As the lazy days of summer give way to the upcoming days of mid-term elections and drought ravished harvest, hope is on its way for relief from all the hot air. While El Nino often spells disaster for water front and low land communities, this year many are hoping that the El Nino will continue to materialize and drench this dry nation. Reports from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration continue to show a mild El Nino condition making its way into the northern hemisphere of the Pacific Ocean. A mild El Nino would be perfect for many regions of North America as it would strengthen (but not overzealously) the late winter and early spring rain/snowfall and help to fill the many withering reservoirs. Another indication that rainfall may be on the way is the number and severity of wildfires raging across the country. Rain can only happen when moisture combines with a small speck of dust. Much like the year following the Iraqi burning of the Kuwaiti oil fields and like the winter following the Yellowstone fire and the eruption of Mount St. Helens, big burns create the conditions for a wet winter . . . Of course, the trick is that the weather is not bound by human prediction. . . So as you continue to hear of the coming relief from the nationwide drought, planning should be on the side of safety . . . And while good erosion control practice means you must plan for the hundred-year storm, Landscape Architects should always plan for the year(s) of drought. The last great dry period in "Landscape History" was back in the early 80's when Xeriscape became the battle cry and "Sustainable Landscapes" became the ultimate weapon against water greedy landscapes. Now is a good time to again show the strength of the profession and continue in the advances of conservation. No . . I'm not turning Democrat on you . . . I still hate urban density plans, don't particularly like the gnat catcher and think the U.S. needs to pursue oil sources outside of the 'Brittle East,' but water conservation is a relatively easy concept to incorporate into your designs and a great opportunity for profession-wide leadership. Especially with the construction industry holding up the economy, Landscape Architects have another opportunity to show leadership by embracing the current news and providing real solutions . . . Speaking of the construction industry, the LCSI is holding its own, up 1.28 percent . . . You are the front lines should the use of water become restricted or should the heavens unload vast quantities of water . . . You are the front lines for fire safe planning . So as the mid-term elections heat up like a Nebraska Bar-b-que, Landscape Architects can keep the country on a cool, if not dry, course and again assert your leadership in the development of the good 'ole USA . . . God Bless . . . LASN would like to give our condolences to the family of Bill Evans, the original Landscape Architect of Disneyland, who passed away earlier this month. He was Walt Disney's personal gardener and went on to have a long career at Disneyland, where he was a consultant well into his 80s.