Drought — Western Hampden, Massachusetts

2016-09-01 to 2016-09-30 · Western Hampden, Massachusetts

Event narrative

The U.S. Drought Monitor continued the Severe Drought (D2) designation in western Hampden County through the month of September.

Wider weather episode

September brought more dry weather and continued drought conditions to much of southern New England. For many, the drought began in July 2016. At this point, this is a drought categorized largely by well below normal precipitation and groundwater and agricultural impacts. Most of the region experienced below normal rainfall during the month of September.

The Massachusetts Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs expanded the drought warning into the southeastern portion of the state, and a drought watch was expanded into Cape Cod and the Islands on September 9th. Soil moisture (measured by the Climate Prediction Center) was abnormally dry or drier. Groundwater conditions (measured by the United States Geological Survey) were found to be below to well below normal for most of Massachusetts. Cape Cod and the Islands were normal at this time. River and streamflow conditions were below to well below normal with 16 gage sites in southern New England at record low levels.

Farmers have had to irrigate their crops much more than normal for September. Losses were started to be reported by producers in the Connecticut River valley area of Massachusetts. In addition, sources of irrigation have been dwindling. While data thus far has been anecdotal, many farmers are having to choose which fields to irrigate and which to let go, as well as not doing 2nd and 3rd plantings of late summer crops. Known losses, according to the Massachusetts Farm Bureau Federation, include a total loss of the peach crop, reduced apple and cranberry crops, and no second and third cut hay. The Massachusetts state government declared on September 7th to make up to $1 million in microloan funds available to small, family owned farms who suffered losses due to the drought. Eleven counties in Massachusetts were declared primary disaster counties due to the drought. They include: Barnstable, Berkshire, Bristol, Essex, Franklin, Hampden, Hampshire, Middlesex, Norfolk, Plymouth, and Worcester Counties. Farms in these counties are eligible for assistance from the Farm Service Agency and the Livestock Forage Disaster Program.

More than 160 public water systems in Massachusetts have imposed some sort of water use restrictions, 70 of those have the strictest parameters in place, allowing residents to use outdoor water one day a week or less. One of these was Worcester, the second largest city in Massachusetts. Worcester banned outdoor water use in early September and ordered restaurants to stop serving tap water unless requested by a customer because their reservoir system had dropped to 55 percent of capacity. It's reservoirs are typically at 80 percent of capacity going into the fall. In addition, Worcester officials activated an emergency connection to draw water from the Massachusetts Water Resources Authority (MWRA) at a cost of $1.7 million per month. Other communities that already rely on the MWRA for a portion of their water have increased their demand by 38 percent this year.

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 661030. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.