and I still think of that every fall when I see the no-till fields.