AMARILLO, Texas (KVII) — Amarillo activated Stage 1 of its drought contingency plan after its reservoir fell to 60% of capacity, asking residents and businesses to voluntarily limit outdoor watering.
Under the plan, homes with odd-numbered addresses may water on Sundays, Tuesdays and Thursdays. Even-numbered addresses may water Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. The city asked residents not to water on Saturdays and to irrigate only between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m., no more than three times a week.
The action comes during a hot, dry summer. Amarillo received 4.79 inches of rain this year through Aug. 16. That is 8.75 inches below the normal 13.54 inches for the period, according to the National Weather Service. Amarillo also recorded 28 days with highs of at least 100 degrees from June through Aug. 16, 23 days more than normal.
Most of Potter and Randall counties are also in extreme drought, according to the U.S. Drought Monitor.
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The city’s plan calls for Stage 1 when the reservoir reaches about 60% of capacity or when water demand reaches at least 70% of available production capacity for five straight days. This activation is based on reservoir levels, city officials said.
The city last entered Stage 1 on July 22, 2022, for one week.
Shannon Tollison, the city’s director of utilities regulatory compliance, said reducing irrigation can lower demand while heat and wind increase evaporation from the reservoir.