This is the DES current and averaged Winnipesaukee water levels. As of this morning we are 2" below Full Pool, about 5 weeks ahead of average (in yellow), a nice recovery from the Fall levels.
I previously mentioned the drought level of the state as an interesting observation but drought is a tricky indicator. It is not just rainfall. It includes lots of measurements like groundwater and LOTS of other factors. And, as with most complex calculations, it loses something in clarity as to exactly what it means. It means that all the things going into it came out as a value that has been labeled as a level on a drought scale. What that means as a practical matter is less clear. If we are in moderate drought, is that somewhat "normal" for this time of year? Are there any problems associated with that measurement? It's hard to tell. If we get a good amount of Spring rain, will we be out of drought conditions? Maybe, since rain is only part of the calculation. An expert could probably wax on for hours about the technical meaning but perhaps not give a clear practical meaning to a drought measurement.
It seems to me that the state has been in some level of drought for many years, when I spot check occasionally. Yet, my sense of wellness doesn't sync with that. Plants are growing, animals are thriving, ... If we are in mild to moderate drought most of the time yet there is no clear impacts of that label, is it a helpful label? "Drought" is a scary label but maybe not as helpful as it could be to the average person.
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