Dry as a Bone
It’s no surprise that we are in a drought around here. One look out at your brown lawn is a good indication. It’s especially hard on local farmers.
”Abnormally dry” is how the National Weather Service has described Frederick County, said Terry Poole, retired Maryland Extension Agent.
The average precipitation from May through July in Frederick County is 11.59 inches, said AccuWeather meteorologist Josh Newhard. This year, just 2.13 inches of rain have fallen in the county since May 1.
The lack of rain is forcing many farmers to feed their cattle hay because the grass has dried up, and some Frederick County corn growers have decided to mow their withered corn crop, Poole said.
“It’s tragic out here,” he said.
Mt. Airy has already banned the use of sprinklers through September 15. There’s more that can be done though, to conserve water, including shorter showers, not washing your car, waiting until your washing machine and dishwasher are full before running them.
Here’s a site with some good household tips on how to conserve water in your own homes.
Also, the Frederick county site recommends this site for more water saving ideas.