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Water Restrictions Spread In Southern N.H., As North Country Re-enters Drought

The latest maps from the National Drought Monitor show moderate drought in Northern New Hampshire and abnormal dryness in most of the rest of the state.
National Drought Monitor
The latest maps from the National Drought Monitor show moderate drought in Northern New Hampshire and abnormal dryness in most of the rest of the state.
The latest maps from the National Drought Monitor show moderate drought in Northern New Hampshire and abnormal dryness in most of the rest of the state.
Credit National Drought Monitor
The latest maps from the National Drought Monitor show moderate drought in Northern New Hampshire and abnormal dryness in most of the rest of the state.

Northern New Hampshire is officially back in a drought, and most of the rest of the state remains abnormally dry as of this week, according to the National Drought Monitor.

The dry conditions have now lasted more than a year, marking New Hampshire’s third prolonged drought in about 20 years.

State officials say it could spread and last through early fall without more sustained rainfall. The past year has seen below-normal levels for precipitation, groundwater and streamflows. For the past three months, most of the state has been about three inches below normal for rainfall.

Overall, climate change is increasing rain in the Northeast. But it's also making that rain more sporadic and raising temperatures, which contributes to these short-term droughts.

Several large utilities have kicked in mandatory limits on outdoor water use, including Pennichuck East Water Works and the Merrimack Village District in Southern New Hampshire. Salem, Exeter, Newmarket, Lebanon and Rollinsford also have mandatory water restrictions.

Several other systems have imposed voluntary limits. In all, more than 70 systems have some kind of restriction in place.

The state still has funding available to help homeowners whose private wells run dry due to drought. Residents with shallower wells, especially, are urged to be conservative with heavy water use for things like gardening.

Copyright 2021 New Hampshire Public Radio

Annie Ropeik joined NHPR’s reporting team in 2017, following stints with public radio stations and collaborations across the country. She has reported everywhere from fishing boats, island villages and cargo terminals in Alaska, to cornfields, factories and Superfund sites in the Midwest.
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