A chart by the United States Drought Monitor showing Delaware County’s status as “abnormally dry” last week after rainfall reduced the severity of the drought from “moderate drought” earlier this month.
In early June, Delaware County reached moderate drought levels due to the lack of rainfall weeks prior.
Delaware County measures drought levels by following the data given by the United States Drought Monitor; an organization that is a collaboration between the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and a handful of universities specializing in drought forecasting.
Alex McCarthy, Homeland Security and Emergency Management director for Delaware County, explained last week that the Drought Monitor breaks down drought severity into five categories: Abnormally Dry, Moderate Drought, Severe Drought, Extreme Drought and Exceptional Drought.
“It gives us a picture of what is going on here in Delaware County, as well as across Ohio and the country,” McCarthy said. “We run the risk of being in a drought any time we go multiple weeks with warm temperatures and very little rain.”
Due to the lack of rainfall in early June, the county was documented at a D1 level which is known as “Moderate Dry.” As the month continued on, the county was demoted to “Abnormally Dry,” which is usual for this time of year according to the U.S. Drought Monitor.
“Thanks to the rain we have received over the past few days, as well as the above-normal precipitation we are expecting over the next few weeks, I am hopeful that drought conditions will subside pretty soon locally and not be a repeat of 2012 …,” McCarthy said. “One of the more memorable droughts in recent decades to impact Delaware County occurred during the summer of 2012 where parts of the county were designated as moderate drought areas from July through October.”
McCarthy said his office is in charge of educating the community on how to react to these weather conditions.
“We accomplish this by educating the public on the hazards we face locally, like droughts, partnering with local community stakeholders and first responders to plan and train, and assisting with bringing in any state or federal assistance available after a disaster occurs,” said McCarthy.
To be more aware of these instances, citizens can make sure to take care of any leaks in homes, wait to run washing machines and dishwashers until they are at full capacity, and be sure not to over-water lawns and plants.
For more information and breakdowns of drought in Delaware County, visit https://droughtmonitor.unl.edu/CurrentMap/StateDroughtMonitor.aspx?OH and https://ema.co.delaware.oh.us/.
Lauren Gulden is an intern for The Delaware Gazette.
