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Texas declared drought-free for 1st time in at least 10 years
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COLLEGE STATION, Texas (AP) — Plentiful rains throughout Texas the past year led weather officials on Thursday to declare an end to drought conditions across the state for the first time in at least a decade.

"We've gotten so much rain this year we've pretty much made up for the past few years' drought conditions in several areas of the state," said John Nielsen-Gammon, the state's climatologist and a professor of atmospheric sciences at Texas A&M University.

Only isolated areas in the northern Panhandle, far West Texas and along the eastern margins of the state are still below normal, he said.

"If there's enough rain to say we're drought-free, that means there's enough water around to cause other problems," Nielsen-Gammon said.

Flooding persists in some areas, and many farmers are struggling to salvage crops that remain under water, he said.

Heavy rains have caused major flooding in several parts of the state since mid-June. At least 16 people have died, and property damage has been widespread. Numerous rivers remain at or above flood level.

The same pattern that brought rain has provided cooler temperatures throughout the state this summer, a trend that Nielsen-Gammon said is likely to continue for several weeks.

Copyright 2007 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
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Olivia Crimmins, 7, Aidan Crimmins, 11 Emma Hodgson, 9 and Sam Hodgson 5, react to being splashed by passing cars, as rain continues to pound the San Antonio area on Wednesday morning, July 25, 2007.
Enlarge image Enlarge By Helen L. Montoya, San Antonio Express-News, via AP
Olivia Crimmins, 7, Aidan Crimmins, 11 Emma Hodgson, 9 and Sam Hodgson 5, react to being splashed by passing cars, as rain continues to pound the San Antonio area on Wednesday morning, July 25, 2007.
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