New York officials have issued an updated drought watch for the state. The watch now includes most New York counties except those located in the Adirondack, Eastern Great Lakes, and New York Metropolitan regions.
New York State is encouraging residents in affected counties, particularly those dependent on private groundwater wells, to conserve water whenever possible during the coming weeks.
"While recent rains have helped, severe dry conditions continue to persist across the state," Governor Kathy Hochul said. "New Yorkers should take steps to conserve water whenever possible in the areas now under a designated drought watch. Simple steps to reduce water consumption will be crucial to our efforts to help prevent any increased drought levels."
A watch is the first of four levels of State drought advisories, which are watch, warning, emergency, and disaster. No mandatory restrictions are in place under a state drought watch.
The counties under drought watch are available here.
Department of Environmental Conservation Commissioner Basil Seggos said, "This year's below normal precipitation and above-normal temperatures continue to combine to exacerbate low stream flows, reduced groundwater levels, and ongoing wildfire risk. DEC will continue to monitor water levels and the environmental impacts of the dry conditions and encourage residents throughout the state to monitor usage and avoid wasting water."
An increasing number of water supply challenges are being reported due to dry conditions. Below-normal precipitation during the last three months, low stream flows and low groundwater levels prompt the need for the expansion of the watch status to ensure adequate public water supplies. Local public water suppliers are being urged to assess the current situation, promote voluntary conservation, and take appropriate actions to manage risk.
New York State drought region IIA, which includes New York City and Westchester, remains in normal status due to the satisfactory storage levels and refill probability of the New York City reservoirs. According to the New York City Department of Environmental Protection (DEP), the City's reservoirs are approximately nine percent below normal for this time of year, with 422 billion gallons currently in storage, compared to 469 billion gallons normally. DEC continues to work closely with DEP to monitor reservoir conditions and encourage responsible water use.
The drought watch is triggered by the State Drought Index, which reflects precipitation levels, reservoir/lake levels, and stream flow and groundwater levels in the nine drought regions of the state. Each of these indicators is assigned a weighted value based on its significance to various uses in a region. The State Drought Index is attuned to the specific attributes of New York and may differ moderately from some national technical drought assessments.
The National Weather Service outlook for the remainder of the summer predicts above-normal temperatures and below-normal precipitation.
