VOA News | Monday, November 25, 2023 
Record dryness in US Northeast should change water behavior, experts say

Denver, Colorado — It hasn’t been a typical fall for the northeastern United States. Fires have burned in parks and forests around New York City. Towns and cities in a stretch from Portsmouth, New Hampshire, to south of Philadelphia had their driest three months on record, according to the Applied Climate Information System. Some reservoirs in the region are near historic lows. Major changes need to happen to avoid critical shortages of water in the future, even if that future isn’t immediate. As the climate warms, droughts will continue to intensify and communities should use this one as motivation to put in place long-term solutions, experts say. “This is the canary in the coal mine for the future,” said Tim Eustance, executive director of the North Jersey District Water Supply Commission. “People should stop watering their lawns yesterday.” Eustance wants New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy to issue a drought emergency to increase people’s sense of urgency. Here are some ways to stretch water experts said could become necessary in the Northeast. – Replenishing more water underground – One important place water is stored is under our feet. Groundwater has dropped significantly over the years in parts of Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey and New York. Groundwater makes up about half of New Jersey’s drinking water. Sprawl and concrete can make it tough for rain to replenish the water underground…Read more