It\u2019s time for Virginians to cut back on how often they water lawns or wash their cars, as the state faces its worst drought since 1941, Gov.\u00a0Abigail Spanberger\u00a0said Thursday.<\/p>\n
Despite recent rain,\u00a0Virginia\u00a0has received about 8 inches less rain than average, and groundwater levels and water flow in the state\u2019s rivers and streams are low.<\/p>\n
Richmond\u00a0and\u00a0Henrico County\u00a0draw their water from the\u00a0James River, where the\u00a0U.S. Geological Survey\u00a0reports water levels are 3.68 feet, down from 6.7 feet at the same time last year and 3.8 feet on\u00a0June 18, 2024.<\/p>\n
Reservoirs generally are in fairly good shape across the state. The water level at the\u00a0Swift Creek Reservoir, which accounts for much of Chesterfield County\u2019s supply, stands at 176.2 feet, down from the 177-foot level that\u2019s considered normal.<\/p>\n
But groundwater, the source for much of\u00a0Virginia\u00a0east of\u00a0Interstate 95\u00a0as well as for most rural parts of the state, has reached emergency conditions in much of the state, including the Northern Neck,\u00a0Middle Peninsula,\u00a0Southside Virginia,\u00a0Shenandoah Valley, Northern Virginia and\u00a0Hampton Roads.<\/p>\n
All in all, the combined effect of rainfall, reservoir levels, stream flows and groundwater status means almost all of the state is now under a drought warning condition.<\/p>\n
That means the onset of a major drought is imminent.<\/p>\n
It is when the\u00a0Department of Environmental Quality\u00a0says water utilities should cut out nonessential flushing of water lines and tell customers to begin voluntary water conservation measures.<\/p>\n
\u201cAll Virginians can play a role in protecting our water supply during this historic dry period,\u201d Spanberger said.<\/p>\n
\u201cAs communities across the commonwealth \u2014 particularly in\u00a0Southside\u00a0and central\u00a0Virginia\u00a0\u2014 continue to be impacted by these conditions, it is important that we take commonsense steps to meet this challenge,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
Farmers have been hit especially hard, Spanberger said.<\/p>\n
Dry soil conditions and lack of rain have delayed planting, and even when seeds are in the ground, yields are likely to be down.<\/p>\n
The\u00a0U.S. Department of Agriculture\u00a0has declared drought disaster conditions in dozens of\u00a0Virginia\u00a0localities, which clears the way for emergency loans and other help. State officials are coordinating to ensure help is available.<\/p>\n
In the\u00a0Richmond\u00a0region and extending west to\u00a0Albemarle County\u00a0and\u00a0Lynchburg, the lack of rain has reached emergency levels, while groundwater levels are at the warning level. Reservoirs are considered full, but stream flow is assessed at a drought watch condition.<\/p>\n
Spanberger said steps Virginians should take now include cutting back lawn and garden watering to alternating days, and to water only between dusk and dawn.<\/p>\n
It\u2019s time to turn off ornamental fountains and limit filling swimming pools, she said.<\/p>\n
In addition, Virginians should limit washing their cars, trucks and paved surfaces.<\/p>\n
\u201cTaking simple steps now to reduce our own consumption can help prevent more serious restrictions as we move into the summer months,\u201d said Secretary of Natural and Historic Resources\u00a0David Bulova.<\/p>\n
If drought conditions continue, the governor could declare a Drought Emergency by executive order.<\/p>\n
That would mean mandatory water-use restrictions for certain users and industries.<\/p>\n
The last time that happened was in the summer of 2002, when then-Gov.\u00a0Mark Warner\u00a0declared a Drought Emergency.<\/p>\n