90 percent of Massachusetts is experiencing drought conditions – The Boston Globe

90 percent of Massachusetts is experiencing drought conditionsBy Emily Sweeney Globe Staff,Updated July 14, 2022, 1:49 p.m.11The northeast portion of Massachusetts has been experiencing severe drought conditions, according to the US Drought Monitor.US DROUGHT MONITORThe lack of rainfall over the past four months is being felt across Massachusetts, as 90 percent of the state is now experiencing drought conditions, officials said.On July 12 Massachusetts Energy and Environmental Affairs Secretary Bethany Card declared that there was a “significant” drought in the Connecticut River Valley, central, northeast and southeast parts of the state, and a mild drought in western Massachusetts, Nantucket, and Martha’s Vineyard.According to the latest map from the US Drought Monitor, the northeast part of the state is experiencing severe drought conditions. That level of dryness means specialty crops can be impacted in both yield and fruit size; trees become brittle and susceptible to insects; fish kills occur; wildlife move to farms to find food; water quality becomes poor; groundwater declines; and irrigation ponds dry up.AdvertisementDanielle Dolan, deputy director of the Massachusetts Rivers Alliance, said the drought will not only make lawns go dry; people who use well water could even see their wells go dry. Local farmers will also be impacted due to lower harvests, she said.Get Metro HeadlinesThe 10 top local news stories from metro Boston and around New England delivered daily.Enter EmailSign Up“The local farmers are going to be struggling financially,” Dolan said in a phone interview Thursday. “We’ll see a significant impact to our agricultural economy, with smaller harvests of cranberries, corn, and tomatoes.”Dolan said there could be other impacts as well. When there’s less water, the water heats up and holds less oxygen, which can lead to fish kills and algal blooms, she said.State officials are reminding the public to limit outdoor watering. In areas experiencing significant drought conditions, outdoor watering should only be done with hand-held hoses or watering cans before 9 a.m. or after 5 p.m., when the sunlight is less strong to avoid evaporation, officials said.

90 percent of Massachusetts is experiencing drought conditions – The Boston Globe