Visit the website below for further details on our current drought conditions:
www.drought.gov/portal/server.pt
The discussion in the Looking Ahead section is simply a description of what the official national guidance from the National Weather Service
(NWS) National Centers for Environmental Prediction is depicting for current areas of dryness and drought. The NWS forecast products utilized
include the HPC 5-day QPF and 5-day Mean Temperature progs, the 6-10 Day Outlooks of Temperature and Precipitation Probability, and the 8-14
Day Outlooks of Temperature and Precipitation Probability, valid as of late Wednesday afternoon of the USDM release week. The NWS forecast
web page used for this section is: www.cpc.ncep.noaa.gov/products/forecasts/.
The Southeastern and Mid-Atlantic States: A dry and warm week over much of the Southeast has led to the intensification of drought categories in the region.
Many locations in the Southeast are on pace to have the all-time driest year on record, with many stations having histories back to the 1880 time period.
Tuscaloosa, Alabama, is currently 30.37 inches below normal precipitation for the year. In Georgia and South Carolina, a categorical shift of all drought
categories toward the south and east took place this week. In Florida, continuing impacts due to drought are being experienced throughout the central and
southern portions of the state. Mandatory water restrictions are in place to help conserve water in the region. D0, D1 and D2 conditions expanded to the
north to now include almost the entire Florida peninsula. D3 conditions were introduced to the north and west of the Lake Okeechobee region this week as well.
Drought conditions in North Carolina continue to worsen, with many reports of wells going dry in the state. Many locations are expected to have driest or near
driest years on record throughout the state. Raleigh-Durham had the driest November on record with 0.48 inches, with records back to 1944. In the Raleigh area,
there are only 3 other drier November periods, with the driest coming in 1890 and 1931 with just 0.06 inches recorded on those dates. Of the 628 water systems
being tracked, 173 have mandatory water conservation measures in place, while 162 have voluntary restrictions in place. D3 and D4 conditions were expanded in
North Carolina this week in response to the continued drought conditions and impacts.
Due to a series of storm systems impacting the region, the D0 and D1 conditions in Maryland and Virginia were pushed farther to the south this week.
Additional Water Quality Improvement Resources
Virginia Department of Conservation & Recreation:
Virginia Stormwater BMP Clearinghouse Committee Meeting (pdf)
Contact: www.dcr.virginia.gov
VACo:
Water Quality Improvement Funding
-- VACo supports additional state funding and technical assistance to help localities improve water quality in a manner consistant with tributary strategies, implemantation
of ‘Total Maximum Daily Loading’ goals, and water quality standards established by the State water Control Board. VACo strongly opposes the imposition of a state fee,
tax or surcharge on water, sewer, waste or any other service provided by a local government or authority.
Contact: www.vaco.org
Virginia DEQ Office of Water Supply Planning:
OWSP: Local and Regional Water Supply Planning Grants - FY 2008 (pdf)
Contact: www.deq.state.va.us
Chesterfiels Department of Public Affairs
Chesterfield Water Supply Plan (pdf)
Contact: www.chesterfieldcounty.gov/publicaffairs/default.asp
