Normal spring stream flows are needed to recharge aquifers and surface reservoirs. This results in less rain and snow during the winter. The Agriculture Department reports that two-thirds of the winter wheat in Texas has been rated poor to very poor because of the lack of rain. Disaster areas have been declared in some areas of Texas because of the reduced winter wheat yields. It is too early to tell whether the spring planting will be affected, said Agriculture Secretary Dan Glickman.
Fire danger is another concern.
The dry weather, which has persisted for over two years in some parts of the country, has made many forests tinder dry, says Jack Kelly, Director of the National Weather Service. Wildfires have claimed 208,000 acres so far in 2000, which is nearly four times the losses at this time last year.