BETHLEHEM, Pa — The Lehigh Valley, along with more than two dozen other counties across Pennsylvania, is officially in a drought watch or warning, state officials announced Friday.
“Pennsylvania received very little rain over September and October, capping off a dry six months, particularly in the southeast part of the state,” acting state Department of Environmental Protection Secretary Jessica Shirley said in a news release.
“DEP makes drought declarations based on long-term trends; a rainy week may not lift the drought status for an area. We want residents to be aware of these conditions and be mindful of their water use.”
The drought watch from the state comes a day after the U.S. Drought Monitor showed all of the Lehigh Valley in either “moderate” or “severe” drought.
At the time, DEP had the state listed as “normal” for its Current Drought Declaration Status. The National Weather Service on Friday also declared a red flag warning for the area due to heightened fire risk.
Much of the commonwealth is at a high risk for fire danger as a result of dry conditions, and it is critical that Pennsylvanians use extreme caution when handling fire, or avoid any burning as these conditions persist.Cindy Adams Dunn, secretary of the state Department of Conservation and Natural Resources.
“Much of the commonwealth is at a high risk for fire danger as a result of dry conditions, and it is critical that Pennsylvanians use extreme caution when handling fire, or avoid any burning as these conditions persist,” state Department of Conservation and Natural Resources Secretary Cindy Adams Dunn said.
“Stay up to date with the latest information using DCNR’s Wildfire Danger Forecast Map and be sure to follow all local guidance pertaining to burn bans to do your part to keep our natural resources and communities safe from fire.”
Watch vs. warning
To determine the level of drought, which includes drought watch, drought warning and drought emergency, officials look at four factors: precipitation, stream flows, groundwater levels and soil moisture.
A drought watch typically is declared for a county when three of the four factors are in a “watch” status.
When a watch is issued, residents often are encouraged, but not required, to reduce their water use 5-10%.
Lehigh County Authority, the county’s nonprofit water and wastewater utility, is asking residents to start conserving.
“DEP has declared a drought watch for Lehigh County. We will begin requesting customers reduce water use voluntarily by 5%.”Lehigh County Authority Communications Manager Susan Sampson
“DEP has declared a drought watch for Lehigh County,” authority Communications Manager Susan Sampson said in an email.
“We will begin requesting customers reduce water use voluntarily by 5%.”
In addition to Lehigh and Northampton counties, those in a drought watch are: Adams, Allegheny, Beaver, Bucks, Butler, Carbon, Chester, Clearfield, Columbia, Cumberland, Dauphin, Delaware, Fayette, Franklin, Greene, Indiana, Lancaster, Lawrence, Lebanon, Luzerne, Monroe, Montgomery, Montour, Northumberland, Perry, Philadelphia, Pike, Somerset, Washington, Westmoreland and York counties.
A drought warning, the next step up in severity, typically is declared for a county with three of the four indicators in “warning” status.
Under a warning, residents are encouraged, but not required, to reduce their water use 10-15%.
Berks and Schuylkill counties are under a drought warning because of consistent dry conditions.
