Drought

The New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection issued a drought watch on Oct. 17, urging the public to conserve water as rainfall has been below normal for the past 90 days. Asbury Park Press (N.J.), Oct 17, 2024

Voluntary water conservation was urged in northern Delaware as surface water is the main source of drinking water in the northern part of the state. WDEL.com (Wilmington, Del.), Oct 17, 2024

Below normal rainfall during the growing season reduced crop yields and in more extreme cases left no crop to harvest. Some corn was cut down without being harvested, according to the Delaware Farm Bureau executive director. Some soils were so dry that cover crops and small grains that are being planted cannot germinate for lack of moisture. WDEL.com (Wilmington, Del.), Oct 17, 2024

Drought in Texas stressed the corn and sorghum, but allowed harvests to begin earlier than normal, which generally is not a good sign, according to an AgriLife Extension economist for grain marketing. AgriLife Today (College Station, Texas), Oct 1, 2024

Due to drought and little grass in their pastures, cattle producers in Palmyra opted to use stored feed and creep feed to sustain the cattle through the fall before weaning. They began feeding hay, hauling water and supplementing first-calf heifers in August, which was much earlier than usual. DTN – The Progressive Farmer (Minneapolis, Minn.), Oct 16, 2024

The dry weather at harvest time allowed Iowa farmers to get crops out of the fields quickly. Dry pastures forced some ranchers to begin feeding hay in August. Dry conditions raised the danger of field fires. Fifty-eight of Iowa’s ninety-nine counties had burn bans. Southwest Iowa News Source (Atlantic, Iowa), Oct 16, 2024

Drought conditions prompted officials in Wicomico and Worcester to implement burn bans to reduce fire risk in the counties. The Wicomico County burn ban will be extended if needed every seven days, while the Worcester County burn ban will be in effect indefinitely. Coast TV (Milton, De.), Oct 16, 2024

The Wallowa County Commission was hoping to receive a drought declaration from Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek as the area coped with extreme heat and lack of precipitation. Many of the water sources for livestock were very low or entirely depleted. Ranchers urged the county commissioners to act. Natural resources, recreational tourism and related economies were also facing widespread and severe damage due to drought, the commissioners wrote in an Oct. 7 letter to representatives of state agencies. The Wallowa County Commission formally declared a drought and a state of emergency with a resolution on Oct. 2. Bend Bulletin (Ore.), Oct 15, 2024

Cass and Barnes counties have temporarily banned campfires due to intensifying drought conditions. WDAY-FM (Fargo, N.D.), Oct 15, 2024

Water users in Pikeville were under a mandatory water restriction until further notice due to drought. Water should not be used for washing vehicles, driveways, watering lawns, etc. Sequatchie Valley Now (South Pittsburg, Tenn.), Oct 15, 2024

Crop yields were down in southeast South Dakota due to drought. Drought-tolerant corn and bean hybrids have been helpful. KSFY-TV ABC 13 Sioux Falls (Sioux Falls, S.D.), Oct 4, 2024

Rain from Hurricane Helene came too late to salvage the soybeans. Many of the pods produced no seeds. A Meade County farmer expected his soybean yield to be halved. The size of corn ears varies, and the kernels were small. Corn yield will be reduced also. Cattle have been eating hay that would typically not be fed until the end of November. WAVE-TV NBC 3 Louisville (Ky.), Oct 4, 2024

Soybean yields in parts of Wisconsin were lower due to lack of rain and pods not filling out completely. Farmers were harvesting at lower moisture levels due to dry conditions, which is affecting yields. Successful Farming (Des Moines, Iowa), Oct 11, 2024

The open burning ban for 44 counties in Ohio was lifted after rainfall and cooler fall temperatures set in. The ban began on Sept. 6. Dayton Daily News (Ohio), Oct 12, 2024 Burn bans have been put in place in Athens, Belmont, Carroll, Fairfield, Fayette, Gallia, Guernsey, Harrison, Highland, Hocking, Jackson, Jefferson, Meigs, Monroe, Morgan, Muskingum, Perry, Pickaway, Pike, Ross, Scioto, Tuscarawas, Vinton and Washington counties in Ohio. 10TV (Columbus, Ohio), Sept. 6, 2024.

After two months of below normal rainfall, a Level 1-Mild Drought was declared in the Central and Northeast Regions of Massachusetts. Additionally, a localized Level 1-Mild Drought was declared in the Boston Harbor Basin (partially in the Northeast and Southeast Regions) and the Hudson Basin (in the northern part of the Western Region). Due to critically low flow conditions, a localized Level-1 Mild Drought declaration remains in the Parker River Basin. Mass.gov (Boston, Mass.), Oct 11, 2024 A localized Level-1 Mild Drought was declared in the Parker River Basin after a review of July conditions including data showing localized critically low flow conditions. All other areas in the Northeast region remain normal. A Level 1-Mild Drought, as outlined in the Massachusetts Drought Management Plan, requires detailed monitoring of drought conditions, close coordination among state and federal agencies, and technical outreach and assistance to the affected municipalities. Mass.gov Energy and Environmental Affairs (Boston), Aug 13, 2024

Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly approved updates to drought declarations for counties as drought persists in the Sunflower State. “While drought conditions have improved in some areas of the state, many counties continue to be negatively impacted by the decline in water supply or strains on water resources,” said Governor Laura Kelly. “I strongly encourage all Kansans to continue to conserve water over the summer months.” The drought declaration recognized four counties as being in emergency status, 35 in warning status, and 66 in watch status. The counties in a drought emergency are Hodgeman, Ness, Pawnee, and Rush. Those in a drought warning are Barber, Barton, Clark, Comanche, Edwards, Ellis, Ellsworth, Finney, Ford, Grant, Gray, Greeley, Hamilton, Harper, Harvey, Haskell, Kearny, Kingman, Kiowa, Lane, McPherson, Meade, Morton, Pratt, Reno, Rice, Russell, Scott, Sedgwick, Seward, Stafford, Stanton, Stevens, Sumner, and Wichita.

Pettisville Grain Company has made an estimated 75% of their normal business revenue due to drought. WTVG TV 13 (Toledo, Ohio), Oct 11, 2024

Dry, windy conditions have South Dakota firefighters reminding the public to be cautious with fires outdoors so harvest activities and the opening of pheasant season do not spark fires. KSFY-TV ABC 13 Sioux City (S.D.), Oct 13, 2024

The Wisconsin DNR reinstated burning permits by issuing a Special Fire Order in 13 Wisconsin counties due to prolonged drought conditions and the potential for elevated fire danger during the fall. The permit reinstatement began on Tuesday, Oct. 15, in designated DNR protection areas. The permit reinstatement applied to the following 13 extensive DNR protection area counties outside incorporated cities and villages: all of Columbia, Crawford, Green Lake, Marquette, Portage, Richland, Sauk, Waupaca, and Waushara counties, as well as in portions of Oconto, Dane, Grant, and Iowa counties. WSAW-TV CBS 7 Wausau (Wis.), Oct 14, 2024

Burning permits were not being issued in Wisconsin due to more than two-thirds of the counties in the state being in the high or very high danger categories. On Oct. 8, a wildfire burned 26 acres in a national forest in Oconto County. An Adams County wildfire recently charred 6.5 acres. The Sturgeon Bay Fire Department issued a burn ban. WLUK FOX 11 Green Bay (Wis.), Oct 11, 2024