Board of Supervisors’Update of Current Drought Conditions
June 22, 2006Compiled by:
Michael Fisher – ANR Extension Agent
Ashley Noce - ANR Extension Intern
Input From Farming Community• First cutting hay production reduced
– Farmer “guestimates” range from 15 to 60% reduction– Most claim 25 to 35% reduction– Many farmers do not expect to get a second cutting
• Grass re-growth limited– Neither pastures nor hay are re-vegetating well
• Springs & wells reduced or dry– USDA office receiving water assistance requests
• Feeding livestock– Several farmers started haying cattle in past two
weeks– Best grazing estimate that I have heard this week is
30 to 40 days of grass left • (This is from a dairy specializing in grazing management.)
Excerpts from State & Federal Reports
• Pulaski County @ D0 on the edge of D1 for both an agricultural drought & a hydrological drought– US Drought Monitor – June 22, 2006
• YTD statewide precipitation only 68% of normal – Drought Monitoring Task Force – Drought Status
Report – June 19, 2006
• Due to accumulated shortfalls, precipitation for June & July would have to in at least the 90th percentile to prevent continuation of an agricultural drought.– State Climatologist Report – May 19, 2006
-3.5
-3
-2.5
-2
-1.5
-1
-0.5
0
0.5
1
1.5
Inches
Jun-05
Jul-05
Aug-05
Sep-05
Oct-05
Nov-05
Dec-05
Jan-06
Feb-06
Mar-06
Apr-06
May-06
Month
Town of Pulaski Precipitation Departure From Normal
Source: National Weather Service – Climate Data Accessed 6/22/06
Streamflow Gage Percentiles
• Representative Streamflows Above 25% - Normal
• Representative Streamflows Between 10th & 25th - Drought Watch
• Representative Streamflows Between 5th & 10th - Drought Warning
• Representative Streamflows Below 5th – Drought Emergency
Reed Creek - Grahams Forge, VA Reed Creek
Percentile: 4%
Discharge: 72 cfs
Average: 135 cfs
Class: Maroon
As of 6/22/06
Record Low: 70 cfs
Reed Creek is the drought indication gage for the New River Drought Evaluation Region.
New River - Ivanhoe, VA
Percentile: 19%
Discharge: 924 cfs
Average: 1460 cfs
Class: Orange
As of 6/22/06
Record Low: 635 cfs
New River - Allisonia, VA
Percentile: 11%
Discharge: 1130 cfs
Average: 2250 cfs
Class: Orange
As of 6/22/06
Record Low: 698 cfs
New River - Radford, VA
Percentile: 7%
Discharge: 1110 cfs
Average: 2890 cfs
Class: Maroon
As of 6/22/06
Record Low: 992 cfs