On October 20, the Department of Environmental Protection announced, after a meeting of the Commonwealth Drought Task Force, that York County remains in Drought Warning, 14 counties remain in Drought Watch and six counties have returned to normal.

York County will continue to be in Drought Warning to support the efforts of water suppliers and their customers to conserve water.

Adams, Bucks, Cameron, Cumberland, Dauphin, Franklin, Fulton, Huntingdon, Lancaster, Lebanon, Montgomery, Northampton, and Perry counties remain on Drought Watch.

Clinton County will return to Drought Watch. Lock Haven City Authority and Suburban Lock Haven Water Authority in Clinton County are currently experiencing supply issues and have requested customers to reduce their water usage where possible.

Drought Watch has been lifted for Berks, Chester, Clarion, Fayette, Lehigh, and Venango counties.

In addition to the multiple public water suppliers implementing voluntary or mandatory water conservation, we see lingering year-to-date precipitation deficits and a handful of groundwater wells that have not fully recovered.

Residents on drought watch are asked to reduce their individual water use by 5 to 10 percent, or a reduction of three to six gallons of water per day. Residents on drought warning are asked to reduce their individual water use by 10 to 15 percent, or a reduction of six to nine gallons of water per day.

Varying localized conditions may lead water suppliers or municipalities to ask residents for more stringent conservation actions.

See the list of public water suppliers that have requested or mandated water conservation in their communities.

For more information, visit DEP's Drought webpage.

Click Here for the complete announcement.

For more information on environmental programs in Pennsylvania, visit DEP’s website, Report Emergencies, Submit Environmental Complaints; Click Here to sign up for DEP’s newsletter; sign up for DEP’s eNotice; visit DEP’s Blog,  Like DEP on Facebook, Follow DEP on Twitter and visit DEP’s YouTube Channel.

NewsClips - Watersheds:

-- Williamsport Sun: Lycoming College Clean Water Institute’s Matt Kaunert Speaks About Declining Populations Of Hellbenders In Pennsylvania

-- Tribune-Democrat: Blacklick Valley H.S. Students Get Inside Look At $26 Million Plan To Treat Mine Drainage Pollution, Revive Blacklick Creek

-- Altoona Mirror: Sediment Reduction Project On Beaverdam Branch, Juniata River Makes Progress

-- Altoona Mirror: Community Members’ Efforts Help Establish Rain Garden At Duncansville Memorial Park

-- Registration Open For PASA Sustainable Agriculture Conference Feb. 8-10

-- Rodale Institute 2022 Annual Report: Growing The Regenerative, Organic Agriculture Movement

-- The Center Square: More Trees Coming To Low-Income, Historically Black Neighborhoods Across Pittsburgh

-- Williamsport Sun - Ryan Reed, DCNR: Forests Help With Climate Change

-- Warren Times: Audubon Community Nature Center ‘Investigators’ To Explore Water’s Journey

-- Erie Times: Erie Council OKs Lease With Gannon University To Build Great Lakes Water Research And Education Center Inside Library

-- Guest Essay: Guardians Of The Susquehanna: The Vital Role Of The Susquehanna River Basin Commission - By Gene G. Veno, SRBC Director Of Government Affairs

-- Lancaster Farming: PA House Halts $150 Million Transfer From Game Fund To Clean Streams Fund To Finance Ag Program

-- USDA NRCS-PA: Federal, State Officials Launch New Training Center For Ag Professionals In Pennsylvania

-- USDA NRCS-PA  Opens Urban Service Center In Philadelphia To Support Urban Agriculture

Related Articles - Watersheds:

-- NRCS-PA: National IRA Funding For Conservation Easements Now Available To Pennsylvania Landowners  [PaEN]

-- Susquehanna River Basin Commission Begins Accepting MD Conowingo Pay For Success Nutrient, Sediment Reduction Project Proposals Oct. 24  [PaEN]

-- Fish & Boat Commission Now Accepting Applications For Grants To Improve Watersheds In Lancaster, York Counties  [PaEN]

-- Susquehanna Greenway Partnership Now Accepting Applications For 2023 Mini-Grants; Webinar Nov. 2  [PaEN]

-- PEMA Now Accepting Letters Of Interest For FEMA Flood Mitigation & Building Resilient Infrastructure And Communities Grant Programs  [PaEN]

-- EPA, National Fish & Wildlife Foundation Invest $9.6 Million In Projects To Improve Water Quality In Chesapeake Bay Watershed; $5.6 Million Benefits PA  [PaEN]

-- Alliance For The Chesapeake Bay, Perdue Farms Awarded $1 Million EPA, NFWF Grant To Accelerate Full-Farm Conservation Efforts On Poultry Operations In PA  [PaEN]

-- DEP Awards Over $3.8 Million In Federal Section 319 Grants To 15 Projects To Restore Watershed Health  [PaEN]

-- Gov. Shapiro Announces Investment Of $175.7 Million In 25 Water Infrastructure Projects In 16 Counties  [PaEN]

-- Penn State Extension Hosts Nov. 16 Webinar On Agrivoltaics And Large-Scale Solar Facilities  [PaEN]

-- DEP Responds To Oil Spill In Conodoguinet Creek; PA American Water Company Shuts Water Intake, Customers Asked To Conserve Water In Cumberland County  [PaEN]

-- DEP Drought Update: York Remains In Drought Warning; 14 Counties Remain In Drought Watch; 6 Counties Return To Normal  [PaEN]

[Posted: October 20, 2023]

10/23/2023