Despite more than 5 inches of rain falling in September and not much since, the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality’s drought warning remains in effect.

Clarke County and other counties report groundwater and stream flow remains below normal.

Because of these conditions the Clarke County Board of Supervisors unanimously passed a resolution to request a declaration of drought disaster.

That declaration enables the state government to designate all of Clarke County an agriculture disaster area.

The designation could allow county farmers to become eligible for state and federal disaster relief.

The town of Berryville’s water supply warning declaration meanwhile remains in effect until further notice.

That declaration advises municipal water customers to conserve water until Clarke County Sanitary Authority rescinds the request.

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