Drought

Duluth area residents were asked to conserve water. The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources recently recognized the Western Lake Superior watershed as being in a Drought Warning response phase. Duluth gets its municipal water from Lake Superior and supplies water to Hermantown, Proctor and Rice Lake. Northern News Now (Duluth, Minn.), Sept 8, 2023

Ongoing drought and declining groundwater and streamflows led the City of Winchester to declare a Drought Emergency. Frederick Water shares a mutual water purchase agreement with Winchester, and upgraded its Drought Warning to a Drought Emergency. Residential customers were urged to curb their water use by 20% and non-residential customers should reduce their usage by 25%. WJLA (Washington, D.C.), Sept 8, 2023

Pumpkins grown in the Duluth area were smaller than usual for lack of rain. Christmas trees were also affected. WDIO News (Duluth, Minn.), Sept 7, 2023

Fairhope and Daphne agreed to share water during drought via a new water line with a two-way valve between the two water systems. The connection is expected to cost about $50,000. WALA TV 10 (Mobile, Ala.), Sept 7, 2023

The Eau Claire Downtown Farmers Market has had fewer vendors this summer as drought slowed plant growth, and the heat killed many planted seeds. Some seeds would not sprout. The lack of rain reduced produce, which led farmers to charge more for what was able to be grown. WEAU (Eau Claire, Wis.), Aug 31, 2023

A burn ban took effect for Hancock County on Sept. 5, due to dry conditions. The public was urged to be cautious, and farmers were recommended to have equipment nearby to quickly extinguish any field fires that might occur. Globe Gazette (Mason City, Iowa), Sept 6, 2023

Some trees in the Davenport area were beginning to turn color early after a summer of drought stress. Some leaves were already on the ground. KWQC Online (Davenport, Iowa), Sept 6, 2023

Heat and drought have cut hay production in the Alvarado area. A sudangrass grower was only able to get one cutting instead of the usual three cuttings. Consequently, the price of a bale of hay was around $150, which is more than twice that of hay during a good year when it would fetch $60 to $65 per bale. Ranchers were supplementing cattle feed with corn stalks to keep the cattle fed. Feed prices were forcing some ranchers to sell cattle. With the cattle count the lowest since 1962, beef prices were about 25% higher than last year and about twice the price compared to three years ago. WFAA (Dallas, Texas), Sept 6, 2023

The tops of trees in Lutsen along Lake Superior were changing color early after drought this summer. Up to 25% of trees in parts of northwest Minnesota were also turning color, per the Department of Natural Resources. Trees at the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum in Chaska, just southwest of Minneapolis, were also turning color. CBS Minnesota (Minneapolis), Sept 6, 2023

No rain fell for about five weeks after pumpkins were planted in Wisconsin this spring. Weeds competed with the pumpkins for moisture in some cases. Pumpkin vines were yielding fewer pumpkins this year. WSAW-TV CBS 7 Wausau (Wis.), Sept 6, 2023

Apples at a Rochester area orchard were smaller than usual, and the leaves were drought-stressed. Some pumpkins did not germinate when planted, but eventually germinated in July. The late-germinating pumpkins do not have ripe fruit that can be sold. KIMT 3 (Rochester, Minn.), Sept 7, 2023

Some fish mortality has been reported in Shenandoah National Park where all streams were closed to fishing. Streams were low, and the heat was stressing the fish. Visitors should not expect to see spectacular waterfalls. The fire danger is high, so vehicles should not be parked in tall vegetation. NBC Washington (D.C.), Sept 7, 2023

Outdoor adventure companies along the Shenandoah River were seeing fewer customers. One business reported that fall bookings were down 50%. NBC Washington (D.C.), Sept 7, 2023

The town of Front Royal put emergency conservation rules into effect on Sept. 5 as its water comes from the Shenandoah River, which was alarmingly low. All outdoor water use was prohibited. Water restriction violators could be fined $1,000. NBC Washington (D.C.), Sept 7, 2023

The Fauquier County Water and Sanitation Authority announced water restrictions that prohibited the use of outdoor water in New Baltimore and implemented a burn ban countywide. Fauquier Times (Warrenton, Va.), Sept 7, 2023

The Warrenton town council met in emergency session on the morning of Sept. 7 to discuss drought impacts on the community. The council voted unanimously to authorize the interim-town manager to declare a drought emergency and implement water restrictions if drought conditions worsen. The town was no longer washing its trucks or watering its playing fields, as of Sept. 1. Businesses that use large volumes of water, like car washes, were urged to curb their water use. The fire department was to only use water to extinguish active fires. Fauquier Times (Warrenton, Va.), Sept 7, 2023

Residents of Frederick City were urged to curb their water use by 10% in September. Frederick City and Frederick County remained in the drought watch issued by the Maryland Department of the Environment. WUSA9 (Washington, D.C.), Sept 6, 2023

Drought in Iowa has slowed or halted grass growth, so there has been little need for mowing in a while. As a result, the webs of grass spiders were present in many yards. Radio Iowa (Des Moines), Sept 7, 2023

Just three boat ramps remained open on Canyon Lake as the lake was at 892.02 feet, exceeding the previous low recorded when the lake dropped to 892.68 feet on Sept. 9, 2009, per a spokesperson for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Twenty boat ramps were closed. KSAT 12 Online (San Antonio, Texas), Sept 7, 2023

Drought forced a farm and garden center in Homer Glen to replant their sunflower fields this summer. Homer Glen-Lockport, IL Patch, Sept 5, 2023