RICHMOND, Va. — A drought warning advisory has been expanded to include 39 counties and 16 cities, according to The Virginia Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ).
The DEQ says a drought warning means that the onset of a significant drought event is imminent, with the forecast for next week showing limited precipitation and past winter precipitation not being enough to recharge ground and surface waters in affected regions.
Localities and residents that are supplied water from the Potomac River are advised to check the Metropolitan Washington Water Supply and Drought Awareness Response Plan for specific triggers and actions to be taken.
Drought warning areas:
- Chowan: Brunswick, Dinwiddie, Greensville, Lunenburg, Nottoway, Prince George, Southampton, Surry, and Sussex counties and the cities of Emporia and Franklin.
- Northern Piedmont: Culpeper, Greene, Louisa, Madison, Orange, Rappahannock, Spotsylvania, and Stafford counties and the city of Fredericksburg.
- Northern Virginia: Arlington, Fairfax, Fauquier, Loudoun, and Prince William counties and the cities of Alexandria, Fairfax, Falls Church, Manassas, and Manassas Park.
- Roanoke River: Bedford, Campbell, Charlotte, Franklin, Halifax, Henry, Mecklenburg, Patrick, Pittsylvania, and Roanoke counties and the cities of Danville, Martinsville, Roanoke, and Salem.
- Shenandoah: Augusta, Clarke, Frederick, Page, Rockingham, Shenandoah, and Warren counties and the cities of Harrisonburg, Staunton, Waynesboro, and Winchester.
The DEQ is working with local governments, public water works, and water users in the affected areas to ensure that conservation and drought response plans and ordinances are followed.
The drought watch advisory intended to help Virginians prepare for a potential drought previously issued to 44 counties and 15 cities continues to be maintained.
Drought watch areas:
- Middle James: Albemarle, Amelia, Amherst, Appomattox, Buckingham, Chesterfield, Cumberland, Fluvanna, Goochland, Hanover, Henrico, Nelson, Powhatan, and Prince Edward counties and the cities of Charlottesville, Colonial Heights, Hopewell, Lynchburg, Petersburg, and Richmond.
- New River: Bland, Carroll, Floyd, Giles, Grayson, Montgomery, Pulaski, and Wythe counties and the cities of Galax and Radford.
- Northern Coastal Plain: Caroline, Essex, Gloucester, King and Queen, King George, King William, Lancaster, Mathews, Middlesex, Northumberland, Richmond, and Westmoreland counties
- Upper James: Alleghany, Bath, Botetourt, Craig, Highland, and Rockbridge counties and the cities of Buena Vista, Covington, and Lexington.
- York-James: Charles City, James City, New Kent, and York counties and the cities of Hampton, Newport News, Poquoson, and Williamsburg.
For more information, visit the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality’s website.
