PA Environment Digest Blog: Pennsylvania Declares Drought Conditions In 35 Counties -- Berks, Schuylkill Counties In Drought Warning, 33 In Drought Watch

On November 1, the Pennsylvania Drought Task Force announced drought conditions in 35 counties-- Berks and Schuylkill are under a Drought Warning due to consistent dry conditions and 33 other counties are under a Drought Watch.

The Drought Watch counties include --Adams, Allegheny, Beaver, Bucks, Butler, Carbon, Chester, Clearfield, Columbia, Cumberland, Dauphin, Delaware, Fayette, Franklin, Greene, Indiana, Lancaster, Lawrence, Lebanon, Lehigh, Luzerne, Monroe, Montgomery, Montour, Northampton, Northumberland, Perry, Philadelphia, Pike, Somerset, Washington, Westmoreland and York.

The Drought Task Force is monitoring other areas of the state.

While not required, residents and businesses are encouraged to voluntarily conserve water by reducing nonessential water use. Public water suppliers may request water conservation measures to ensure reliable delivery of drinking water.

“Pennsylvania received very little rain over September and October, capping off a dry six months, particularly in the southeast part of the state. DEP makes drought declarations based on long-term trends; a rainy week may not lift the drought status for an area,” said DEP Acting Secretary Jessica Shirley. “We want residents to be aware of these conditions and be mindful of their water use.”

“Much of the Commonwealth is at a high risk for fire danger as a result of dry conditions, and it is critical that Pennsylvanians use extreme caution when handling fire or avoid any burning as these conditions persist,” Department of Conservation and Natural Resources Secretary Cindy Adams Dunn said. “Stay up to date with the latest information using DCNR’s Wildfire Danger Forecast Map and be sure to follow all local guidance pertaining to burn bans to do your part to keep our natural resources and communities safe from fire.”

“Water is essential for growing food. Voluntary restrictions do not apply to farms and other businesses that rely on it to produce food,” Agriculture Secretary Russell Redding said. “Risks and volatility in farming are weather-related more than in any other business.

“Pennsylvania’s beneficial natural average rainfall has been upended by weather extremes and unpredictability in recent years and 2024 is no exception. Nearly 40 percent of the topsoil across the state is either short or very short in moisture content in the past week, and several counties are eligible for federal relief for earlier drought conditions or flooding.

“It’s critical for farmers to keep track of losses, and take advantage of federal crop insurance to help recoup losses. State conservation funding and business planning grants help protect their soil, diversify their operations, and cushion against future weather extremes. Planning cannot change the weather, but it can help farm businesses manage the risks that come with it,” said Redding.

Drought declarations are based on four factors – precipitation, stream flows, groundwater levels, and soil moisture.

DEP makes its drought declarations after assessing the departures from normal ranges for periods of 3-12 months. DEP also factors in information it receives from public water suppliers.

There are several different stages of drought declaration that can be declared by the Commonwealth--

-- Drought Watch – a Drought Watch is typically declared for a county with three of the four factors in a “watch” status. Residents are encouraged, but not required, to voluntarily reduce their water use by five to ten percent.

-- Drought Warning – a Drought Warning is typically declared for a county with 3 of the four indicators in “warning” status. Residents are encouraged, but not required, to reduce their water use by 10-15 percent.

-- Drought Emergency – if conditions become more severe a Drought Emergency can be declared by the Governor and emergency water restrictions can be implemented. In the unlikely event of a drought emergency, water suppliers and/or municipal governments will guide residents about water use and conservation.

DEP will not implement mandatory water use restrictions outside of a Drought Emergency.

Individual public water systems may implement their own conservation measures.

More information about drought can be found on the DEP’s Drought Information webpage.

Wildfire Risk Forecasts

Dry conditions have also heightened wildfire risk.

Human activity causes 99 percent of wildfires in Pennsylvania, leading to the destruction of thousands of acres of state and private woodlands each year.

Wildfires require specific conditions to ignite:

-- An available fuel source, like dried grass or leaves

-- Dry conditions, including low relative humidity

-- An ignition source – a way for the fire to start

DCNR advises those lighting fires at home or campsites to keep combustible items at least 10 feet away. A rake or shovel, along with water, should be readily available to fully extinguish embers.

Officials also recommend checking DCNR’s website for elevated fire risk alerts.

Visit DCNR’s Wildfire webpage for wildfire risk forecasts and other information on preventing wildfires.

Farm Operations

Dry conditions can also affect farm operations.

The Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture encourages farm operations to plan to help protect their viability, track operational losses, and utilize federal crop insurance to recover from those losses.

Information for farmers and ranchers is available on farmers.gov.

Click Here for the complete Pennsylvania drought announcement.

NewsClips - Drought:

-- MCall: Lehigh Valley Enters ‘Severe Drought’ As October Dryness Sets Record

-- WNEP: Crews Battle Forest Fire In Lackawanna County; Advise Residents Not To Burn

-- KYW: Christmas Tree Growers In PA Concerned About Record-Breaking Drought

-- Reading Eagle: Berks County Enacts Outdoor Burn Ban Due To Dry Weather Conditions

-- Republican Herald: No End In Sight For Try Conditions In Schuylkill County

-- ABC27: Dover Township, York County Issues Mandatory Nonessential Water Use Restrictions

-- Courier Times: Bucks County Water Authority Seeks Voluntary Restrictions Amid Drought

-- PennLive: This October Will Be One Of The Driest Ever Recorded In Central PA

-- TribLive: Trick-Or-Drought? How Dry Is It In Western Pennsylvania?