Drought Advisory Update

Virginia Department of Environmental Quality sent this bulletin at 08/16/2024 10:43 AM EDT

DEQ.Virginia.gov

DROUGHT ADVISORY UPDATE

Richmond, Va. – Due to recent rain from the remnants of Tropical Storm Debby, the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ), in coordination with the Virginia Drought Monitoring Task Force, has lifted drought advisories for 76 counties and cities in Virginia. A drought warning is still in effect for the Shenandoah region and a drought watch exists in the Big Sandy region.

Drought watch or warning advisories have been lifted for the following regions:

Eastern Shore: Accomack and Northampton counties

Middle James: Albemarle, Amelia, Amherst, Appomattox, Buckingham, Chesterfield, Cumberland, Fluvanna, Goochland, Hanover, Henrico, Nelson, Powhatan, and Prince Edward counties and the cities of Charlottesville, Colonial Heights, Hopewell, Lynchburg, and Petersburg.

New River: Bland, Carroll, Floyd, Giles, Grayson, Montgomery, Pulaski, and Wythe counties

Northern Coastal Plain: Caroline, Essex, Gloucester, King George, King William, King and Queen, Lancaster, Mathews, Middlesex, Northumberland, Richmond, and Westmoreland counties

Northern Piedmont: Culpeper, Greene, Louisa, Madison, Orange, Rappahannock, Spotsylvania, and Stafford counties

Northern Virginia: Arlington, Fairfax, Fauquier, Loudoun, and Prince William counties

Roanoke River: Bedford, Campbell, Charlotte, Franklin, Halifax, Henry, Mecklenburg, Patrick, Pittsylvania, and Roanoke counties

Upper James: Craig, Alleghany, Bath, Botetourt, Highland, and Rockbridge counties

York-James: Charles City, Hampton, James City, New Kent, Newport News, and York counties

A drought watch advisory is intended to help Virginians prepare for a potential drought and is in effect for the Big Sandy region, which includes Buchanan, Dickenson, Lee, Russell, Scott, Smyth, Tazewell, Washington, and Wise counties. A drought warning advisory indicates a significant drought is imminent and remains in effect for the Shenandoah region, which includes Augusta, Rockingham, Shenandoah, Frederick, Page, Warren, and Clarke counties.

Several factors have contributed to these changes. Some portions of the Commonwealth received more than 8 inches of rain from the remnants of Tropical Storm Debby, and storage at major water supply reservoirs have recovered and are all within normal ranges. Streamflow over the past 7-28 day period has shown improvements across the majority of the Commonwealth due to recent precipitation, although streamflows remain below the 25th percentile in portions of the Big Sandy drought evaluation region. Groundwater levels for monitoring wells in the Climate Response Network remain below normal and require additional rain to recover. While recent rains resulted in widespread slight improvements compared to the past 30-day period, eight of the 13 regions remain currently below the 25th percentile, with the Big Sandy, Shenandoah, and York-James regions below the 5th percentile.

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. Localities and Virginians that are supplied water from the Potomac River should consult the Metropolitan Washington Water Supply and Drought Awareness Response Plan for specific triggers and actions to be taken. 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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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.