The Virginia Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) has issued a “drought watch” advisory for the Northern Virginia area.
The advisory for the region includes Arlington, Fairfax, Fauquier, Loudoun and Prince William counties, and the cities of Alexandria, Fairfax, Falls Church, Manassas and Manassas Park, according to a release.
The advisory is meant to increase awareness of conditions that come before a significant drought, and encourage preparation, stated a release.
“In the Northern Virginia region, the drought watch advisory applies to public or private groundwater supplies or private surface water supplies in Fauquier, Prince William and Loudoun counties. Water systems using the Potomac River or Occoquan Reservoir are not affected at this time,” stated a release.
More on the drought watch advisory, from a release:
This advisory is being issued because drought watch indicators in the state’s Drought Assessment and Response Plan have been met. According to the Virginia Drought Monitoring Task Force, an interagency group representing state and federal agencies, the primary factors contributing to the declaration of the drought watch advisory are:
— Precipitation deficits since October 1, 2016, are 6 to 12 inches in much of the area.
— Stream flows are lower than 75 percent to 95 percent of recorded March flows, indicating a moderate to severe hydrologic drought — a period of below-average water content in streams, aquifers, lakes and soils.
— Groundwater levels are lower than 75 percent to 95 percent of previously recorded March levels. New record low water levels for March have been recorded in two long-term observation wells in Fauquier and Orange counties.
— The abnormally dry conditions experienced during much of November through February produced below-normal groundwater recharge that may negatively affect water availability during the summer months.
While public and private water supplies are in good shape at this time, conditions could deteriorate as the spring and summer seasons develop. DEQ is notifying all local governments, public water works and private-sector water users in the affected areas, and is requesting that they prepare for the onset of a drought event by developing or reviewing existing water conservation and drought response plans. Virginia is encouraging localities, public and private water suppliers, and self-supplied water users in the affected localities to voluntarily take these steps to help protect current water supplies:
— Minimize nonessential water use.
— Review existing or develop new local water conservation and drought contingency plans and take conservation actions consistent with those plans.
— Include water conservation information on local websites and distribute water conservation information as broadly as possible.
— Continue monitoring the condition of public waterworks and self-supplied water systems in partnership with the Virginia Department of Health.
— Impose water use restrictions when consistent with local water supply conditions.
— Aggressively pursue leak detection and repair programs.
The next stage after a drought watch would be a “drought warning,” which would be issued if conditions warrant. Drought warning responses are required when the onset of a significant drought event is imminent. Water conservation and contingency plans that already are in place or have been prepared during a drought watch stage would begin to be implemented. In accordance with the Commonwealth’s Drought Assessment and Response Plan, water conservation activities at the drought watch stage would generally be voluntary. This does not preclude localities issuing mandatory restrictions if appropriate. Statewide information on the current drought status is available on the DEQ website at www.deq.virginia.gov.
