Drought

Goats on a farm in Bridgewater were not producing as much milk due to the drought and heat. The goats were being fed more hay. Hay was in higher demand amid the drought and poor grass growth, so it’s more expensive. WHSV (Harrisonburg, Va.), July 12, 2024

Dryland corn was suffering from the lack of rain in South Carolina. Corn in the Lowcountry was reported to be mostly burned up, according to the most recent USDA NASS Crop Progress report, and the Pee Dee region was experiencing early tasseling. Soybean planting was delayed, and conditions have worsened for livestock. SFN Today (Raleigh, N.C.), July 9, 2024

South Carolina’s Department of Natural Resources says all of the state’s 46 counties are facing some degree of drought this summer. While some Lowcountry counties are in “severe” drought, others are showing only the early stages of drought. Farmers in Williamsburg County like Oneal Bluefort say it will affect their crops and this drought impacts their crops. “Being that we got the severe drought right now, it’s kind of locked up the plant. And it’s gonna have a slow response in everything you feed it. And we feed it in the rain, unfortunately. We don’t have irrigation,” Bluefort said. Bluefort has been farming since he was seven years old, so he has learned what makes for a good year of harvest. The state’s Drought Response Committee broke down conditions county-by-county. In the Lowcountry, Williamsburg and Georgetown Counties are experiencing a “severe” drought. Other Lowcountry counties including Colleton, Dorchester and Orangeburg Counties are seeing “moderate” drought levels. Charleston, Berkeley and Beaufort counties are in the incipient or beginning stages of a drought. Bluefort says he knows without rainfall, there is nothing they can do. “One thing I learned about being a farmer, is you’re gonna have to adapt. You’re gonna have to hold on, keep looking up. It’ll change. You get your good years, you get your bad years, but that’s what makes a farmer,” Bluefort said. Another farmer said the corn can’t be saved. He described the corn as “pitiful,” because the corn was either covered in fungus, rotten or unable to produce the seeds. They said this lack of rain could impact the supply and demand. “The corn you know feeds hogs and chickens and will probably make the food prices go up because no corn to feed all the animals and the animals got to eat, and the people will eat the animals…it’s a bad year,” a farmer said. Bluefort said he knows this a bad year, and it will be hard to come back from, but all you can do is hope. WCSC Live 5 News (Charleston, SC), 7/12/24.

The National Park Service issued a burn ban for campfires, fire pits and barbecue grills in North Cascades National Park and the Ross Lake National Recreation Area that took effect on July 12. The intent of the ban was to lower the risk of wildfires. The ban also affects the Lake Chelan National Recreation Area in Chelan County. The Bellingham Herald (Wash.), July 10, 2024

Drought has dropped the level of the Ipswich River. To conserve water, Danvers on July 6 went to Level 5 water restrictions, which allow outdoor lawn and garden watering only with hand-held hoses or watering cans during certain hours. Non-essential outdoor water use will be prohibited in Topsfield starting July 12. Hamilton water users were urged to avoid outdoor watering during certain hours. In the past, high heat has led to high water demand, which exceeded treatment capacity. The lack of rain and reduced streamflow in the Ipswich River led the Ipswich water department to consider the town to be in a mild drought status. Water conservation was urged. The Salem News (Mass.), July 10, 2024

Residents of Victoria were urged to conserve water because the Guadalupe River was lower than normal for this time of year due to low rainfall upstream. Victoria must limit its pumping from the river to no more than 10% of the river flow when the river level is below normal. Victoria implemented stage one of its drought contingency plan to lessen the need for pumping and to rely less on backup reservoirs. Victoria Advocate (Texas), July 10, 2024

Blanco enacted Stage 4 water restrictions on July 9 due to critical water shortage conditions. KEYE-TV CBS Austin (Texas), July 10, 2024

Blowing Rock entered Stage 1 voluntary water restrictions due to drought and the town manager’s recommendation. Watauga Democrat (Boone, N.C.), July 10, 2024

Almost 61,000 head of cattle were sold at the Willcox Livestock Auction in 2023 from ranchers in southeastern Arizona and southwestern New Mexico. The number was about 40% more than the previous year. Prolonged drought pushes ranchers to sell livestock when there isn’t enough pasture. The auction yard filled to capacity during fall 2023, forcing the operators to turn away sellers. The 2023 summer was one of the driest on record. AZ Central (Phoenix), July 10, 2024

The countywide burn ban in Kendall County was reestablished because the Keetch-Byram Drought Index was above 500. Outdoor burning was not permitted in unincorporated portions of the county until further notice. The ban will last 90 days unless it is renewed. The Boerne Star (Texas), July 10, 2024

Corn in Columbus County was drying up for lack of rain. One farmer stated that his crop was “pretty much history” and lamented that it would take years to get past the financial hardship of losing the crop. While the corn ought to be six to seven feet tall, it was just three to four feet in height. The corn may not produce ears, but the soybeans may survive if rain falls. WECT-TV Channel 6 (Wilmington, N.C.), July 9, 2024

Crops in West Virginia were struggling for lack of rain. Farmers with irrigation capability were better off than those without it. WVNS-TV Channel 59 Bluefield (W.V.), July 9, 2024

Corn was nearing tasseling in Rockingham County and urgently needed rain in the next couple of weeks. Late season soybeans were just being planted and also needed rain. Pumpkins planted one month ago ought to be about four times bigger than they were, which indicated a large yield reduction. WHSV (Harrisonburg, Va.), July 9, 2024

Greensboro area farmers were working hard trying to keep crops irrigated amid the hot, dry weather. The crops were more expensive to produce when they need so much irrigation. The corn seemed to be harmed by drought the most. WGHP TV 8 (High Point, N.C.), June 25, 2024

The Town of Troutman was enacting a voluntary lawn and landscape irrigation schedule as the region was in moderate drought. Iredell Free News (Statesville, N.C.), July 8, 2024

Mission was in stage 2 of its contingency plan as cities in the Rio Grande Valley strove to conserve water while the Amistad and Falcon reservoirs were extremely low. Progress Times (Mission, Texas), July 8, 2024

Texas Water Company customers in Medina and Comal counties began Stage 4 water restrictions on July 9. Outdoor watering was not permitted, but water may be used to sustain livestock. WOAI-AM 1200 News Radio (San Antonio, Texas), July 9, 2024

Water conservation was encouraged in Whiteville with customers being asked to curb their water use by 10% compared with last month’s bill. WWAY-TV ABC 3 Wilmington (N.C.), July 8, 2024

A farmer near Fallston has irrigated his crops which increases expenses and lowers profits, but it’s necessary. He also chose not to plant butternut squash and Crowder peas. He aims to give his crops an inch of water weekly. Crops are typically planted on a six-week rotation to keep them available all season, but might extend it to planting every eight weeks, due to the drought. A sorghum grower near Belwood has lost some of the sorghum for lack of rain. The crop was planted on June 1 and received about three-quarters of an inch that day and little rain since then. The Shelby Star (Shelby, N.C.), July 8, 2024

Prince George County residents were urged to conserve water as much of the state was in moderate drought, and the level of Lake Chesdin was dropping. WRIC-TV (Richmond, Va.), July 8, 2024