Low Flow Conditions on the Susquehanna River near Conklin, New York

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# Drought

**March 6, 2024**Drought Watch/Warning Lifted for 8 Counties, All counties now back to Normal Status-  PADEP Press Release 

**December 22, 2023:**Drought Watch Remains for 13 Counties, Franklin County Moved to Drought Warning-  PADEP Press Release 

**December 9, 2023:**Central Region of Maryland in Drought Warning and Western Region in Drought Watch-  Maryland Drought Information 

**December 1, 2023:**Drought Watch Remains for 13 Counties, Clinton County moved to Drought Warning-  PADEP Press Release 

**October 20, 2023:**Six Counties Return to Normal and 15 Counties Remain in Drought Watch or Drought Warning-  PADEP Press Release 

**September 22, 2023:**Drought Watch Remains for 19 Counties, York County Moved to Drought Warning-  PADEP Press Release 

            -  Drought status map for the Susquehanna River Basin 
            -  Status of Commission regulated projects with passby flow requirements 

**Drought is a principal cause of water availability shortages in the Susquehanna River Basin.** The Basin is susceptible to extended drought due to varied topography, geology, and climaticinfluences. Shortly before the formation of the Commission, the extended drought of the mid-1960s set the benchmark for drought planning. Many drought operation plans are still basedon recurrence of 1964 conditions. Following adoption of the Susquehanna River Basin Compact, severe droughts occurred in 1980-81, 1985, 1991-92, 1995, 1998-99, 2001-03, and 2016.

##### Drought Conditions

          - United States Drought Monitor
          - New York Drought Conditions
          - Pennsylvania Drought Conditions
          - Maryland Drought Conditions

##### Drought Indicators

          - Precipitation Deficits
          - Groundwater Levels
          - Streamflow Rates
          - Soil Moisture
          - Reservoir Storage
          - Public Water Supply Problems

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#### Drought Management Authority

Low Flow Sampling on Great Trough Creek in Huntingdon County, Pa.

The Susquehanna River Basin Compact outlines theCommission’s role in managing drought emergencies in the Basin. This includes delineating areas of water supply shortage and declaringdrought emergencies. During emergencies, the Commission can direct adjustments to water allocations, diversions, and releases to mitigate drought impacts.

#### Drought Planning & Mitigation

The Susquehanna River Basin Comprehensive Plan contains a goal to mitigate drought impactsthrough coordination and use of drought emergency powers. The plan also includes drought coordination as an area of special interest, outliningcurrent management activities and future directions. These include ensuring sustainable water allocations, requiring passby flows and consumptiveuse mitigation, monitoring drought conditions, and coordinating federal and state agency response actions.

#### Drought Monitoring & Coordination

The Susquehanna River Basin Drought Coordination Plan describes the Commission’s drought management authority, explains drought watch, warning, andemergency stages, specifies monitoring data and criteria for determining drought stage, and outlines drought response actions by the Commission andpartner agencies. The plan details methodologies for monitoring hydrologic variables and approaches for relating and combining data to determinethe onset, severity, and conclusion of drought conditions in the Basin.

Hydrologic Conditions Monitor (HCM) - shows the status of water use projects regulated by the Commission that have passby flow requirements.

#### Drought Stages & Response Actions

        -  Drought Watch  - This action is intended to give advanced notice of a developing drought event. At this stage, the general public can prepare, and public waterpurveyors and industries can update and begin to implement individual drought contingency plans. Public water purveyors should urge customers to voluntarily reduce water usage by5 to 10 percent, and they should monitor existing supplies so that they are stretched to cover an extended drought.
        -  Drought Warning  - This stage is a notice of impending and imminent severe drought conditions. A warning declaration includes a stepped-up public awareness programcalling for increased voluntary conservation to achieve an overall 10 to 15 percent reduction in water demands, a request for public water purveyors and industries to continue toimplement local drought contingency plans, and a notice for federal, state, and local water resources agencies to prepare for emergency response measures.
        -  Drought Emergency  - Drought emergency is the most severe stage. Under a drought emergency declaration, the Commission may, if warranted, implement mandatoryrestrictions on nonessential water uses through signatory enforcement agencies. The objective of the restrictions on nonessential water uses is to achieve a 15 to 25 percentreduction in overall water demands, most of which are consumptive water uses. All available water resources and emergency equipment should be used to respond to actual emergencyconditions, avoid depleting water sources, protect the public health and safety, and support essential and high priority uses. The Commission will coordinate operations of theavailable water storage in federal, state, and key local reservoir projects within the Basin. It also may be necessary for the Commission to modify or temporarily suspendwater withdrawal and consumptive water use approvals.