http://droughtreporter.unl.edu/

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The Virginia Department of Environmental Quality lifted drought watch advisories for nine counties in the Big Sandy region, which encompasses the counties of Lee, Wise, Buchanan, Dickenson, Scott, Russell, Tazewell, Washington and Smyth. WRIC-TV (Richmond, Va.), Feb 23, 2024 The drought advisory was lifted for 13 Virginia counties by the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality. The counties that emerged from the drought advisory were in the Shenandoah region, covering Augusta, Rockingham, Shenandoah, Frederick, Page, Warren, and Clarke counties, and the Upper James region, encompassing Craig, Alleghany, Bath, Highland, Botetourt, and Rockbridge counties. A drought watch advisory remained in effect for the Big Sandy area, covering Lee, Wise, Buchanan, Dickenson, Scott, Russell, Tazewell, Washington, and Smyth counties. WRIC-TV (Richmond, Va.), Feb 13, 2024 The Virginia Department of Environmental Quality downgraded drought warning advisories to drought watches for seven counties in the Shenandoah region. The seven counties are Augusta, Rockingham, Shenandoah, Frederick, Page, Warren, and Clarke. Twenty-two counties remained in a drought watch advisory. Precipitation has been above average for much of the Commonwealth in the past month. WRIC-TV 8 News (Richmond, Va.), Feb 1, 2024 The Virginia Department of Environmental Quality, in coordination with the Virginia Drought Monitoring Task Force, lifted the drought watch advisory for 49 counties. A drought watch advisory remained for 15 counties in the Upper James and Big Sandy regions, while seven counties in the Shenandoah region were still in a drought warning advisory. Staunton News Leader (Va.), Jan 19, 2024 Nine counties in Virginia were added to the list of counties in a drought watch advisory, which encompasses 64 counties altogether. Since the beginning of the current water year, Oct. 1, area-averaged rainfall was still below long-term normal values for most of Virginia. Seven counties in the Shenandoah Valley remain in a drought warning advisory. WCAV-TV CBS19 (Charlottesville, Va.), Dec 11, 2023 The Virginia Department of Environmental Quality and the Virginia Drought Monitoring Task Force reassessed conditions and expanded the Drought Watch Advisory covering 55 counties as stream flows and groundwater levels were below the 25th percentile of normal values. Seven counties in the Shenandoah Valley were under a Drought Warning Advisory. Only Southwest Virginia, the Middle Peninsula and Tidewater were not under a drought advisory. Recent rainfall has eased the dryness, but was not adequate to end rainfall deficits, improve soil moisture levels, streamflow and groundwater levels. The drought warning advisory covered the counties of Augusta, Rockingham, Shenandoah, Frederick, Page, Warren and Clarke. The drought watch advisory covered the counties of Amherst, Lynchburg, Nelson, Albemarle, Appomattox, Buckingham, Fluvanna, Prince Edward, Cumberland, Goochland, Amelia, Powhatan, Chesterfield, Petersburg, Hopewell, Colonial Heights, Henrico, Hanover, Greene, Madison, Rappahannock, Orange, Culpeper, Louisa, Spotsylvania, Stafford, Patrick, Franklin, Roanoke, Henry, Bedford, Pittsylvania, Campbell, Halifax, Charlotte, Mecklenburg, Craig, Alleghany, Bath, Highland, Botetourt, and Rockbridge. Counties that were already in a drought watch advisory and remain in that status were Accomack, Northampton, Fauquier, Loudoun, Prince William, Arlington, Fairfax, Hampton, Newport News, James City, York, Charles City, and New Kent. WCAV-TV (Charlottesville, Va.), Nov 27, 2023