Release of Reservoir Water Puts Drought to the Test

Loudoun County, for example, approved mandatory restrictions -- and $500 fines for excessive use -- for water customers in the county's eastern sector, citing, among other reasons, concerns about a depleted reservoir. Virginia Gov. Timothy M. Kaine (D) asked for a federal drought disaster declaration last week to help farmers statewide recover from crop losses, following similar action by Maryland Gov. Martin O'Malley (D).

Maryland officials put 15 counties, including Montgomery and Howard, on a "drought watch" last week, asking residents to conserve water. The Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments also issued a drought watch and urged residents to shorten showers, turn off the tap when they brush their teeth, curtail landscape watering and take other steps to conserve.

Forestry officials in both states say drought conditions are shortening the period of fall color for trees and increasing the threat of wildfires. But climatologists say that typically when the leaves start to fall and the first frost appears, reservoir levels start to rise.

To reconcile seemingly contradictory reports about weather, water supply and withered crops, experts say it helps to think of two kinds of drought: agricultural and hydrological. Sparse rainfall and hot weather feed both, but in different ways.

Summer rain totals in the region were about 40 percent below normal, and on many days, the temperature hit 90 or above. The combination proved lethal to corn -- overplanted this year because of high prices at the beginning of the season -- and other crops in Eastern Virginia, Eastern Maryland and Southern Maryland, leading to an agricultural drought, said Jerry Stenger, head of the University of Virginia Office of Climatology.

But Stenger and other experts said the region is not in a drought in terms of the water supply. "It's hard to predict what's going to happen," he said. "The months ahead will tell the story."

Terry Wagner, chairman of Virginia's Drought Monitoring Task Force, said the region "eked" by this summer. "But we're on the edge."

The Potomac, of course, is central to the region's water supply. The river has not been replenished this year by soaking tropical storms, but spotty rain showers and thunderstorms have provided enough saturation to keep its levels from dipping drastically. In September 1966, an unusually dry year, the river flow at Little Falls was measured at what experts called a low for the modern era: 388 million gallons a day. That's far lower than the current rate.

The region's major water agencies say most local reservoirs this fall have an ample supply.

The Fairfax County Water Authority, which serves nearly 1.5 million people in Northern Virginia, reports no shortages. Spokeswoman Jeanne Bailey said the Occoquan Reservoir on the Prince William-Fairfax county border is more than 50 percent full. The authority has drawn from the Potomac to keep reservoir levels from dipping further.

The Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission, which serves nearly 1.8 million people in Montgomery and Prince George's counties, also reports no shortages. Spokesman John C. White said the Triadelphia Reservoir is at 66 percent capacity, and the Rocky Gorge Reservoir is at 44 percent capacity.

"While we realize that some of the farmers are suffering," he said, "we believe these reservoirs and the Potomac River are adequate to meet our customers' needs."

The Washington Aqueduct, operated by the Corps of Engineers, provides water for about 1 million people in the District, Arlington County and Falls Church. "We're in no immediate crisis of any kind," said Tom Jacobus, aqueduct general manager.

Staff writer Delphine Schrank contributed to this report.