‘There’ll be no water in Raleigh by summer!’, R.I.P.
Posted April 5th, 2008 at 6:09 PM by Jon SandersThis winter has been an exercise in climate alarmism writ small. WRAL reports:
Falls Lake, Raleigh’s water source, was on track to become full, WRAL Meteorologist Mike Moss said. Around 3 p.m. Saturday, the lake had risen five-tenths of a foot to 251.1 feet – just below its full capacity of 251.5 feet.
Jordan Lake, which serves Cary and Apex, was up two-tenths of a foot to 218 feet, exactly two feet above full.
Jon Ham has already shown the dramatic rises in Durhams Lake Michie and Little River Reservoir.
It has been less than two months since The News & Observer (not to pick on the N&O; one heard this stuff everywhere) reported that “Falls Lake could go dry this summer“:
Midway through an exceptionally dry winter, with Falls Lake more than half-empty, water managers are starting to voice the once-unthinkable: Raleigh’s drought-ravaged reservoir could go dry this year.
Federal engineers who manage the reservoir have assessed the lake’s unprecedented low winter level, the expected demand and forecasts of continuing drought and concluded that the once sprawling body of water could disappear as early as this summer.
In hindsight, one portion of the article seems to explain why such a dramatic turnaround was possible — the drop in water level was just as dramatic:
The vision of one of North Carolina’s biggest lakes going dry is startling. Less than a year ago, the brimming 25-year-old reservoir spread over more than 12,000 acres. Boats skimmed across its surface, swimmers dived into its depths, and more water was flowing into it than going out.
Then North Carolina’s worst recorded drought, sizzling summer heat, and heavy water consumption sucked the lake down to record depths: 10 feet below normal on Christmas Day.
My favorite part of the article is this:
Weather forecasts call for the next three months to remain drier than normal across North Carolina.
April 6th, 2008 at 10:19 pm
Falls Lake is officially full of water! (http://www.newsobserver.com/news/story/1026738.html)
So – what does this show that the doom and gloom Raleigh City Council is full of?
April 6th, 2008 at 10:37 pm
“And most recently of all, the Raleigh City Council held meetings from which we have received reports of new laws enacted so perverted and disgusting that decorum prohibits listing them here.”
April 7th, 2008 at 1:05 am
Hilarious, clay; I was already thinking that the reason Raleigh hasn’t lifted water restrictions now that Falls Lake is above “full” must be that water use has been on Double Secret Probation.
April 7th, 2008 at 8:53 am
The City of Raleigh
“Legislating is Good”
April 7th, 2008 at 9:46 am
Raleigh is expected to acknowledge the obvious and ease water restrictions today, per WRAL.
I find it interesting that, according to the article, “The last time Falls Lake exceeded that level was in May 2007.” So less than a year ago Raleigh underwent its worst drought in recorded history, and a few weeks of rainfall filled the lake again.
April 7th, 2008 at 11:34 am
With the update, we find that Raleigh is not acknowledging the obvious and merely ending Stage 2 water restrictions. Apparently Stage 1 water restrictions will not end until Falls Lake is a flood level.
Government does not give up power lightly.
April 7th, 2008 at 11:42 am
Apparently Stage 1 water restrictions will not end until Falls Lake is a flood level.
At which point someone will complain about all of this stupid rain we’ve been getting.
Perhaps if you took the Raleigh City Council and everyone who thinks they’re doing a good job and submerged all of them in Falls Lake, the water level would rise to the point where water restrictions could end?
May 8th, 2008 at 11:49 am
[...] After the shortage is over, KEEP the mandatory restrictions. [...]
August 5th, 2008 at 2:30 pm
[...] in February, you will recall, the feds were warning us that Falls Lake could very well be dry by now. WRAL reports that, Falls [...]