U.S. Water News Online
PORTLAND, Maine -- Following heavier-than-normal rainfall this spring, there's plenty of water in Maine's lakes and ponds. Rivers used by endangered wild Atlantic salmon are in relatively good shape. There's so much water in the fields that it's creating headaches for some farmers.
It would appear that Maine's drought is all but over. But officials are stopping short of making such a declaration.
Despite plenty of water on the surface -- enough to frustrate farmers with waterlogged fields -- there are still concerns about the water below, said Tom Hawley of the National Weather Service in Gray.
``I know people don't understand that we have all this water on the surface but we don't have the water underground,'' Hawley, a hydrologist, admitted. ``It's hard to get that message across.''
Earlier this year, more than 1,500 families reported that their wells went dry following the driest year on record in Maine. It was bad enough for the governor to seek a federal disaster declaration.
The National Weather Service said steady rain was what the state needed, and steady rain was what the state got.
In April, the rainfall was 1 to 2 inches above normal in southern and western Maine, and it was average in May, Hawley said. June has been 1 to 2 inches above normal so far, he said.
Bob Lent of the U.S. Geological Survey said the slow, steady rain was just what the parched state needed.
``If you would have asked me two months ago to describe what would be ideal conditions to treat this drought as quickly as possible, I would describe something similar to what we've had,'' he said.
The rain means reservoirs, lakes, ponds and rivers are in good shape, and many dry wells have been replenished.
In Brownfield, Donald York now has enough water to take a shower after being forced to take baths in a galvanized tub in his kitchen after his shallow ``dug'' well went dry in late October.
But he's still frugal with his tap for fear the well may run dry again.
He doesn't dare wash his car or water his lawn, and he doesn't have time to savor his all-too-brief showers. ``We take care. We don't take too many showers. We don't flush the toilet that much,'' said York, 82.
About one or two people a week are still contacting the state to report that their wells have gone dry, said Lynette Miller, senior planner with the Maine Emergency Management Agency in Augusta.
And groundwater levels are still below normal around Bangor, Waterville and Augusta, and points south, Lent said.
That's why the drought remains in effect in those regions, pending a meeting of the state drought task force later this month.
For farmers, it's hard to swallow.
``What drought?'' asked Agriculture Commissioner Bob Spear. ``You don't want to tell a farmer we're in a drought right now.'' Spear noted that the cold, wet weather delayed planting and hay harvesting. Some farmers had to replant.
Tim Bartlett of New Gloucester had standing water on his fields and was behind on harvesting his hay.
``It rains about every other day, or every third day. It's hard to make hay when the ground's wet. We're getting behind schedule because of the rain,'' said Bartlett, who had harvested only 65 of his 350 acres of hay.
Bartlett knows the state needs the rain. Nonetheless, he said, ``It has become more of a hindrance than a help.''
Lent said there's a good reason why officials are reluctant to declare that the drought is over: a review of recent history.
During Maine's last three droughts, in the 1940s, 1960s and 1980s, each lasted about four years. Each time, there was a brief wet period, and each time the drought returned before leaving for good, Lent noted.
The key, for now, is the long-term forecast, he said.
The weather service's outlook for July, August and September calls for normal rainfall and normal temperatures. But it wouldn't take too much hot, dry weather to send the state back into severe drought conditions.
``If we get anything close to dry conditions, we can quickly return to conditions we had last year,'' Lent said.
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