Finally, we are getting some restocking of ground water with some proper rains. It is very easy to misjudge the amount of rain that falls, as rain never seems to fall at the "right" time. Actually, now is absolutely as good a time as any for plentiful rains. I have been keeping an eye on rainfall here in Zsámbok over the last year. Last summer's extreme drought was as much to do with the lack of rain over winter 2021-22, as it was to do with lack of rain over the summer. Low rainfall is not unusual in the summer months, but to have drought over the winter is serious, as we saw with the effects on maize crops in the spring and summer (40% crop lost compared last years). This year things look a lot more promising, with rainfall in september being slightly above normal, and now some good rains in december. However, it is a bit surprising to see how low the water table still is. We have a 12m well just outside our house, so checking groundwater levels is easy here. Whilst the water level has crept up about 1m over the last 2 months, it is still a good 7m below ground. This means we still need a lot of rain over winter to replenish stocks which went down to record low levels. So, please think twice before you wish the rains away - we all depend on them.
Source: pexels.com