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Adams County drought status improves, but watch remains in effect

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Recent rainfall has brought some relief to Adams County and other parts of southern Pennsylvania, prompting state officials to ease drought conditions in the county.

The Commonwealth Drought Task Force announced that Adams County’s drought status has been improved from a drought warning to a drought watch following its May 29 meeting. Adams was the only county in Pennsylvania to receive a status upgrade from warning to watch during the latest review.

In addition, six counties — Carbon, Huntingdon, Juniata, Monroe, Pike and Schuylkill — were returned to normal status as conditions improved across portions of the state.

Despite the improvement, Adams County remains one of 15 Pennsylvania counties currently under a drought watch. The others are Bedford, Berks, Blair, Bucks, Dauphin, Delaware, Lancaster, Lebanon, Lehigh, Montgomery, Northampton, Perry, Philadelphia and York counties.

State officials said recent precipitation has improved conditions in southern Pennsylvania, but recovery remains incomplete in many areas. As a result, drought watch and drought warning declarations continue across much of the commonwealth.

The Department of Environmental Protection noted that drought declarations are based on several indicators, including precipitation, stream flow, groundwater levels and soil moisture. While recent rainfall has helped replenish some water supplies, long-term deficits remain in many locations.

Officials cautioned that localized drought conditions may persist even in counties where overall conditions have improved. Water suppliers and municipalities may continue to request voluntary conservation measures based on local circumstances.

Residents are encouraged to reduce nonessential water use and follow any guidance issued by their local water provider. Conservation efforts can help protect water supplies while groundwater levels, streams and reservoirs continue to recover.

Adams County had been under a drought warning since earlier this year as below-average precipitation contributed to declining water resources throughout south-central Pennsylvania. The move back to drought watch reflects measurable improvement but indicates that water conditions have not yet fully returned to normal.

More information on current drought conditions and conservation recommendations is available through the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection’s drought information website.

Source: PA DEP

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