Drought
Although water resources in Pennsylvania are plentiful, periodic droughts do occur from time to time. For example, in 2002 then-Governor Mark Schweiker declared a drought emergency in 24 counties and placed mandatory reductions on water use.
Historic data shows that extremely serious droughts have occurred in Pennsylvania at approximately 30-year intervals, and minor droughts occur much more frequently.
How Do I Know When There’s a Drought?
Droughts are unlike other naturally occurring disasters because they sometimes do not have an easily discernible beginning or end. Although a declared drought emergency typically draws much attention from local media and the general public, drought indicators and warnings tend to go unnoticed. Fortunately for those seeking information on current and historical water levels, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) established a Pennsylvania-wide network of wells to monitor water levels in 1931, following the widespread drought of 1930.
Today, this network consists of 68 wells operated by USGS in cooperation with the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP). DEP closely monitors these water levels and considers recent precipitation, stream flow, reservoir storage, and the Palmer Drought Index. When enough of these indicators reach predetermined triggers, a drought watch, drought warning, or drought emergency is declared on a county basis. The primary purpose of the network is to monitor ground-water levels and predict the occurrence of droughts.
Learn More:
- The U.S. Drought Portal provides area drought information on the National Integrated Drought Information System Pennsylvania Drought Monitor.
- The Pennsylvania DEP provides drought status updates.
- USGS provides Pennsylvania Drought Condition Monitoring.
Who Is at Risk?
Drought conditions can quickly spread across a wide area if inadequate precipitation coincides with high evaporation and peak water use for prolonged periods. But some Pennsylvanians can experience the impacts of drought before others. In general, rural residents living either at higher elevations or a farther distance above the water table can expect to be the first among us to experience hydrologic drought. Well owners in rural areas tend to be the most drought-sensitive population and should prepare accordingly and implement conservation measures first.
Learn More:
- The Pennsylvania State University College of Agricultural Sciences Cooperative Extension published the fact sheet Managing Your Well During a Drought (PDF).
- The National Drought Mitigation Center published the guidance document How to Reduce Drought Risk (PDF).
How Can a Drought Be Mitigated?
Mitigating a drought requires residents to take action early and often to voluntarily reduce water use prior to conditions reaching a level in which mandatory restrictions are necessary. Communities striving to successfully mitigate future droughts need to plan for drought conditions, closely monitor water levels, and communicate with at-risk residents.
Learn More:
- The Pennsylvania State University College of Agricultural Sciences Cooperative Extension published a fact sheet for residents of Pennsylvania titled 20 Ways to Save Water in an Emergency (PDF).
- The National Drought Mitigation Center, which was developed to help communities implement measures to reduce vulnerability to drought, provides drought mitigation tools for states.
- The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Institute for Water Resources published a handbook for municipalities and states titled Managing Water For Drought (PDF).
- The Susquehanna River Basin Commission (SRBC) hosts a Drought Coordination Center that includes water conservation resources, SRBC's drought coordination plan, and information on current hydrologic conditions.