FR is under voluntary water conservation

front royal town hall

The Town of Front Royal is asking residents to voluntarily conserve water as river levels continue to drop.

Town officials say the flow of the South Fork of the Shenandoah River fell below 400 cubic feet per second on August 5th.

That’s about 260 million gallons of water per day.

The reduced flow triggers conservation measures under the Town’s water withdrawal permit from the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality.

Residents are being asked to limit outdoor water use.

That includes watering lawns, plants and trees only before nine a.m. or after four p.m.

Car washing should be limited to once a week, unless using a commercial car wash.

Residents are also asked to limit washing driveways and other paved surfaces, reduce the use of ornamental fountains, and avoid filling swimming pools unless simply topping them off.

Restaurants are asked to serve drinking water only when customers request it.

Officials also recommend the following conservation efforts:

  • Running dishwashers and washing machines only when they’re full.
  • Taking shorter showers.
  • Turning off the faucet while brushing your teeth or shaving.
  • Fixing leaking or inefficient water fixtures.

Residents can call the Town’s Water Treatment Plant at 540-636-7474 with questions and should monitor local media for future updates.

For more news from across the Shenandoah Valley, click here.

Ground water levels continue to fall

Graphic created by Royal Broadcasting employee Brooke Greene used by permission

Recent monitoring shows groundwater levels in the Shenandoah Valley continue to fall, raising concerns for residents, farmers, and water users across the region.

Despite snow and sleet from Winter Storm Fern, groundwater hasn’t seen a significant rebound, and water tables remain lower than expected for this time of year.

The US Geological Survey reports say the storm’s moisture hasn’t yet made its way into the aquifer below.

This follows earlier reports that groundwater had dropped several feet, placing levels near some of the lowest in more than a decade and impacting stream flows across the valley.

Officials remind residents that continued monitoring and water conservation efforts will be important as conditions evolve.

For more news from across the Shenandoah Valley, click here. 

Drought warning remains in effect

Although Tropical Storm Debby brought some much-needed rain to Clarke County, offering temporary relief to lawns and streams, the drought warning remains in effect.

Groundwater levels in the county continue to be notably low, as revealed by well gauges.

According to a USGS study, only one inch of every three inches of precipitation effectively replenishes the water table.

Current conditions still fall short of normal groundwater levels, meaning the drought warning advisory is still in place.

Residents are encouraged to practice voluntary water conservation, particularly those dependent on private wells.

It’s crucial to understand that one rainfall event does not resolve drought conditions; sustained precipitation over the fall and winter is necessary to significantly impact groundwater supplies.

For the latest updates from the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality’s Drought
Monitoring Task Force, visit this link.

For detailed information on groundwater levels and trends, go to this link.

For more news from across the Shenandoah Valley, click here.

Extreme Drought Warning For Shenandoah Valley

lightning

The National Weather Service (NWS) has issued an extreme drought warning for the Shenandoah Valley.

This is due to high temperatures and minimal rain.

Low river levels, stunted crop growth, and well-below normal precipitation levels have occurred amidst the drought.

Towns like Warren County, Fauquier County, and Strasburg are under mandatory water conservation efforts.

To conserve water, take shorter showers, water plants only when necessary, and use dish washer only when full.

For more news from across the Shenandoah Valley, click here.

Weatherwise, September 2023…The Valley is under a Drought Warning! What does that mean to you and your family?

It’s hurricane season and we’re in the thick of it, what’s a storm surge, we’ll give a listen to the other side of the climate change argument and Virginia is under a Drought Warning…what does that mean to you?

 

River Report: 8-7-23

In this edition of the Shenandoah River Report, Mark Frondorf has an update on river levels, algal blooms, and reminds everyone to conserve water! Brought to you by Front Royal Outdoors. As Summer starts to wind down, visit FRO and let Don Roberts get you out on the South Fork for some fun and adventure! For more, log onto https://frontroyaloutdoors.com

 

Strasburg declares a drought watch

cares act distribution

The Town of Strasburg declared a drought watch and is encouraging voluntary water conservation measures.

The low river flow levels caused the town to follow the drought response plan as outlined by the Northern Shenandoah Valley Regional Water Supply and the Virginia Water Protection withdrawal permit issued by the Department of Environmental Quality.

All citizens including those with a private well are encouraged to reduce water consumption.

Some measures recommended include reducing or eliminating outside watering, avoiding washing cars, limiting showers to 5 to 10 minutes per person, and only running the dishwasher when its full among other water conservation methods.

There are more water saving methods found here.

Monitor the Town’s social media and website regarding the status of the drought watch.

For more news from across the Shenandoah Valley, click here.

Front Royal request water conservation

The town of Front Royal is asking town water customers to voluntarily conserve water.

Asking residents to reduce water consumption as much as possible due to low river levels.

The town offers some conservation tips at their website frontroyalva.com.

You can contact the town’s water treatment plant with any questions as well as additional water conservation tips at (540) 636-7474.

For more news from across the Shenandoah Valley, click here.