Press Herald - Maine will need at least a foot of rain before the ground freezes to alleviate the monthslong drought that has been drying out all corners of the state. If that amount of rain doesn’t arrive soon, drought conditions will likely linger into the spring.
The swath of Maine in extreme drought has expanded to cover nearly 34% of the state, according to U.S. Drought Monitor data released Thursday. The rest of the state is experiencing severe or moderate drought. The conditions have gripped much of Maine since the middle of August.
Some rain is on the way this week, forecasters say, but it won’t make a significant impact.
The National Weather Service estimates Maine would need 150% of its normal rainfall, or 6 to 12 inches, to end the drought before the ground freezes. Once soils freeze, precipitation can no longer effectively recharge aquifers, and drought conditions would persist until the snow melts in the spring.
That could create problems for people whose wells are running low — or have already dried up — because precipitation that would normally replenish groundwater won’t soak in.
“There won’t be enough groundwater for some people to get through the winter,” said Jon Palmer, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service office in Gray. “It’s definitely concerning.”
So far this year, 410 dry wells have been reported across Maine, according to the Maine Emergency Management Agency, which collects self-reported data from well owners through an online survey. That’s more than the past four years combined, according to state data.