| In continuation of Part II let us look at state-owned | | | | burned thousands of acres and forced the |
| reservoirs, DNRC, FL and Maryland Drought | | | | evacuation of about 1,000 people from their homes. |
| issues.State-owned reservoirs on June 1 held only 88 | | | | worst droughts in that state's history has lasted for |
| percent of the water typical for that date. This is not | | | | four years, the region has seen below-normal rainfall |
| as bad as it sounds however this is two month old | | | | levels, and 2000 ranked as Florida's driest year on |
| data and levels which get no rain only go down as | | | | record. The conditions have continued into 2001, and |
| the melting snow was so light that most just soaked | | | | state emergency officials are worried about Florida's |
| into the ground with little runoff. Not good. The state | | | | diminishing water supply. The rainy season does not |
| Department of Natural Resources and Conservation | | | | begin for another still has not done enough. The |
| said the dry conditions are a bad sign for wildfires. | | | | population of Florida has more than tripled in the last |
| now, they are all forecasting a real active fire season, | | | | 40 years. The record-high number of people is |
| Many other states -- including Florida, Colorado and | | | | straining the record-low water supply, prompting |
| New Mexico -- have already experienced active fire | | | | widespread water restrictions over the last several |
| seasons this year because of the dry conditions. | | | | months. |
| Colorado last week battled two wildfires that have | | | | |