Dry conditions bring drought watch to area

Jul. 25—CUMBERLAND — As the area is under a drought watch, local residents and businesses are asked to reduce water usage and understand the dangers of open-air burning.

The Maryland Department of the Environment on Tuesday issued a drought watch for Allegany, Garrett and Washington counties based on lower-than-normal stream flows and groundwater levels for this time of year.

During a drought watch, MDE increases oversight of water supply conditions and encourages voluntary water conservation practices, although no mandatory water use restrictions have been issued.

On Wednesday, the Office of the State Fire Marshal issued a press release to remind Marylanders of jurisdictional requirements when burning outdoors.

"Open-air burning is defined as a fire in which any material is burned in the open or in a receptacle other than a furnace, incinerator, or other equipment connected to a stack or chimney," it stated. "It also includes other fires, such as campfires."

The Maryland Department of Natural Resources enforces open-air burning regulations.

Violations carry fines up to $1,000 and/or one year in prison.

A landowner can be charged with all the costs of extinguishing the fire.

"Even small campfires can cause wildfires if they are not fully extinguished," the fire marshal stated. "Soak the coals with lots of water and ensure they are out cold."

Residents should use caution when burning outdoors.

"Being responsible, attentive, and following established guidelines provided by local authorities can make a significant difference," said Acting State Fire Marshal Jason M. Mowbray.

Tips for open-air burning include avoidance of fires on windy days.

Any fires should be monitored, with tools and a ready water supply on-site.

"Clear the area around the site for a minimum of 10 feet," the fire marshal's office stated. "Burn at a safe distance from your home, shed, or other structures."

Gasoline should not be used because it can ignite and cause serious injury and possible death.

"Check your local and state regulations before burning," the office stated. "Hazardous items are never allowed to be burned. Proper disposal of hazardous items such as tires, plastics, aerosol cans, oil, etc., can be disposed of through means provided by your local government."

Water conservation efforts

In response to the drought conditions and decreasing water levels at Piney Reservoir, the City of Frostburg is urging residents to begin water conservation efforts.

"Easy ways to conserve water include foregoing watering lawns and washing cars, taking shorter showers, and running the washer and dishwasher only when full," Frostburg Administrator Elizabeth Stahlman said via press release.

"Voluntary conservation efforts now can help reduce the strain on the limited water resources available to the city," she said.

Communities served by Frostburg's water system include Eckhart, Consol, Grahamtown, Clarysville, Carlos, Shaft, Klondike, Borden, Zihlman, Mount Savage, Woodcock Hollow, Midland, Gilmore, Lonaconing, Pekin, and Barton.

"Residents in all of these communities should begin water conservation practices immediately," the release stated.

Frostburg will continue to monitor reservoir levels.

"Conservation efforts and rainfall are both needed to allow the reservoir to return to normal levels," the release stated. "Should the drought persist, a water conservation emergency may be declared by the mayor and City Council."

Mandatory water restriction

Carpendale, West Virginia, recently initiated a mandatory water restriction.

Watering of grass, gardens, landscaped areas, trees, shrubs and other outdoor plants is prohibited, but handheld containers and hoses may be used for food crops.

"Washing paved surfaces such as streets, roads, sidewalks, driveways, garages, parking areas and patios is prohibited," the town posted on social media.

The ban extends to use of water for ornamental fountains, and non-commercial washing or cleaning of mobile equipment.

"Consider covering pools when not in use to reduce atmospheric evaporation," the post stated.

93% storage capacity

Cumberland Director of Engineering and Utilities Robert Smith said the city had no intention of issuing a conservation notice for its water customers as of Monday.

That could change, however, if the drought continues.

Cumberland's water comes from Lake Gordon and Lake Koon in Bedford County, Pennsylvania, which are roughly eight miles north of the Queen City.

"The two lakes combine to provide a storage capacity of 3.4 billion gallons of water," Smith said. "Both lakes are impounded by dams to create the storage capacity."

A portion of the available water in Lake Gordon is released into Evitts Creek each day in accordance with the city's permits to aid in maintaining wildlife in and around the creek, he said.

On Monday, Lake Gordon was full and Lake Koon was approximately 3.1 feet below its dam spillway, "which is not uncommon for this time of year," Smith said and added at that time, the city's water source was at 93% storage capacity.

"Due to the South End water main replacement project, residents will continue to see open hydrants in that region of the city or in regions where repairs are made to the water distribution system," he said. "These are left open to release air from the system as the contractor connects the new pipe to the existing. This air must be released from the pipe network or it can cause breaks in the system which will create more water loss than what is flowing out of the hydrant. This project is expected to be completed in November 2023."

Dry summer predicted

Chad Merrill is a Cumberland native and WOAY-TV chief meteorologist.

According to records at one reporting station in Cumberland that date to 1974, "this is the second driest summer on record" with 1.97 inches of rain, he said. "By the end of July, Cumberland averages 7.6 inches of rain, so we are far in the hole."

The current drought is rated as a flash drought brought on by very hot temperatures and lack of rain between June 16 and 18, Merrill said.

"Cumberland is in a rain shadow whereas rain and snow in winter lessens or dries out over the Alleghenies to the west in a process called downsloping," he said. "Combined with the arid environment brought on by the drought and the rain shadow effect, rainfall amounts have been paltry this summer."

Scattered rain will offer some relief, but what is needed to end the drought is a stalled front nearby or tropical system, Merrill said.

"Saharan dust pushing across the Atlantic is keeping any tropical systems from developing, so we don't have any threat of rain from one until at least mid-August," he said.

"We will likely remain in a drought through the end of the summer given our large deficit and historically low probabilities of seeing enough rain from a tropical system or stalled front this time of the year," Merrill said.

"Heavy rain rates would not soak into the soil one bit and would end up triggering widespread flash flooding," he said. "Besides urban spots, smaller streams would easily overflow. We need a light to moderate rain because there is absolutely no give in the soil to soak in the rain."

Leaves are changing color and falling because of the heat and drought stress, Merrill said.

"If we get a gusty storm, more leaves will blow off trees," he said. "Trees and bushes with shallow root systems are more susceptible to toppling over."

Merrill said reports indicate significant crop loss in the West Virginia panhandle including Mineral, Hardy and Hampshire counties.

Private wells might also be threatened.

"Shallow wells are at risk for drying out due to the very low water table," he said.

Teresa McMinn is a reporter for the Cumberland Times-News. She can be reached at 304-639-2371 or tmcminn@times-news.com.