Alberto

Tropical Storm Alberto, that is. We here in deep south Texas have escaped hurricanes for several years now. In fact, the last strong storm to hit this area was 2008 with Tropical Storm Dolly, which dumped lots of rain and shredded some buildings at the time. The house we are now living in on South Padre Island was hit hard by Dolly. It ripped off the roof and dumped tons of rain into the house, which had to be stripped down to the studs and rebuilt. We bought it back in 2017 and have had no storms since. 

Alberto became the 1st Tropical Storm of the season this morning. After years of avoiding them, I guess it is our turn. Forecasts indicate a second tropical storm will be forming in the same area in about a weeks time. Forecasts that far out are often bullshit, but when it comes to these storms, we should pay attention.

We have been in a horrendous drought for years down here. Everything is parched, many plants simply dried up and died. We are in a Stage 2 Water Rationing situation down here, which is supposed to mean no watering of plants, but neighbors all over the area simply disregard the restriction trying to keep their plants alive. No one has been fined or penalized for violating Stage 2. Maybe, maybe, Alberto will add enough water to the region to allow Stage 2 to be lifted.

The Rio Grande Valley gets its water supply from 3 sources, which are all linked together: the Rio Grande river, Falcon Lake and Lake Amistad. Both lakes are along the Rio Grande river. Falcon Lake is down to 10% full, or 90% empty, and Amistad is around 25% full, or 75% empty. The Rio Grande itself slows to a mere trickle in several places all the way up to its headwaters in the state of Colorado. Irrigation is the main culprit. 

This area produces prodigious amounts of corn, sorghum, cotton, sugar cane, citrus and other crops, sucking water from the Rio Grande and declining groundwater. Many huge fields of citrus have been converted to neighborhoods. Now, we get as much food from Mexico as we get locally. But the Mexican cartels keep threatening foodstuffs coming north across the border from Mexico. If the cartels cut off the foods coming north and we continue with the persistent drought, well, I shudder to think.