Nearly one-quarter of N.D. in moderate drought conditions.
FARGO — Nearly 25 percent of North Dakota is now in a moderate drought, according to the latest U.S. Drought Monitor.
"As the drought conditions are worsening in some parts, they are developing or showing early signs of drought in other parts of the state," said Akyuz, who also is a professor of climatological practice at North Dakota State University.
"That is not indicating favorable precipitation that might rescue us," Akyuz said, which could mean a deepening of drought conditions in some areas.
All of the state has had less-than-average precipitation in the last three months, with parts of central and south-central North Dakota getting 25 to 50 percent of normal precipitation — or less — during this period, the state climate office reports.
The result has been that this spring, so far, has been the 15th driest in Fargo, seventh driest in Bismarck, 10th driest in Minot and 17th driest in Jamestown.
"If average temperatures were not as cool as they have been, and if we did not follow a significantly wet six-month period," drought conditions could have been "much harsher," Akyuz said.
Helmut Schmidt Helmut Schmidt was born in Germany, but grew up in the Twin Cities area, graduating from Park High School of Cottage Grove.
He joined The Forum in October 1989, working as a copy editor until 2000.
He is currently The Forum’s K-12 education reporter.

Nearly one-quarter of North Dakota in moderate drought conditions.
FARGO — Nearly 25 percent of North Dakota is now in a moderate drought, according to the latest U.S. Drought Monitor.
"As the drought conditions are worsening in some parts, they are developing or showing early signs of drought in other parts of the state," said Akyuz, who also is a professor of climatological practice at North Dakota State University.
"That is not indicating favorable precipitation that might rescue us," Akyuz said, which could mean a deepening of drought conditions in some areas.
All of the state has had less-than-average precipitation in the last three months, with parts of central and south-central North Dakota getting 25 to 50 percent of normal precipitation — or less — during this period, the state climate office reports.
The result has been that this spring, so far, has been the 15th driest in Fargo, seventh driest in Bismarck, 10th driest in Minot and 17th driest in Jamestown.
"If average temperatures were not as cool as they have been, and if we did not follow a significantly wet six-month period," drought conditions could have been "much harsher," Akyuz said.
Helmut Schmidt Helmut Schmidt was born in Germany, but grew up in the Twin Cities area, graduating from Park High School of Cottage Grove.
He joined The Forum in October 1989, working as a copy editor until 2000.
He is currently The Forum’s K-12 education reporter.

Drought conditions create difficulties for N.D. farmers, ranchers.
BISMARCK, N.D. – It’s no secret it’s been abnormally warm, dry and windy the past week in North Dakota.
This wheat field is in the early three-to-five leaf growth stage.
If the crop doesn’t get moisture soon, Bahm says yields will be reduced.
"You’re going to lose a lot of bushels," said Bahm.
Market traders are also noticing how dry farm fields have become in North Dakota.
"The market is always going to trade what is the current news, and right now the fact that there is more dry conditions in North Dakota than there was a week ago, certainly that has their attention," said Neil Fisher with North Dakota Wheat Commission.
Long range forecasts aren’t calling for significant rain for the next two weeks but that’s not dampening Bahm’s spirits.
"I’m trying to be optimistic," said Bahm.
Bahm recently turned his cows out and he says those pastures will also need rain soon to keep his herd fed this summer.

Crude Oil Begins To Flow Through Controversial Dakota Access Pipeline.
Crude oil is now flowing through the Dakota Access Pipeline, despite months of protests against it by Native American tribes and environmental groups.
It is expected to transport approximately 520,000 barrels of oil daily.
"But protests led to delays in permitting the final stretch of the pipeline under the Missouri River in North Dakota."
At least 761 people were arrested during the standoff, according to The Associated Press.
They fear that a pipeline leak could contaminate their drinking water and sacred lands.
"The tribe wants a judge to shut the pipeline down and says a thorough environmental review of the project must be completed," Sisk added.
During President Trump’s first month in office, he reversed a decision by the Obama administration and called on the Army to expedite the approval process for the section of the pipeline that had not yet been built.
As The Two-Way reported, a federal judge in March denied a motion for a preliminary injunction to stop construction, clearing the way for the completion of the pipeline.
The Associated Press described what happened: "The Dakota Access pipeline and a feeder line leaked more than 100 gallons of oil in western North Dakota in separate incidents in March, and the Dakota Access line leaked 84 gallons of oil in northern South Dakota in April.

BISMARCK, N.D. – Governor Doug Burgum signed legislation on April 7 separating the Environmental Health Section from the North Dakota Department of Health to create a standalone Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ).
Most states already have a DEQ separate from their health department, and establishing a DEQ streamlines government and acknowledges the importance of environmental protection in North Dakota by elevating that responsibility to a cabinet-level agency whose director is appointed by and reports directly to the governor.
“In the spirit of reinventing government, this new agency maintains existing staffing and program levels while giving our environmental team the autonomy it needs to be more efficient, flexible and better able to implement federal regulations.” According to Dave Glatt, section chief for the Environmental Health Section as part of the North Dakota Department of Health, when the Health Department was initially established, environmental and public health issues were handled by the same people (medical doctors, sanitary engineers, etc.).
“In essence, the Environmental Health Section was operating as a separate agency due to the complexity of environmental regulations and all the technology and technical expertise that was required.
Since it has become so specialized, it made sense to break it out into its own agency.” The bill gives the Department of Health until July 1, 2019, to obtain the approvals and amend the agreements necessary to ensure the state maintains strong primacy over all federal and state regulations that protect North Dakota’s clean air, water and land.
Glatt noted how it became clear when they started looking into breaking the department up that there were a lot of misconceptions to if there was even an environmental program within the state.
“People will not only be more aware that there is environmental protection going on within the state, but they’ll know that there is a state agency implementing those programs,” he said.
“We won’t have to go through a health officer, but instead everything goes directly through the governor, so we’ll be more responsive in that area and we’ll be able to set priorities more directly related to environmental health.” The DEQ will be overseen by a new 13-member Environmental Review Advisory Board, created through the consolidation of the existing Air Quality Advisory Board and the Water Pollution Control Advisory Board.
“On that board there are three representatives from agriculture – one for the livestock industry, crop agriculture and one that gets into agronomy and soil sciences.
We’ll have broad based representation and input into the state’s environmental programs, and I see that as a positive for the agriculture industry,” Glatt concluded.

The director of the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency on Monday blasted the pipeline company Energy Transfer Partners for a “pattern” of 18 spills of drilling materials and said that the size of the biggest spill could reach 5 million gallons, more than double original estimates.
Craig Butler, the Ohio EPA director, said that his agency has imposed about $400,000 in fines on Energy Transfer Partners, the same company that was recently embroiled in controversy over its Dakota Access crude oil pipeline.
While drilling mud used to cool and lubricate drilling equipment is not toxic, the biggest spill has poured fluid the consistency of a milk shake several feet deep in a previously pristine wetland and would “kill just about everything in that wetland,” Butler said.
The Rover project is the first of two pipelines Energy Transfer Partners planned to build across Ohio.
A spokesman for the company Daryl Owen said that Butler had “mischaracterized” what had been taking place and that the state regulators “have no jurisdiction to fine us.” He said that the leaks, which he said were “inadvertent releases that come up through natural fissures in the soil and rock,” were “anticipated in the permit” from FERC.
Butler’s comments raised the confrontation between the state EPA and Energy Transfer Partners that began in April when the company notified the agency that it had twice spilled drilling fluids in pristine Ohio wetlands and that the larger of the two spills covered an area the size of 8½ football fields.
Energy Transfer Partners said at the time that the larger spill just south of the town of Navarre, Ohio, could be as much as 2 million gallons.
The last of the 16 spills was reported Monday; the company spilled about 200 gallons of drilling slurry into the Conotton Creek, affecting about half a mile of the waterway about 50 miles south of Akron.
The Ohio EPA director also said the agency had given Energy Transfer Partners permission to hire contractors to do limited burning of brush and trees to clear a right of way for the Rover pipeline.
“We agree that the drilling mud is not toxic,” Butler said, “but if you take millions of gallons of bentonite clay and put it in the middle of a category 3, superior quality wetland like they did.

North Dakota, Idaho at Increased Risk for Floods This Spring as Drought Worsens in Southern Plains, NOAA Says.
Major river flooding is forecast in northern North Dakota, while moderate river flooding is possible over southern Idaho, according to NOAA’s spring outlook released Thursday.
In addition, drought conditions are expected to expand across parts of the southern Plains this spring (April-June), causing drought to develop in northwest Texas and far eastern New Mexico.
California is also susceptible to additional flooding after a record-wet winter in many cities, due to snowmelt and the threat for more storms through the remainder of the wet season (November-April).
Here are the flooding and drought outlooks for spring 2017.
Flooding Outlook NOAA is most concerned about major river flooding in northern North Dakota, including the Souris River, Devils Lake and the northernmost reaches of the Red River.
Additionally, a moderate flood risk exists in central and southeastern Idaho’s Snake River basin, which received its second-highest snowfall on record this winter.
This trend is anticipated to continue in parts of the southern Plains this spring, with drought development forecast for northwest Texas and far eastern New Mexico, NOAA says.
In addition, the start of Florida’s wet season (May-October) favors improving conditions in the Sunshine State through at least June.
NOAA expects this portion of California to continue experiencing drought conditions, as the dry season will soon be setting in by April or May.

LaDuke: Gov.
The spin continues in North Dakota’s corporate-fed media.
Let’s be honest, North Dakota does not care about garbage or pollution.
Morton County sprayed a number of unknown toxins from antifreeze-laden water cannons to mace onto the Water Protectors and into the river.
Rancher David Meyers purchased 40,000 pounds of Rozol, a prairie dog poison, to be used on land that adjoins the Missouri River.
Six months after he poisoned the land, Meyer sold the Cannonball Ranch to Energy Transfer Partners for a reported $18 million.
Since Jan. 2016, more than 100,900 gallons of crude oil, waste oil, bio solids, natural gas and brine were spilled in North Dakota and surrounding areas, according to the North Dakota Department of Health records.
" ‘Not everyone gets fined,’ Suess said.
So, let’s talk about garbage, North Dakota.
I can say that Burgum has a lot of work to do to clean up the garbage of the state.