Goochland joins regional watch as James River water levels fall

If flows do not improve, residents in Goochland, Richmond, Chesterfield, Hanover, Henrico and Powhatan could be asked to cut back on everyday uses such as lawn watering, car washing and other nonessential outdoor use.

The region’s water supply comes from the James River basin, the largest watershed in Virginia, and dry weather and a lack of significant rainfall in western Virginia were pushing river levels down. Henrico County had been releasing water from the Virgil R. Hazelett Reservoir at Cobbs Creek into the James River since June 1 and would continue doing so to help support flows.

A voluntary advisory would not mean emergency rationing, but it would ask residents to reduce demand before conditions worsen. That means trimming back irrigation, skipping unnecessary car washes and cutting down on other high-water-use routines that can add up fast across larger rural lots, businesses and school properties. Homes on private wells and properties with heavy landscaping would be especially sensitive to a prolonged dry stretch if river and groundwater conditions continue to tighten.

The Virginia Drought Monitoring Task Force met June 23 to review drought and hydrologic conditions. Gov. Abigail Spanberger had already urged Virginians to voluntarily conserve water amid the state’s driest period since 1941, with about one-third of Virginia in extreme drought and precipitation running roughly 8 inches below average.

Mandatory water-use restrictions were already in place in Louisa, Powhatan and Caroline counties. Goochland joined Richmond, Henrico, Hanover, Chesterfield and Powhatan in voluntary water conservation measures in October 2017.