Virginia drought warning expands to 94 counties, all under advisory

The Virginia Department of Environmental Quality said the Virginia Drought Monitoring Task Force met May 12 and used current hydrologic indicators to judge how widespread the dryness had become. The agency relies on four indicators across 13 drought evaluation regions, including precipitation deficits and groundwater monitoring at shallow observation wells in the Virginia Climate Response Network. The task force was scheduled to meet again May 26, a sign that state officials were still tracking whether conditions would deepen or ease.

Goochland’s own drought response plan gives the warning practical numbers. For Goochland and Henrico counties, voluntary conservation begins when the 14-day rolling average of natural streamflow in the James River falls below 1,700 cubic feet per second from Nov. 1 through June 30, or below 1,200 cubic feet per second from July 1 through Oct. 31. Mandatory conservation begins below 1,250 cubic feet per second in the colder months or below 700 cubic feet per second in the warmer months. Under the county plan, those mandatory rules are enforceable by law.

That threshold matters because Goochland County Department of Public Utilities operates drinking water and wastewater service across the county, including the courthouse area and the eastern service side tied to Tuckahoe Creek. County fire guidance also says open burning is regulated and may require permits in some situations. Dry hydrants in ponds, lakes and streams remain part of rural fire suppression, and Goochland County Fire-Rescue and Emergency Services said annual testing and preventive maintenance of those hydrants began in April, a reminder that surface water is part of the county’s fire safety backbone.