The record
Everything the slot carries, as measured. Series arrays are drawn above and listed here in full.
| event_type | Drought |
|---|---|
| ncei_event_id | 5,719,348 |
| episode_id | 2,413,503 |
| begin_utc | 1999-08-01T05:00:00+00:00 |
| end_utc | 1999-09-01T04:59:00+00:00 |
| state | MARYLAND |
| cz_type | Z |
| cz_name | QUEEN ANNES |
| deaths_direct | 0 |
| deaths_indirect | 0 |
| injuries_direct | 0 |
| injuries_indirect | 0 |
| wfo_source | GOVT OFFICIAL |
| episode_narrative | The drought continued throughout the first half of August across the Maryland Eastern Shore. Crops were decimated. It was estimated that crop losses throughout Maryland could reach $102 million dollars. The drought started to break during the second half of the month as the strong ridge of high pressure was suppressed farther to the south. For the first month since March, monthly rainfall totals for August were either near or greater than normal. For the state of Maryland, August's rainfall total averaged 3.95 inches, 98 percent of normal. On a county weighted average August monthly rainfall totals ranged from 4.1 inches in Talbot and Caroline Counties to 5.7 inches in Kent County. The August normal monthly rainfall is around 4.1 inches. The first half of August continued the dire drought conditions across the Eastern Shore. A statewide drought emergency was already in effect. On August 2nd, Cecil County requested all residents conserve water. Rising Sun and North East already had mandatory restrictions in place. On August 3rd Preston in Caroline County implemented mandatory watering restrictions and Saint Michael's (Talbot County) and Centreville (Queen Anne's County) implemented voluntary watering restrictions. With no rain in sight and water consumption barely down, on August 4th Governor Parris N. Glendening ordered for the first time ever statewide mandatory watering restrictions. No lawn watering was permitted. Watering of gardens could only be done by watering cans and/or hand held hoses. Car washing was banned as was topping of pools, operating ornamental water fountains and washing paved surfaces. Restaurants could not serve water unless patrons asked. Commercial car washes could stay in business as long as they recycled at least 80 percent of their water. Golf courses were ordered to cut consumption by 80 percent. Businesses were voluntarily asked to cut back usage by 10 percent and must prepare plans to reach this goal if it becomes necessary. The restrictions included homes with well water and carried fines of up to $1,000 and six months in jail. The governor made $250,000 available for senior citizens and poor people to fix leaks. Elkton went even a step further and prohibited all outdoor watering. By August 10th older wells on Kent Island (Queen Anne's County) were starting to go dry. After the restrictions were put in place, water usage dropped by 14 percent (as compared to last August). Later in the month restrictions were loosened to permit minimal watering of athletic fields for safety reasons and watering of sod farms. Maryland sod farmers reported business plunged 80 to 90 percent (from last year's pace) because of lawn watering restrictions.Crop losses due to drought throughout the state were estimated at 102 million dollars. Farmers were hit with a double whammy of both drought and low commodity prices because of a worldwide crop glut and ideal growing conditions in the central part of the country. The corn harvest was estimated at 36 million bushels, 17 percent below last year and the smallest harvest since 1993. The rain that started in the middle of the month came too late to help the corn crop. The soybean harvest was estimated at 11.7 million bushels, 18 percent below last year and the smallest since 1995. It was hoped that the rain in the second half of the month might help the soybeans, improve pastures and improve planting conditions for wheat and barley. Hay producers estimated losses at 16.4 million dollars and tobacco growers estimated losses at 5 million dollars. There was an estimated shortage of 100,000 tons of hay in the state. On August 11th Secretary of Agriculture Dan Glickman declared 19 counties in Maryland and all of Delaware a drought disaster. This made farmers in those counties and adjacent ones eligible for low interest loans of up to $500,000. Farmers eligible for help must have lost at least 30 percent of their crops, have adequate security, be turned down by two banks and be able to repay the loan. The Department of Agriculture also will provide $20 million dollars in grants to provide emergency services to low income migrant and seasonal farm workers in declared drought disaster areas. The Small Business Administration will also make federal disaster loans available to small agriculture dependent businesses. Governor Glendening will also spend $3 million dollars in funds to farmers to reimburse them to cover crops, small grain losses and help feed and water livestock. The drought continued to have other affects across the region. The Maryland Forestry Service banned all open burnings. Through July the forestry service has responded to double the normal number of fires in the state. In Mid-August about 75 percent of all the streams in the Middle Atlantic States were at or setting record streamflow lows for the date. The Susquehanna River was flowing at only 30 percent of its normal rate. The low river flow allowed the brackish water in Chesapeake Bay to move up rivers farther than normal. This forced health officials of townships along the river or bay (Like Perryville) to warn residents on restricted sodium diets about the dangers of high sodium levels in their drinking water. The drought also affected the 4-H County Fairs. Animal bathing was restricted, traditional water balloon fights were cancelled, water rides were reconsidered and beverage vendors were asked to save their ice. |
| year | 1,999 |
Provenance
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Storage: spine