Drought

The Warren County Fire and Rescue banned all outdoor burning, due to the Drought Warning that covers all of the Shenandoah Valley. The River 95.3 WZRV (Front Royal, Va.), Sept 5, 2023

The low level of the Potomac River has affected the Canal Boat in Georgetown. Tours were cancelled Aug. 30 through Sept. 1, and a banner was posted on its website saying, “We are experiencing historically low water levels on the Potomac, which has temporarily made it impossible for us to operate the Canal boat. We will continue to assess the situation and resume tours as water levels return to a normal level. Thank you for understanding!” The Georgetowner (Washington, D.C.), Sept 5, 2023

Some boating ramps on Lake Corpus Christi were closed, due to low water levels. The Opposum Bend boat ramp closed around the start of August. KIII-TV (Corpus Christi, Texas), Sept 4, 2023

A corn grower in Walworth County was cutting up corn for feed for dairy cows. The corn would typically be harvested later in September, but dry conditions required that he cut the corn, or it would soon be too dry to use as feed. The growth of hay and soybeans was also stunted by drought. CBS58 (Milwaukee, Wis.), Sept 4, 2023

Drought has reduced water supplies in the Fairfield area, leaving less for firefighting. It was getting challenging for rural departments that rely on ponds and creeks in areas that lack hydrants. Some fill sites were no longer useable as streams dwindled to just a trickle. Residents should be cautious about any outdoor burning and douse campfires and fire pits thoroughly before leaving them. Ground wasp nests should not be ignited to eradicate them. Gettysburg Times (Pa.), Sept 4, 2023

Drought and heat have curbed hay production in Texas, leaving supplies low and the cost of hay bales high. Producers were looking for alternatives to feed in place of hay. When hay is plentiful, it sells for about $120 per bale. In 2022, the price climbed to $160. This year the cost has been about $140. KSAT 12 Online (San Antonio, Texas), Sept 4, 2023

Streamflow and groundwater in the Shenandoah Valley were very low, below the 10th percentile. Switzer Lake, one of Harrisonburg’s two main water supplies, was also very low and contained about 118 days’ worth of water. Inflows were about 17% of normal. Rainfall typically increases in October and November. Hay and corn production have been harshly affected by the drought. Water conservation is encouraged. WMRA-FM (Harrisonburg, Va.), Sept 5, 2023

Winchester issued a drought watch due to dry conditions and low flow in the North Fork. City residents were asked to reduce their water usage by 5%. Winchester Star (Va.), Aug 30, 2023

Frederick Water enacted drought warning procedures effective immediately for its roughly 17,000 customers in Frederick County. Residential customers were encouraged to reduce water usage by 15% and nonresidential customers by 20%. Winchester Star (Va.), Aug 30, 2023

The San Antonio Water System (SAWS) performed at least 1,000 repairs to fix water main leaks in August, setting a new record for a single month. Drought is drying the ground, causing it to shift and damage buried water lines. Fifty-two crews and contractors were working around the clock amid extreme heat to repair the broken lines. SAWS has issued nearly 6,000 citations to water wasters since the start of the year. Texas Public Radio (San Antonio), Aug 30, 2023

The Virginia Department of Environmental Quality issued a drought watch advisory for 13 counties and a drought warning for 7 counties. A drought watch advisory has been declared for the following areas: Eastern Shore: Accomack and Northampton counties (existing drought watch continued) Northern Virginia: Fauquier, Loudoun, Prince William, Arlington, and Fairfax counties York-James: Hampton, Newport News, James City, York, Charles City, and New Kent counties. A drought warning advisory, which indicates that a significant drought is imminent, has been declared for the following areas: Shenandoah: Augusta, Rockingham, Shenandoah, Frederick, Page, Warren, and Clarke counties. WRIC-TV (Richmond, Va.), Aug 30, 2023

Water storage for Fort Scott has dropped below 70% and was not expected to recover within a normal length of time. A water warning was enacted on Wednesday, Aug. 30, with the aim of reducing peak demand by 20% and overall weekly consumption by 10%. Fourstates Homepage (Joplin, Mo.), Aug 30, 2023

Mandatory stage two drought restrictions took effect in Pearland on Wednesday, Aug. 30. Houston Chronicle (Texas), Aug 30, 2023

Beaumont returned to stage two mandatory water restrictions from stage one. Residents were required to conserve and avoid non-essential water uses. 12 News (Beaumont, Texas), Aug 30, 2023

A farmer intended to make hay out of his soybeans, but they dried up so fast that the farmer didn’t even get hay from them. The farmer also worried about the loss of microorganisms in the soil dying from lack of water. KSN-TV Online (Wichita, Kan.), Aug 29, 2023

Residents of Dallas were asked to conserve water at the end of one of the hottest, driest summers on record. Customers were urged to use less water, parks and schools should irrigate half as much, restaurants should offer customers water only when it is requested, and motels should post a notice about drought conditions in rooms. Salem Statesman-Journal (Ore.), Aug 29, 2023

San Marcos entered Stage 4 drought restrictions on Aug. 27 as the levels of the Edwards Aquifer and Canyon Lake dropped lower. The San Marcos River has been flowing around 70 cubic feet per second, less than half of the historical average of 152 cfs. San Marcos has been in drought restrictions since March 2022. The University Star (San Marcos, Texas), Aug 29, 2023 Stage 4 drought restrictions will begin in San Marcos on Aug. 27 as the aquifer level has fallen below 630 feet. KSAT 12 Online (San Antonio, Texas), Aug. 21, 2023

A drought watch advisory was in effect for the Eastern Shore, the Northern Piedmont and Shenandoah Valley. The Virginia Department of Environmental Quality issued the advisory in response to weather conditions and to raise public awareness of the potential for a significant drought. Precipitation has been below normal for the past 60 to 120 days for the Eastern Shore and parts of central and northern Virginia. WCAV-TV (Charlottesville, Va.), June 9, 2023

Wichita Falls has drought enforcers, which are people monitoring water use to spot those who violate the Stage 1 drought restrictions. Enforcers will leave a hanger on the door to notify the resident that a violation has been observed. The citation and ticket from the district court will arrive in the mail. KSWO TV (Lawton, Okla.), Aug 29, 2023

Canyon Lake fell to a historic low of 892.56 feet, which is the lowest in recorded history since impoundment in 1964. Comal County has closed all nine of the boat ramps on Canyon Lake that are county-operated. Community Impact (New Braunfels, Texas), Aug 29, 2023