Climate

When in Drought: Satellites show low Great Lakes groundwater

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The drought plaguing the country continues to sap the groundwater and soil water of the Great Lakes region, according to new NASA satellite data. The two maps, constructed using data from NASA’s Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment satellites, show low near-surface and subterranean water levels across the region between January 8 and 14, 2013. These satellites have been used to examine surface soil and ground water levels since they were launched in 2002. While not as low as some areas of the southeast or west, much of the region remains below the 1948-2009 average. Average levels are denoted by white space on the maps, while above-average is blue and below-average appears red.

Climate

Drought’s a Grinch – years from now

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The drought of 2012 will affect Christmas tree farmers in the Great Lakes eight to nine years from now.

That’s because the dry landscape was bad for planting new trees.

Michigan ranks only behind Oregon and North Carolina in the national tree market.

Climate

Chestnut farmers cope with lower yields

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Michigan’s chestnut growers are facing the same problems other fruit growers confront this year.

The early surge of temperatures in March and the inevitable cold weather in April and May curtailed nut production, just as it did for apples and cherries.

Climate

Mild winter, early runoff spur swirling sediment in Lake Erie

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A mild winter left Lake Erie nearly ice-free. On the first day of spring last week, a NASA satellite snapped a picture of the southern Great Lakes region and showed sediment clouding up the shallow lake. The colors in the image are accurate. The tan colored-water swirling around the shoreline is sediment rushing in from streams and rivers. The warm winter brought more rainfall than snow, so there was increased runoff.