Drought

The Village of Middlefield passed a mandatory water conservation moratorium on Thursday, September 19 that allows water users to only use water for essential needs. Non-essential water uses like car washing, plant watering and swimming pool filling are not permitted. The LaDue Reservoir was getting very low. Cleveland 19 Online (Ohio), Sept 23, 2024

Apples were shriveling on the trees in a Fayette County orchard. A 17-acre wetland preserve has been dry for the past month. What would have been the deepest part of the wetland where the water was about five feet deep has cracks in the soil about six inches deep. Farmers’ Advance (Camden, Mich.), Sept 23, 2024

A pumpkin grower in Licking County got roughly 30% fewer pumpkins and they were smaller than usual. Dust was also more prevalent than usual in the field and on the paths. Sunflowers only grew to about three feet in height, although they usually get about twice that tall. WBNS 10 (Columbus, Ohio), Sept 23, 2024

A Tipp City golf course has not had to mow the greens everyday or cut the fairways three times per week as drought has slowed grass growth, which has saved money on labor. WKEF-TV NBC 22 Dayton (Ohio), Sept 22, 2024

Some local reservoirs were below seasonal averages, prompting officials in the city of Columbus to begin using supplemental water from a reserve source. Columbus was in the watch phase of its drought management plan. No voluntary or mandatory water restrictions were in effect, but could be enacted if needed. The Columbus Dispatch (Ohio), Sept 10, 2024

Buckeye Lake has become even more shallow than usual and was just four to six feet deep in most areas. The lack of rain has left the lake about 15 inches lower than it ought to be. The main part of the lake was still navigable, but the edges and many of the canals where boats dock were not passable. The low water levels were causing people to damage their props. Some have opted to end the boating season early and take their boats out of the lake. The lakefront restaurants and bars were seeing less business, and the marina was not selling as much gas or service. Spectrum 1 (Columbus, Ohio), Sept 20, 2024

Drought has dried out the wetlands at Eagle Marsh. Of the 15 ponds and marshes, 12 were completely dry so wildlife must travel elsewhere for water and habitat. In the past 15 years, the area has dried out three times, and this was the lowest it has gotten. WANE 15 (Fort Wayne, Ind.), Sept 19, 2024

At the Nevada Speedway, the pond for wetting down the dirt racetrack was nearly dry. They plan to dig the pond deeper. Due to the pond being low, this weekend’s race has been moved to Electric City Speedway in Butler where there was enough water to wet down the track. Fourstates Homepage (Joplin, Mo.), Sept 19, 2024

The dryness in southwest Missouri has made it easier to inadvertently start a fire. A person did so when their mower hit a rock. The State of Missouri has not enacted any burn bans, but local fire departments urged people to postpone burning. Fourstates Homepage (Joplin, Mo.), Sept 19, 2024

The drought has Central Ohio fire departments preparing for the possibility of brush fires since they have been called to more field fires than usual. WSYX-TV (Columbus, Ohio), Sept 19, 2024

The Ohio Department of Natural Resources urged the public to avoid water waste as drought continued to grip the state. The Division of Water Resources also urged people to curb their water use and was monitoring ongoing drought impacts. WDTN Online (Dayton, Ohio), Sept 19, 2024

A South Bend farm closed its sunflower field due to drought and heat that killed most of the flowers. The corn for the maze is shorter than usual. Another way drought is affecting the farm is the cost of hay for the ponies, horses, donkeys and goats. Area hay growers aren’t likely to get a third cutting. WVPE-FM (Elkhart, Ind.), Sept 19, 2024

The Ohio Department of Agriculture is creating an Ohio Hay Directory. Farmers aiming to buy or sell hay can be included in the directory. Richland Source (Mansfield, Ohio), Sept 18, 2024

Richwood has seven to ten days’ worth of water left with some rain in the forecast. West Virginia Watch, Sept 19, 2024 The Nicholas County Commission issued a State of Emergency for water conservation and drought conditions as the community had just four days’ worth of water left. All residents were to conserve wherever possible. The area was in exceptional drought. WSAZ-TV (Huntington, W.V.), Sept 16, 2024 Emergency water conservation was needed in Richwood because the city’s usual source, the Cherry River, has been reduced to a trickle, so the community has been getting water from a small lake ten miles from Richwood. The lake holds enough water to supply the town for about two weeks, and Richwood began drawing water from Summit Lake on August 2. WCHS-TV ABC 8 (Charleston, W.V.), Sept 11, 2024

The Delaware County Fair Advisory Board canceled fireworks at the 2024 fair as the state continues to face worsening drought. the unanimous decision to forego the fireworks was made after checking with the state fire marshal. The Columbus Dispatch (Ohio), Sept 18, 2024

The mayor of Greenville urged the public to begin conserving water as the water table was exceptionally low. The wells at Mud Creek were at the low end of the range and were not even in use. Greenville Daily Advocate (Ohio), Sept 18, 2024

The number of Indiana counties with burn bans rose to 46, up from 26 the previous day. WWBL-FM (Washington, Ind.), Sept 18, 2024 Twenty-six of Indiana’s 92 counties have burn bans due to the drought status and fire danger. Many of the counties with the bans were in the southern part of the state. WWBL-FM (Washington, Ind.), Sept 17, 2024 There is a burn ban in Dubois County, Indiana including open burning except for campfires that are continuously attended. Campfires must be smaller than 48" in diameter and enclosed by a noncombustible barrier. Dubois County Herald (Vincennes, IN), Sept. 4, 2024.

Conditions in South Texas remained favorable due to recent rains, leading to an improvement in overall rangeland and pasture conditions. Most of the district reported rainfall of 0.5–3 inches, while other areas reported no rain. Pastures and rangeland continued to improve in areas that received rain and decline in drier areas. Livestock were in good condition, but some producers with overgrazed pastures were supplementing with hay, cubes and tubs, as well as molasses, protein and mineral. Cattle prices declined due to heavier harvest weights and a large supply. Feed prices remained high at local feed stores. Local ranchers began planning for fall sales of their weaned calves as they prepared for deer season. Irrigated forage was making good quality hay, and producers were optimistic about a possible second or third cutting if they received rain. Hay producers were baling hay, with some applying fertilizer after the previous week’s rain. Pastures looked good with adequate rainfall. Most row crop farmers were busy doing fieldwork. Cotton defoliation started, and early planted cotton was harvested. Peanut crops continued to mature under irrigation and digging was expected to begin in the coming weeks. Bermuda grass hay fields were cut and baled. Sesame harvest started but most fields were still too wet. A few vegetable producers planted cool-season crops, and citrus trees were sprayed. With the cooler temperatures, wildlife became more active and remained in good quantity and decent quality, with strong populations of whitetail deer, quail, and other game for the upcoming hunting seasons. AgriLife Today (College Station, Texas), Sept 17, 2024 Scattered showers and thunderstorms were reported along with cooler or average temperatures. A large part of the district received between 0.5-4.5 inches of rain. Live Oak County received rainfall totals ranging from 0.3-4 inches, however McMullen, Duval and Hidalgo counties did not receive significant rainfall. Prior to the rain, conditions were extremely hot, with temperatures exceeding 105 degrees, and varying degrees of dryness and humidity. The rainfall improved conditions for pastures and crops. Sesame harvest was about 85% complete with above-average yields reported, while cotton harvest was approximately 90% complete. Cotton stalk destruction was underway, with the stalk destruction deadline of Sept. 15. Most cotton acres in other counties were harvested, with varying yields and quality; any remaining cotton likely dropped in quality and some was expected to be shredded. Citrus and vegetables continued to be irrigated. Peanut producers reduced irrigation as harvest neared. Producers were preparing fields for fall and winter crops. Fall corn was thriving with the recent rains. Forage production was up, and hay fields looked good. Hay producers were baling across the counties, and a surplus of hay was noted. Livestock were in good condition, though some producers remained concerned about stock tank levels and continued to supplement feed with hay and cubes. Cattle prices remained steady to lower while sale volumes were steady to higher at most markets. Livestock and wildlife conditions improved due to the rainfall and cooler temperatures. Ranchers and deer producers were supplementing livestock and wildlife, and dove populations were abundant in many areas. AgriLife Today (College Station, Texas), Sept 5, 2024

The Maumee River through Toledo was very dry with immense sand bars in the river. Under the Conant Street bridge, the foundation and water stain were showing. WTOL 11 (Toledo, Ohio), Sept 17, 2024

Livestock producers in eastern Ohio were struggling to care for their animals amid the drought. Hay was in short supply, and water sources were running dry. Many farmers began hauling water in mid-July. WTOV 9 FOX (Steubenville, Ohio), Sept 17, 2024