Is anyone else drying up?

[DrySD]

I don't know much about the rest of the country, but SD is drying up! A few of the lakes are not looking good. The river is looking pathetically low. I am kinda worried. With no snow on the ground and none in sight, thinks could get even uglier (sp) this summer.

I wonder how much snow or rain it would take to get things back to good?

[Otter]

Northern MN water levels were down this past year with little snow the previous winter and not much rain in the summer. It's not critical yet, but we could surely use some snow this winter and/or rain this summer.

[lobo1]

We're missing a few billion gallons out of Huron and you can walk across some of the rivers.....

lobo1

[Walleye Express]

>I don't know much about the rest of the country, but SD is
>drying up! A few of the lakes are not looking good. The
>river is looking pathetically low. I am kinda worried. With
>no snow on the ground and none in sight, thinks could get even
>uglier (sp) this summer.
>
>I wonder how much snow or rain it would take to get things
>back to good?

[b]Not sure if the evaporation equation takes the toll on water levels the same way on inland lakes as it does on the Great Lakes. But that's the most serious culpret as far as water retension and loss in our region and waters. Having a good layer of ice to deflect/lesson the sun and winds evaporating power, along with having ample other water producing natural events in the spring, means higher water levels throughout the year.

[Raybob]

>[b]Not sure if the evaporation equation takes the toll on
>water levels the same way on inland lakes as it does on the
>Great Lakes. But that's the most serious culpret as far as
>water retension and loss in our region and waters. Having a
>good layer of ice to deflect/lesson the sun and winds
>evaporating power, along with having ample other water
>producing natural events in the spring, means higher water
>levels throughout the year.


Here's the Great Lakes Ice cover for 01-01-2004 :(

http://140.90.54.35/pub/great_lakes/D9_Support/glslide040101.jpg

[Kevin/CO]

although its getting better now.

[JLDII]

I was wondering, how does the snow build up look for this year's melt off? Can we expect any help for the Mo. River system?