Translate

Tuesday, May 22, 2018

1950s’ Drought in Texas

In 1956, when I was a kid, my family moved to McAllen, Texas in the Rio Grande Valley. This was in the midst of the big drought and just after Falcon Dam was built. The water in the river below the dam was still low and slow. The water quality was such that when my dad poured milk into his coffee made from tap water it was the color of mud. Needless to say, drinking the water from the tap was a memorable experience for us because we had just left the Rockies behind. And coupled with the summer heat, humidity, the ever present gnats, bull thorns and other natural surprises, I thought we had wound up in hell. But, at least there was water. But no air conditioning at that point. We discovered that fans were truly essential for survival. I kept my hair in a buzz cut and only wore a swim suit so that I could briefly refresh myself quickly hosing off with the hose. Thank God for water even if it tasted foul.

https://www.texasmonthly.com/articles/when-the-sky-ran-dry/?utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=This%20Week%20in%20Texas%2005-19-18&utm_content=This%20Week%20in%20Texas%2005-19-18+CID_4ff2419033e2cab4e7618956e8e4c0f6&utm_source=Campaign%20Monitor&utm_term=Read%20Story

Current US Drought Monitor
https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/news/us-drought-monitor-update-april-3-2018