Precipitation is only one of many factors considered by the Drought Monitoring Task Force when they evaluate drought conditions. Other indicators include groundwater levels, reservoir levels, soil moisture, and streamflow. 

Despite recent precipitation across much of the state, rainfall remains below average, especially within the Roanoke Drought Evaluation Region. Rain is approximately 7.8 inches below normal on average throughout the Commonwealth. This represents the second driest water year on record. The Roanoke Drought Evaluation Region has only received 57 percent of the rain that is normal for this time of year.

Additionally, the current rainfall forecast for the region is expected to be below-normal.

In addition to below normal precipitation, the Roanoke Drought Evaluation Region is experiencing below-normal soil moisture conditions, significantly low streamflow, and depleted groundwater levels.

You can read more about rainfall and drought impact at the USGS "Why doesn't a drought end when it rains?" webpage.

The U.S. Drought Monitor is developed by the National Drought Mitigation Center at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The U.S. Drought Monitor considers a combination of numeric inputs, reported drought impacts and field observations, and feedback and interpretation from local experts. The U.S. Drought Monitor map uses 6 classifications including normal or wet conditions (None), abnormally dry (D0), moderate drought (D1), severe drought (D2), extreme drought (D3) and exceptional drought (D4). 

The Virginia Drought Monitoring Task Force is led by DEQ and comprised of water resource professionals and scientists from a variety of state and federal agencies and is activated when moderate drought (D1) conditions are reported by the U.S. Drought Monitor. The Virginia Drought Monitoring Task Force considers current and forecasted precipitation, streamflow, groundwater levels, and reservoir levels as well as other metrics such as soil moisture, reported agriculture and water supply impacts, and the current U.S. Drought Monitor map. Decisions are made by careful review of the data by all members with decisions rendered into four drought classifications; normal, watch, warning, and emergency. 

While the US Drought Monitor and Drought Monitoring Task Force maps are developed using a similar process, the number of classifications and thresholds differ and are not directly comparable. Neither map is developed solely based on numeric data and requires local feedback and interpretation. Additionally, the Virginia Drought Monitoring Task Force generally recommends drought advisory status changes on a regional basis (based on the 13 Drought Evaluation Regions), rather than by locality.

Current drought conditions in Virginia are similar to the drought that affected the state in 2002.

For the drought to end, many parts of the Commonwealth will need sustained rainfall at an above normal rate to recharge groundwater and improve streamflows.

The Drought Monitoring Task Force is meeting weekly to ascertain conditions throughout the Commonwealth and will continue to provide updates on the status of the drought.

You can view the VDH Drought Monitoring webpage to see if your public water source may be impacted by drought conditions. It is also recommended to reach out to your local government for more information about local voluntary restrictions. 

Should the situation continue, the Governor may issue a drought emergency declaration to activate mandatory water use restrictions. The Governor's office is closely monitoring the conditions throughout the region and the Commonwealth.

It is recommended that you reduce water consumption for non-essential use such as the following: 

• Lawn & Garden: Reduce watering schedules to alternating days, and only water between dusk and dawn to minimize evaporation.
• Outdoor Usage: Turn off decorative and ornamental fountains.
• Vehicles & Cleaning: Limit the washing of vehicles, driveways, and sidewalks.
• Pools: Limit or avoid filling swimming pools.

If drought conditions worsen, the Governor may issue an executive order which would require mandatory water restrictions for businesses, public waterworks, and individual usage. 

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has currently designated 15 Virginia counties as natural disaster areas due to drought. This designation allows for farmers to apply for emergency credit loans.

You can learn more at the USDA Emergency Designation webpage and the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services' webpage on disaster recovery resources for Virginia farmers. 

Loss of pressure and/or water service while using your well water, along with sputtering faucets (air in water) and cloudy water can be indicators that your well may be going dry. This can occur when the water level in the well is being pumped down to the well pump inlet — resulting in the loss of water pressure and/or water service. Sometimes lower water levels can also lead to an increase in sediment.

If water use is stopped and the well is allowed to rest, the water level in the well may recover enough to allow water use; however, owners should use water sparingly. Depending on pump configuration, owners should be careful not to run their well dry as this could damage the pump. Please see VDH's Managing Your Private Well During a Drought fact sheet for more information.

Well owners should NOT attempt to personally reset a pump lower within a well under any circumstances. This procedure requires specialized equipment, and the risk of injury without appropriate safety equipment is significant, including electric shock and potential damage to or loss of fingers or limbs. Always retain the services of a licensed water well systems provider for any well-related services. Please visit VDH's Septic System and Private Well Service Providers webpage for a partial list of private well service providers.

Drought may affect both the quantity and quality of drinking water supplies. The Virginia Department of Health, Office of Drinking Water (VDH-ODW) is responsible for monitoring and reporting the operational status of waterworks as it relates to drought conditions. VDH-ODW provides current information and resources regarding public and private drinking water supplies on the Drought Monitoring Program webpage.