The simplest answer is: No!
Thanks to recent rains, the U.S. Drought Monitor has upgraded Adams County from “moderate drought” to “abnormally dry,” as you can see in the attached map.
Another good indicator of how we’re doing with our water resources is stream flow. We’ve also included a chart showing the latest reading for the USGS stream gauge on the Monocacy River at Bridgeport, MD. The chart shows that the stream flow for Sept. 29 is right on the median for this date.
It should be noted that the lowest stream flows in Adams County typically occur in September because groundwater levels are normally the lowest at this time of the year. But as trees and other plants go dormant in the fall, more rainwater is freed to infiltrate the water table, and our stream flows typically increase until the next May, when plant life comes alive again.
It’s vitally important that we get adequate rain and snow over the next six months to recharge our groundwater and stream flows. So when those cold rainy and snowy days hit this winter, grab a warm beverage and be comforted by the thought that this is a good thing!
