The state Department of Environmental Protection has placed Indiana County and 24 others in a drought watch.
In a statement, Pennsylvania DEP Secretary Jessica Shirley said that the commonwealth has received very little rain over the summer months. She said that she wants residents to be wary of the dry conditions and to be mindful of their water use.
The notification comes after the National Integrated Drought Information System listed most of Indiana County in a “moderate drought” category, with the rest of the county listed as “abnormally dry”. Those statistics have not changed due to the federal government shutdown.
A drought watch is declared by the state DEP when three of four key indicators – precipitation, stream flows, groundwater levels, and soil moisture – are in “watch” status. Many municipal authorities and water companies are asking people to continue to voluntarily cut back water use by 5-10%. Burn bans have also been instituted for several townships, including Center, Green, Montgomery and Grant Townships.
