As dry weather persists, Connecticut increases drought response for New London and Windham counties

Gov. Ned Lamont on Thursday increased Connecticut’s drought response for New London and Windham counties as potential threats endanger water supplies, agriculture and ecosystems.

The two jurisdictions were designated as Stage 3, identifying a “moderate drought” based on an assessment of precipitation, surface water, groundwater, reservoirs, soil moisture, vegetation and fire danger conditions.

Residents and businesses are asked to reduce, to the extent possible, water use. The last Stage 3 designation in Connecticut was in October 2020.

All other counties in Connecticut will remain in Stage 2 that Lamont declared on July 14. At that level, notice is given of an emerging drought intended to boost awareness. Level 4 indicates a severe drought and stage 5 is an extreme drought.

The governor blamed conditions on climate change.

“Connecticut continues to experience the impacts of climate change with this exceptionally dry summer, and while the entire state is experiencing drought conditions, we are seeing the most severe of those conditions right now in the areas of New London and Windham counties,” he said.

Jim Smith, a co-owner of Cushman Farms in Franklin, a family-owned dairy farm with 1,800 cows, said in early August he was hauling 27,000 gallons of water a day to make up for the rain deficit.

“It’s an added expense,” he said. “It’s frustrating. The northeast corner has done very well with rain. The southeast corner and central (Connecticut) . . . we’ve missed a lot of the storms.”

In contrast, last year was wet, with deluges of rain at the rate of 4 inches an hour, causing erosion, Smith said.

The U.S. Drought Monitor for Connecticut says the eastern part of the state is in extreme drought. Under those conditions, crop loss is widespread, Christmas tree farms are stressed, dairy farmers are struggling financially and business increases for well drillers and bulk water haulers, the Drought Monitor said.

The remainder of eastern Connecticut and northern areas are in severe drought and Fairfield County and parts of the shoreline are experiencing moderate drought.

The National Weather Service is forecasting a chance of showers Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, but no soaking rain is expected.

Meteorologist Kevin Cadima of the National Weather Service in Norton, Massachusetts, said dry conditions are likely to continue into mid-September.

“We’ve got to rely on thunderstorms. It can be hit or miss,” he said.

The extreme drought is affecting Rhode Island, much of eastern Massachusetts and eastern Connecticut near Rhode Island, he said.

He blamed a “lot of high pressure in the upper levels of the atmosphere” with thunderstorms mostly north and west of Connecticut.

Residents and businesses are asked to reduce watering lawns, recreational and athletic fields, gardens or other landscaped areas.

Residents and businesses are asked to postpone planting new lawns or vegetation, to fix leaky plumbing, to take shorter showers and run dishwashers and washing machines with full loads, shut off water while washing dishes and avoid washing vehicles or power-washing homes and other buildings.

Water should not be used to to clean sidewalks, driveways and roads, and public water should not fill residential swimming pools.

Stephen Singer can be reached at ssinger@courant.com.