New London Country Drought Reaches Stage 2

From the Town of Stonington:

September 25, 2020

Please take note, New London county is the latest area of the state to experience conditions consistent with a Stage 2 drought, which is an emerging drought event potentially impacting water supplies, agriculture, or natural ecosystems.

Conditions in eastern Connecticut have deteriorated rapidly in recent weeks. Fire fighters throughout the state have responded to numerous reports of wildland fires, including a Windham fire that consumed 94 acres before being fully contained. The dry nature of the soil subsurface means that any fires that ignite are difficult to extinguish completely, since they often smolder below ground, well out of reach. Residents are reminded to monitor daily forest fire danger reports and plan outdoor burning accordingly.

To ensure drinking water supplies remain adequate if the drought persists, residents and businesses in Stage 2 counties are being asked to voluntarily take the following measures:

---Reduce outdoor irrigation and other non-essential outdoor uses of water;

--Postpone the planting of any new lawns or vegetation (if new plantings cannot be postponed, consider drought-tolerant species);

--Minimize overall water use by fixing leaky plumbing and fixtures;

--Follow conservation requests or mandates issued by public water systems, municipalities, or state agencies.

Stage 2 is the second of five stages of drought defined in the Connecticut Drought Response and Preparedness Plan. If rainfall continues to be in short supply, the Interagency Drought Workgroup may recommend elevating the affected counties to Stage 3, necessitating more stringent conservation and mitigation measures.

This press release was produced by the Town of Stonington. The views expressed here are the author’s own.