The worst drought in over 20 years is continuing to expand over Delaware, and current forecasts offer minimal relief.
Gov. John Carney declared a statewide drought watch on Oct. 25 asking residents to voluntarily conserve water. The watch came a week after an indefinite outdoor burn ban from the Delaware Fire Marshal.
The drought watch encourages state residents to limit watering their lawns and outdoor plants and to avoid using potable water to do so.
The governor’s declaration said the drought watch was triggered by low precipitation and stream flows in northern New Castle County.
Wilmington and Georgetown had the driest September on record, and October is lining up to have only a trace of rain in some locations at best. The state is on track to break a record for most consecutive days without rain, which is 34 days in both places.
Broadly, the state’s water supply, especially New Castle County’s reservoirs, is still in good shape. Newark is pulling from its reservoir as flow of the White Clay Creek gets lower. The reservoir off of Paper Mill Road was built after the drought of 2002, the worst drought on record in northern Delaware.