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12/07/2016 09:30 AMWith all the rain that has fallen over the last couple of weeks, it is easy to forget that Middlesex County has been under a Drought Watch as since late October, along with five other Connecticut counties. This is the first time that a Drought Watch has been put into effect since the Connecticut Drought Preparedness and Response Plan was adopted by the state in 2002. The last time the state experienced a prolonged period of drought conditions was in the 1960s.
There are four stages of drought conditions: during a drought advisory residents are encouraged to voluntarily reduce water consumption by 10 percent, a drought watch requests a voluntary conservation of 15 percent, and a drought warning calls for 20 percent voluntary conservation. At the fourth state, drought emergency, the state’s response plan calls for mandatory conservation by 25 percent.
According to Dave LeVasseur, acting undersecretary of the Office of Policy and Management and longtime Middlesex County resident, the state tracks drought conditions by monitoring water accumulation and use measured against a reliable historical record to determine the health of the water table.
“When most people talk about droughts, they refer to the drought monitor,” said LeVasseur, “which monitors annual precipitation from January through December. But this method resets the clock at the end of each year.”
Connecticut has opted for a proactive monitoring and response plan and a long term monitoring system to increase maximum awareness of the condition of the water table and the land.
To maintain a more complete picture of the water supply, the state looks at years collectively, as part of its proactive approach. According to the Response Plan, normal conditions are defined as those where there is no negative impact on water supplies, vegetation, or water quality. The state uses the average monthly rainfall between 1955 and 1985 as its baseline for measuring rainfall.
“We are in this predicament because of a precipitation deficit for the last three years,” said LeVasseur. “Some parts of the state are 30 inches in the negative.”
Though some might think that there is less need to conserve water in winter, LeVasseur urges people to be conscious of the ways in which they use water.
“Even with all the rain, we are still below where we should be. We’re out of the time of year when people are watering their lawns, but when the snow comes and the salt hits the road, people tend to wash their cars more often,” he said.
“People can make small changes that have a cumulative impact, such as turning off the tap water while brushing teeth or shaving, and checking the house for slow leaks,” he continued. “It’s especially important in places and neighborhoods where people have wells. Though everyone has their own well, the wells in one area all draw from the same aquifer in the neighborhood.”
Looking ahead to the winter, LeVasseur hopes for more snow than was accumulated last year.
“Snow pack that melts gradually with no major run-off can help replenish groundwater supplies,” he said. “Last year there was not a lot of snow, and when it is too cold, the ground is frozen and the water can’t be absorbed.”
In terms of the risks posed by the drought conditions to farmers, LeVasseur said that at this point in the season, the question of water use on local farms is moot as it is largely the end of the season. He also pointed out that even in the more affected areas of Middlesex County, conservation is still suggested on a voluntary basis, though he did note that public utilities companies have been “very responsive, and good corporate citizens, considering the potential long term effects of these conditions if they don’t improve.”
While the Office of Policy and Management coordinates and monitors response efforts at the statewide level, the Lower Connecticut River Valley Council of Governments, or RiverCOG, which serves 17 towns including Deep River, Chester, and Essex, takes a more focused approach to monitoring and responding to the conditions locally. RiverCOG coordinates regional land use, transportation planning, and addresses and identifies regional issues across a number of dedicated committees.
According to Janice Ehle-Meyer, community resources planner at RiverCOG, some people have reported well issues, but for the most part people in the area seem to be more aware that they should conserve, and it has been a topic of discussion at the agricultural meetings.
“A study is being done through UConn to help farmers understand their baseline water usage and how to reduce from there,” said Ehle-Meyer. “Farmers in general are very conscious; there are a lot of little farms out here. People seem to understand that you have to take care of what you’ve got, take care of the land.
“There are a lot of new farmers in the area, too, a lot of people who are just out of school and are bringing innovation and new techniques into practice,” continued Ehle-Meyer. “UConn’s resources have been helpful as well.”
Agricultural efforts to conserve water usage include better soil management, different tillage techniques, and composting techniques. Good soil saves water, and the trees and forests in the area have been helping save the area from being more affected, according to Ehle-Meyer. Other changes include using cover crops, planting things that use less water, updating watering systems and irrigation techniques, and grazing animals responsibly.
“These are all basic things that can be overlooked nevertheless,” she said.
But largely, measures in the Connecticut River Valley area are preventative.
“A farmer in northern Connecticut had to buy water for his cattle earlier this year, but down here the byword is be resourceful, be careful, be conscious,” said Ehle-Meyer.
In addition to the conservation measures suggested by LeVasseur, Ehle-Meyer recommends being conscious of when and how often people run their laundry machines and dishwashers.
“Sometimes they are so convenient to push a button and turn on that people forget how many gallons of water are used each time they run,” she said.
Those interested in contacting or learning more about RiverCOG’s regional planning efforts and agricultural studies should visit www.rivercog.org, email info@rivercog.org, or call 860-582-8554. More information on the Connecticut Drought Plan can be found at www.ct.gov/opm, while the most current drought conditions map as well as further conservation tips can be found at www.ct.gov/waterstatus.