The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1931-02-26
NATION AGAIN
FACES Peril
OF DROUGHT
Second Arid Summer Is
Feared; Winter Rainfall
Far Deficient.
OHIO VALLEY HARD HIT
Nine States Report Least
Precipitation on Record
in Two Months.
BY ISRAEL KLEIN
Science Editor, NEA Service

WASHINGTON, Feb. 26.-A re-
turn of last years disastrous drought
over practically the same area is
threatened by the unusually warm
winter and the serious deficiency in
rainfall during the last few months.
Continued long and heavy rains
over most Of the land east of the
central Mississippi valley are need
ed to save the situation, accord
ing to the United States weather
bureau.
Rainfall In this area has been
far below normal in some spots for
nearly year. and this deficiency
has been continued since Jan.
AS result, the soil is so dry that
1T will require long, heavy rains To
make it again At for the normal pro-
duction of crops.
Water Supply Low
Residents in the affected areas
even now are limited in their wa
ter supply, because of dry or ex-
tremely low wells and because Of
dried-up streams.
The bright side to this situation
is the fact that floods will be rather.
rare this spring as consequence
Of this lack Of rain.
THE deficiency in precipitation
which the United States as a whole
suffered during 1880 and I'D to the
present surpasses anything In the
exact records of the weather
bureau" says DR.. Charles F.. Mar
vim, chief of the bureau.
For the period of December and
January, nine states - Nebraska.
Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan.
Missouri, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio
and Kentucky-had the least rain
fall on record.
Least Rain on Record
The total rainfall since the close
OF the last growing seaSon-or from
the period from October to Jan
uary. inclusiye-was the least on
record in Michigan, Indiana, Ohio,
Kentucky, West Virginia, Maryland,
Pennsylvania and New York.
Ohio affords a fair sample OF
conditions in the area which has
continued dry for many months.
In this state, rainfall has been
deficient for eleven consecutive
months, with the total for the period
being only So per cent of normal.
and ending with January, the driest
on record"
DR.. Marvin says no limit can
be fixed on the time this situation
may continue or on the amount
of rainfall that may be expected
this year.
He adds the warning, however.
that measures to insure adeuuate
water supply should be taken not
only in rural districts, but In cities
as well.
Ohio Valley Needs Much
Light, steady rains fell in a great
part of the affected area during
February, and raised the hopes of
weather bureau officials for at least
partial relief.
But Montrose w. Hayes. chief Of
the rivers and flood division of the
bureau, says the Ohio valley will
need twice its normal rainfall dur
ing the next three months to fill
the rivers to normal stage and re-
tain them at such level.
Rivers were remaining at about
the same level in the middle OF
February as they had held in late,
fall or early winter" he says. For
some months they have been sub
sisting almost entirely on under
ground water.
while this drain on underground
water supplies continues, the sub
soil becomes drier. Naturally the
soil will require plenty of rainfall
before there will be a surplus to
spare for the streams"
Planting Season Early
Recent rains, however, accom-
panied by the mild winter, have
started agricultural activity quite
early, especially in the south, re-
ports j. B. Kincer, chief agricul-
tural meteorologist of the weather
bureau.
1.-THE mild, open weather of the
winter has favored seasonal farm
work" he says, and such activities
as well as vegetation are abnormaIlv
advanced over the southern half Of
the country.
Much spring garden and truck
planting has been done under ia
vorable conditions well northward
Of normal year, while more than
the usual amount of spring blowing
has been accomplished rather gen
orally