A drought watch in Maryland has been expanded to included the western parts of the state, authorities said.
The news from the Maryland Department of the Environment comes nearly two weeks after it declared a drought watch for the Eastern Shore, which remains in effect.
The new drought watch is based on lower-than-normal stream flows and groundwater levels for this time of year, state officials said.
“There is no need for mandatory water restrictions, but we are asking residents and businesses to take steps to reduce the amount they use,” MDE Secretary Serena McIlwain said in a statement Tuesday.
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The affected areas are Washington, Garrett and Allegany counties. The Eastern Shore drought watch includes Kent, Queen Anne’s, Talbot, Caroline, Dorchester, Wicomico, Somerset and Worcester counties.
In addition to stream flows and groundwater levels, MDE monitors precipitation and reservoir levels to make its drought assessments.
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“The state currently has enough water to meet the needs of residents and businesses, but water conservation measures are being encouraged to help avoid any future water shortages,” state officials said in a statement.
The U.S. Drought Monitor, which uses different measures to evaluate drought, lists a broader swath of Maryland as under some kind of drought conditions, according to organization’s latest update.
That evaluation includes central Maryland, from Harford County to Frederick County, and as far south as Montgomery County, as experiencing a “moderate drought.”
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According to the drought monitor, that means trees, landscaping and fish are stressed, some grain yields could be reduced, the risk of wildfires increases and voluntary water reduction is requested.
MDE focuses its drought evaluations on domestic water use, while the U.S. Drought Monitor weighs factors that are relevant to agriculture, which explains why the two have different evaluations of the state, according to a spokesperson for MDE.
While dry conditions and some drought conditions are not uncommon in Maryland, most water management in the state is focused on flooding and excess rainfall, according to the National Integrated Drought Information System.
Maryland has not seen severe drought since 2002, according to the NIDIS.
And as Maryland continues to grapple with high heat, the state has recorded nine heat-related deaths, according to the latest available data from the Maryland Department of Health. Four of those deaths have been in Prince George’s County and three have been in Baltimore City. Kent and Anne Arundel counties have both seen one heat-related death.
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