2010–2013 Southern United States and Mexico drought

Dried up Lake in Oklahoma as a result of the droughts

The 2010–2012 Southern United States drought is a severe to extreme ongoing drought plaguing the US South, including parts of Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, Colorado, New Mexico, Arizona, Louisiana, Arkansas, Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, South Carolina, and North Carolina. The worst effects have been in Texas, where near-record drought has parched the state since January 2011. Texas suffered an estimated $7.62 billion in crop and livestock losses, surpassing its record loss of $4.1 billion in 2006. In Texas, combined with the rest of the South, at least $10 billion in agricultural losses were recorded in 2011. In 2010-11, Texas experienced its driest August–July (12-month) period on record.

The drought has caused severe lack of water in the southern plains as well as numerous wildfires, in particular the 2011 Texas wildfires, Wallow Fire and Horseshoe 2 Fire (New Mexico and Arizona). By the end of August 2011, a ban on outdoor burning was in effect for 251 of the 254 Texas counties. Lake levels in Texas have declined vastly, some by as much as 50 feet; E.V. Spence Reservoir is now only 1% full. This has revealed various previously submerged items, ranging from a Native American's skull to a Space Shuttle Columbia tank. On August 30, several homes in Oklahoma City were destroyed along with 1,500 wooded acres. Several hundred homes had to be evacuated. The drought has been triggered by a strong 2011 La Niña effect, and a desertification of the area.

The drought has had a detrimental effect on Texas and Oklahoma cattle ranches, who have deeply culled their herds and helped cut the national cattle population to the lowest level in decades.

In 2012, drought was reported to expand in the United States.

2012 spring rainfall improved conditions in many parts of Texas and by April 12, 2012 only 14% of the state was in "exceptional" drought, compared to 88% at the drought's peak.

See also

• 2010 Northern Hemisphere summer
• Days of Prayer for Rain in the State of Texas
• 2011 North American heat wave
• Summer 2012 North American heat wave

External links

• Drought Cripples the South: Why the 'Creeping Disaster' Could Get a Whole Lot Worse by Bryan Walsh, August 9, 2011 on Time
• Drought-fueled wildfires burn out of control in Texas by Andrew Freedman in the Washington Post September 6, 2011.
• Analysts: Southwestern US Drought Might Raise Global Food Prices by Greg Flakus September 8, 2011
• Crews battle wildfires amid severe Texas drought; 'It was unbelievable, just horrific. There were horses on fire, buildings on fire' April 12, 2011 Associated Press
• Record Texas Drought Burns Cotton Farmers as White Gold Withers by Elizabeth Campbell September 15, 2011 on Bloomberg.com
• Epic scorching drought testing Texas' ways; Massive droughts caused by wildfires in Texas have ravaged the environment, incited a tug of war for available water, and fundamentally changed the way of life for the state’s millions of residents. by Patrik Jonsson in The Christian Science Monitor September 26, 2011
• Michael Martinez and Mariano Castillo (CNN) (September 10, 2011). "More Wildfires Erupt In Texas As It Faces Worst Dry Spell Since 1895". {{cite news}}: |author= has generic name (help); Unknown parameter |pub= ignored (|publisher= suggested) (help)
• Texas Drought Forces a Town to Sip From a Truck by Karla Zabludovsky, February 3, 2012 New York Times
• Even After Rain, Texas Drought Persists by Nathan Koppel and Daniel Gilbert, February 6, 2012 Wall Street Journal
• Experts: Oklahoma, not Texas, had hottest summer ever , June 6, 2012
• Action Needed Now to Prepare for Severe Drought May 22 2012
• Searing Sun and Drought Shrivel Corn in Midwest July 4, 2012

Further reading

• Drought Stalks the Global Food Supply July 05, 2012 BusinessWeek