The entire state is now under either a drought watch or warning advisory from the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality.
In the state’s Drought Monitoring Task Force previous update in February, the southwest and southeast corners of the state had no watch or warning advisory. That has now changed, with those areas now under a watch.
Localities between the Interstate 81 and 95 corridors are under a warning.
DEQ says recent precipitation has been below normal across the state, and especially low in the central and southern parts of Virginia. Soil moisture, groundwater, and streamflow levels are all below normal as well.
There isn’t a lot of rain on the way within the next week to help remedy the issue either.
All Virginians are being asked to minimize their water usage and detect and repair any leaks.
Earlier this week, the U.S. Department of Agriculture issued drought disaster declarations to several localities across the state. Farmers in those areas are eligible for federal grants to help mitigate any losses from the dry conditions.
