Richmond, Va. – The Virginia Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ), in coordination with the Virginia Drought Monitoring Task Force, has expanded the warning advisory to now include 83 counties and 31 cities, and has established new drought watch advisories in 12 counties and 7 cities in Virginia. At this time, all localities within the Commonwealth are under drought watch or warning advisories.
As a result of these dry conditions, agricultural impacts are widespread and there is increased danger of wildfires. Additionally, the expansion of the drought declarations is consistent with the designations of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, where farmers may be eligible for Farm Service Agency emergency loans.
A drought warning advisory is intended to increase awareness that the onset of a significant drought event is imminent and includes the following areas:
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Chowan: Brunswick, Dinwiddie, Greensville, Lunenburg, Nottoway, Prince George, Southampton, Surry, and Sussex counties and the cities of Emporia and Franklin
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Middle James: Albemarle, Amelia, Amherst, Appomattox, Buckingham, Chesterfield, Cumberland, Fluvanna, Goochland, Hanover, Henrico, Nelson, Powhatan, Prince Edward counties and the cities of Charlottesville, Colonial Heights, Hopewell, Lynchburg, Petersburg, and Richmond
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New River: Bland, Carroll, Floyd, Giles, Grayson, Montgomery, Pulaski, and Wythe counties and the cities of Galax, and Radford
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Northern Coastal Plain: Caroline, Essex, Gloucester, King George, King William, King and Queen, Lancaster, Mathews, Middlesex, Northumberland, Richmond, and Westmoreland counties
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Northern Piedmont: Culpeper, Greene, Louisa, Madison, Orange, Rappahannock, Spotsylvania, and Stafford counties and the City of Fredericksburg
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Northern Virginia: Arlington, Fairfax, Fauquier, Loudoun, and Prince William counties and the cities of Alexandria, Fairfax, Falls Church, Manassas, and Manassas Park
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Roanoke River: Bedford, Campbell, Charlotte, Franklin, Halifax, Henry, Mecklenburg, Patrick, Pittsylvania, and Roanoke counties and the cities of Danville, Martinsville, Roanoke, and Salem
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Upper James: Alleghany, Bath, Botetourt, Craig, Highland, and Rockbridge counties and the cities of Buena Vista, Covington, and Lexington
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Shenandoah: Augusta, Clarke, Frederick, Page, Rockingham, Shenandoah, and Warren counties and the cities of Harrisonburg, Staunton, Waynesboro, and Winchester
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York-James: Charles City, James City, New Kent, York counties and the cities of Hampton, Newport News, Poquoson, and Williamsburg
A drought watch advisory is intended to help Virginians prepare for a potential drought and includes the following areas:
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Big Sandy: Buchanan, Dickenson, Lee, Russell, Scott, Smyth, Tazewell, Washington, and Wise counties and the cities of Bristol and Norton
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Eastern Shore: Accomack and Northampton counties
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Southeast Virginia: Chesapeake, Isle of Wight, and Suffolk counties and the cities of Norfolk, Portsmouth, and Virginia Beach
Recent precipitation has been below normal throughout the Commonwealth, especially in the central and southern regions of the state. Soil moisture conditions are much below normal statewide, with significant drying occurring during the past two weeks. Streamflow levels are well below normal, with numerous stream gages in the Dan, New, and Rappahannock River basins setting provisional single-day record lows. Groundwater levels have declined across the Commonwealth and are much below normal in northern areas of the state, along the Blue Ridge Mountains, and around the City of Roanoke. In addition to significantly warmer than normal temperatures, most of the Commonwealth is forecasted to see less than a tenth of an inch of rain in the next week.
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 residents 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 conserve water supplies by minimizing water use, monitoring drought conditions, and detecting and repairing leaks.
See the current drought status on the DEQ website.
Note regarding the map: DEQ has changed the drought advisory colors in the map to include orange and crimson to represent a drought warning and drought emergency respectively to be closer aligned with other drought monitoring agencies.
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