BETHLEHEM, Pa. — Persistently dry conditions have pushed the Lehigh Valley into a drought watch.
Lehigh and Northampton counties, along with six other counties across the commonwealth, on Monday were added to the growing list of those officially in a drought watch, according to the state Department of Environmental Protection.
That brought the total number of counties in a drought watch to 37 — more than half the state.
DEP measures levels of drought by looking at four factors: precipitation, stream flows, groundwater levels and soil moisture.
Drought watch is the lowest of the four tiers — aside from normal — which also include drought warning and drought emergency.
A drought watch typically is declared for a county when three of the four factors are in a “watch” status, and residents often are encouraged, but not required, to reduce their water use 5-10%.
“Residents should always pay attention to any information they receive from their local water supplier."Pa. Department of Environmental Protection
“Residents should always pay attention to any information they receive from their local water supplier,” according to the DEP’s website.
“Varying localized conditions may lead water suppliers or municipalities to ask residents to continue conservation measures.
"The department always encourages residents to voluntarily conserve nonessential water use.”
A 6.95-inch deficit
The designation, issued after the Thursday meeting of the Commonwealth Drought Task Force, comes two weeks after Lehigh County Authority issued a drought watch for its service area.
Authority officials in late November asked residents to voluntarily reduce their water use at least 5%, and that still holds, Taylor Stakes, LCA’s first director of communications and strategic partnerships, said Tuesday.
Conditions have not improved and have slightly worsened, Stakes said.
While it was a drier-than-average summer in the Valley, the region in early September saw record rainfall — with up to 3 inches falling in some areas — followed by a second round of widespread showers and storms.
However, the region still is well below average for precipitation.
Data from the Northeast Regional Climate Center’s Climate Perspectives tool shows the past three months in the Lehigh Valley are its fourth-driest on record, with a deficit of 6.95 inches of precipitation.
The U.S. Drought Monitor shows the majority of the Valley in moderate drought, with a large swath of Northampton County in severe drought.
While the DEP is zeroed-in on commonwealth-specific conditions, the U.S. Drought Monitor considers the entire United States and uses broad-scale conditions.
For more information, go to the state DEP’s website.
