NEWS RELEASE: Drought Advisory Declaration

Virginia Department of Environmental Quality sent this bulletin at 06/24/2024 02:13 PM EDT

DEQ.Virginia.gov

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 24, 2025

CONTACT: Julia Raimondi
804-659-2654
julia.raimondi@deq.virginia.gov

DROUGHT ADVISORY DECLARATION

Drought watch advisory declared for 95 counties and cities in Virginia
Drought warning advisory declared for 12 counties in Virginia

RICHMOND, Va. — The Virginia Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ), in coordination with the Virginia Drought Monitoring Task Force, has issued a drought warning advisory to include 12 counties and a drought watch advisory for 95 counties and cities. All regions within the Commonwealth are affected. Precipitation deficits in combination with increased temperatures have resulted in rapid intensification of drought throughout the majority of the Commonwealth with substantial below-normal observations noted within the Northern Virginia and Shenandoah drought evaluation regions.

A drought warning advisory indicates a significant drought is imminent and is in effect for the Shenandoah region, which includes Augusta, Rockingham, Shenandoah, Frederick, Page, Warren, and Clarke counties, and for the Northern Virginia Region which includes Fauquier, Loudoun, Prince William, Arlington, and Fairfax counties.

A drought watch advisory is intended to help Virginians prepare for a potential drought, and has been declared for the following areas:

Big Sandy: Lee, Wise, Buchanan, Dickenson, Scott, Russell, Tazewell, Washington, and Smyth counties
Chowan: Lunenburg, Nottoway, Brunswick, Dinwiddie, Greensville, Sussex, Prince George, Southampton, and Surry counties
Eastern Shore: Accomack and Northampton counties
New River: Grayson, Wythe, Bland, Carroll, Floyd, Pulaski, Giles, and Montgomery counties
Northern Coastal Plain: Caroline, King George, King William, King and Queen, Essex, Richmond, Westmoreland, Gloucester, Mathews, Middlesex, Lancaster, and Northumberland counties
Northern Piedmont: Greene, Madison, Rappahannock, Orange, Culpeper, Louisa, Spotsylvania, and Stafford counties
Middle James: Amherst, Lynchburg, Nelson, Albemarle, Appomattox, Buckingham, Fluvanna, Prince Edward, Cumberland, Goochland, Amelia, Powhatan, Chesterfield, Henrico, and Hanover counties and the cities of Richmond, Petersburg, Hopewell, and Colonial Heights
Roanoke River: Patrick, Franklin, Roanoke, Henry, Bedford, Pittsylvania, Campbell, Halifax, Charlotte, and Mecklenburg counties
Southeast Virginia: Suffolk, Isle of Wight, Chesapeake, Virginia Beach, Portsmouth, and Norfolk
Upper James: Craig, Alleghany, Bath, Highland, Botetourt, and Rockbridge counties
York-James: Hampton, Newport News, James City, York, Charles City, and New Kent counties

Several factors have contributed to the current drought watch and warning advisories in the affected regions. Stream flows throughout the Commonwealth are currently at or below the 25th percentile of normal values for all 13 drought evaluation regions. Groundwater levels for monitoring wells in the Climate Response Network have shown continued declines within the northern, central, and eastern portions of the state. Five regions are currently below the 25th percentile including the Big Sandy, Northern Coastal Plain, Northern Piedmont, Upper James, and Southeast Virginia. Levels are also currently below the 5th percentile for five drought evaluation regions including New River, Northern Virginia, Shenandoah, Roanoke, and York James. Storage at major water supply reservoirs throughout Virginia remain within normal ranges at this time.

DEQ is working with local governments, public water works, and water users in the affected areas to ensure that conservation and drought response plans and ordinances are followed. All Virginians are encouraged to protect water supplies by minimizing water use, monitoring drought conditions, and detecting and repairing leaks.

See the current drought status on the DEQ website .

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About DEQ

The Department of Environmental Quality protects and enhances Virginia's environment and promotes the health and well being of the citizens of the Commonwealth. We are committed to cleaner water, improved air quality, and the productive re-use of contaminated land.

For more information, please visit www.DEQ.Virginia.gov.

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DEQ does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, disability, age, or sex in administration of its programs or activities, and, DEQ does not intimidate or retaliate against any individual or group because they have exercised their rights to participate in actions protected, or oppose action prohibited, by 40 C.F.R. Parts 5 and 7, or for the purpose of interfering with such rights. Title VI Coordinator Melanie Davenport is responsible for coordination of compliance efforts and receipt of inquiries concerning non-discrimination requirements implemented by 40 C.F.R. Parts 5 and 7 (Non-discrimination in Programs or Activities Receiving Federal Assistance from the Environmental Protection Agency), including Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, as amended; Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973; the Age Discrimination Act of 1975; Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972; and Section 13 of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act Amendments of 1972 (hereinafter referred to collectively as the federal non-discrimination laws). If you have any questions about this notice or any of DEQ's non-discrimination programs, policies or procedures, you may contact: Title VI Coordinator - Melanie Davenport; Virginia Department of Environmental Quality; P.O. Box 1105; Richmond, VA 23218; (804) 698-4000 (phone); (800) 592-5482 (toll-free); Melanie.Davenport@deq.virginia.gov.