PROJECT ALERT NOTICE (OH) Extreme drought in southeastern Ohio

Date: Tue, 27 Aug 2024 11:42:19 EDT

Summary: Extreme drought is affecting most of southeastern Ohio

Severe to extreme drought (drought designations D2 and D3) is affecting most of southeastern Ohio. Portions of southeast Ohio have only received 10-25% of their normal precipitation in the past 30 days and only 25% of their normal precipitation over the past 90 days.

In an e-mail chain with the State Climatologist from Ohio, some ramifications in southeastern Ohio from this drought are pasture conditions are rated poor to very poor with yields dropping to 36%, private wells are running dry, soybeans are not filling pods, there is extensive tip-back in corn and some farmers are chopping corn plants for feed or selling their cows.

The watershed most affected by this drought is the Hocking River. This morning USGS crews have made the fifth lowest measurement at the Hocking River at Enterprise, and the lowest measurement ever since 1997 at Hocking River at Athens at 49.5 cfs. According to Water Resources Data, Ohio, 2005, the lowest daily mean discharge at Athens was 10 cfs. on Oct. 11, 1930.

The river gage Hocking River at Enterprise has an intake that is above the water surface and that is the only gage that is not operating properly because of this drought.

USGS OKI has two crews (three people) in southeastern Ohio making low flow measurements at gaged and ungaged sites.

USGS Ohio has been in contact with the Ohio State Climatologist in determining whether or not to go to a D4 (exceptional) drought designation.