The Effects of Drought

Gallery: Man & FaunaPosted August 24, 2013473 views4 comments

Central California continues to experiencve a severe drought. When driving through the area last week, I was very saddened by the lack of water in areas that usually have an abundance, and the clear effects on birds and other wildlife.

These birds have been driven away from their normal fishing areas around the Kern River, (see image below) and are concentrated around an irrigation ditch with small fish. Numerous gulls, night herons, egrets, GBH's, terns, and oither birds were vying for the small amount of food here.

D800
500mm
1/250 sec, f/14
Mode: Av
Metering: Multi-segment
Exp comp: -1/3
ISO: 250
White balance: Auto
Flash: Off

Comments

4 comments

Comment posted by SandyRichardsBrown on August 24, 2013 at 10:13 PM

Here is what is left of the Kern River in Central California. All the sandy areas were usually covered with water to 5-10 feet.

Registered on November 24, 2003, 3937 Posts, 12909 Comments

Comment posted by Peter Cross on August 25, 2013 at 12:26 AM

When I first moved to CA in the early 90's, I went to Bakersfield quite a bit. It was 2 years before I saw any water in the Kern River through Bakersfield. It looked just like a linear beach. Most years now they run some water thru town for people to swim in and so forth then they take it back out and use it to recharge ground water.

Registered on April 3, 2010, 271 Posts, 1342 Comments

Comment posted by SandyRichardsBrown on August 25, 2013 at 12:50 PM

It is much worse this year, as the Mayor recently declared a State of Emergency re lack of water.
Sandy

Registered on November 24, 2003, 3937 Posts, 12909 Comments

Comment posted by Rob Graham on August 26, 2013 at 10:45 PM

this shows the effect of the drought well, as does the second photo. We just put a serious dent in the drought here in Kansas at the end of July and first 1/2 of August. Wichita is just 1" short of the wettest August on record, but with no rain last week or predicted for this week, the record should stand. Our wetlands, after being dry for almost 1.5 years, finally has water, and thus birds :). Western Kansas is still hurting though.

Registered on August 22, 2006, 842 Posts, 2824 Comments