Medina Lake in Texas has not been at its full capacity for five years.
But now, after half a decade of severe drought — and all of its accompanying economic impacts — rain has finally begun to replenish the lake, the San Antonio Express-News reported.
Medina Lake, located 40 miles west of San Antonio, has seen only about 50% of its usual rainfall in the last two years, throwing much of the surrounding area into moderate or severe drought. In fact, just days prior to the sudden surge in precipitation in July, the lake reached its lowest point ever recorded. At that time, it was a shocking 2.2% full, per Express-News.
Now, given that significant rainfall, it's trending in a positive direction. It's by no means full, but it's already undergone the largest rise in water levels since October 2018.
Interestingly, the rain that replenished the waters wasn't the rain that fell directly on the lake, but rather heavy precipitation that occurred north and west of the lake, upstream of the Medina River, Express-News explained. This surge in rainfall bolstered the river and quickly moved it downstream to the lake.
And while residents and officials recognize that a lot more precipitation will be needed to restore the lake to its full capacity — indeed, it's still hovering around 3.4% capacity — it's still reason to celebrate.
Low water levels can harm an area's agriculture, tourism economy, and housing market value. Other communities around the world, which have experienced a similar replenishment after years of drought, have seen firsthand the benefits that the new weather brings in all of these areas.
But because the relief from drought can be short-lived as the weather changes, it's critical for communities to work diligently to mitigate drought. A key way to do this is by assessing the relationship between droughts and global heating, according to Yale University. Warmer atmospheric temperatures mean that water evaporates faster and snowfall is reduced, both of which contribute strongly to the intensification of droughts.
Given this, the number one way to mitigate droughts is for governments and corporations to meet their pollution reduction goals. And on a community-based level, initiatives to conserve water and use it more efficiently are paramount.
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