Chad Baldwin

It comes as little consolation to the hundreds of Casperites whose homes and businesses were damaged by the July 3 flash flood, but the recent wet weather has been a refreshing change for most Wyomingites after nearly a decade of drought.

Everywhere you look, there are signs of the benefits of ample moisture: green rangelands, fast-running streams, full reservoirs, plentiful wildflowers. Gov. Dave Freudenthal reportedly remarked recently that from what he has seen during his travels around the state, on the ground and from the air, he's starting to believe that he's the governor of Ireland instead of the governor of Wyoming.

During a time when there has been little good news about the state's economy, the precipitation seems to have given many of us a lift - especially those who make a living from the land or enjoy the outdoors.

Count me among them, even though the direct effects of the wet weather on my life are relatively limited: less lawn watering and, I hope, more fish to catch and healthier big game to hunt. But I'm also invigorated by the greenery of the countryside and the thought that farmers, ranchers and wildland fire crews may be getting some relief after years of struggle.

Wyoming is an arid place, and living here requires an acceptance that desert conditions will prevail even in "wet" years. But the last decade has been especially trying, as we have watched reservoirs drain to historically low levels and seen the range prematurely turn brown.

One measure of the fact that we've been through an extended drought is the alarmed reaction of some people to the visible effects of the ample moisture. We received an e-mail last week from a Thermopolis resident who, after seeing the Big Horn River running particularly high and fast, expressed concern about the safety of Boysen Dam. As far as I can tell, the dam is holding up just fine. It's just that the reservoir is full, and there's plenty of water flowing in: The Bureau of Reclamation has even been using the dam's spillway, for the first time in several years.

There's still a chance, of course, that Mother Nature will turn off the spigot and dry things out the rest of the summer, turning the tall grass into tinder. But at the very least, the reservoir system will enter the winter in the best shape it has been for many years.

And that is something for which we should be thankful.

Speaking of rainfall, I received an e-mail around midday Saturday from a young weather-watcher that reminded me of the high expectations of a newspaper editor - and my inadequacies in fulfilling some of those expectations.

"Dear Mr. Baldwin," wrote Chrissy Graham, 12, of Casper. "I'm scared because I get very shaky when there are severe thunderstorms … I was wondering do you know if we are supposed to have very, very severe storms this afternoon? Please reply at your earliest convenience for my sake and of what to do with my pet and where I should be at church or at home."

Her e-mail came after Friday evening's deluge and in light of forecasts that indicated similar storm-producing conditions were expected Saturday evening.

Feeling something like the editor who was asked by Virginia if Santa Claus is real, I quickly checked online for the latest forecasts so I could give Chrissy the best information possible. I certainly didn't want to lead her astray, for the sake of both her and her pet.

"I checked with the weather forecast, and there is a pretty good chance that we'll have another storm tonight like we did last night. But it's hard to tell right now - these things come up pretty fast," I e-mailed back to her. "Sorry I'm not more help. Mother Nature is hard to predict."

Fortunately, we didn't get that second big storm. And based upon my less-than-informative response, I'm sure Chrissy now realizes that newspaper editors really aren't that knowledgeable.

Do you have a question or a comment for Editor Chad Baldwin? You can call him at 266-0545, or send e-mail to chad.baldwin@trib.com.