Hot Topics

Drought Status – Sudden Storms and Less Water

Drought Status – Sudden Storms and Less Water

It seems contradictory, but in spite of sudden storms soaking small areas of the state and toppling trees with thrashing winds, New Hampshire’s drought conditions are worsening.  Interestingly, climate models don’t predict substantial changes in total precipitation, rather, the intensity, timing, and location are expected to change.

Every year more storms drop 1, 2, 3 – and more inches per hour on parched land, much faster than it can soak into the ground.  Flooding from New Hampshire, to Kentucky, to Death Valley is causing property damage and loss of life.  In between storms, longer stretches of hotter temperatures are straining drinking, farming and recreational water supplies.

The impacts of manmade climate change are with us, and even with rapid global cooperation and action, are likely to worsen over the next few decades.  Local communities can take immediate action to build resiliency to droughts and floods.  Here are some suggestions to consider:

  • Maintain the natural environment. Healthy forests and wetlands are the best (and cheapest!) tools to moderate rainfall impacts, recharge aquifers, and maintain surface water quality.  Conserve critical watershed land, zone to protect riparian buffers, and steer development away from aquifer recharge areas.
  • Modernize infrastructure. Capture stormwater in urban areas using porous pavement, vegetative buffers, and plantings.  Up-size culverts and bridges to withstand higher flood volumes.  Assure new development does not generate off-site stormwater.
  • Conserve drinking water. Subsidize water-efficient appliances.  Use water rates that encourage sustainable use.  Support efficiency gains with capital projects, such as leak detection and repair, water metering, real-time water use data, and informative and transparent billing.

Click here for more information about drought conditions in New Hampshire and across the United States, and here to see the 2022 NH Climate Summary.

Win with Water! is an informational series to raise awareness and provide actionable steps to public water system managers, administrators, and policy makers.