Rain, rain, go away,
but not for too longFor years, people who don't have county water service on the Big Island lived in the brown shadow of a drought. Ranchers and farmers worried about their herds and crops. Homeowners fretted as their catchment tanks shallowed, forcing them to fill up on drinking water at county spigots, let their grass and gardens dry up and debate about whether to flush the toilet.
In recent months, when it has rained, it has poured. This week, the saturated ground, unable to absorb any more, sent floods down hills and streams, causing landslides in several areas.
Why can't the rain gods moderate the output -- drop a little here and there once in a while instead of torrents one day, then nothing for months?
I suppose that's the price rural dwellers pay. At least they don't have to stress out about water rate increases.
--Cynthia Oi