While the University and City of Charlottesville have been working to minimize water use, Gov. Tim Kaine announced yesterday that eight Virginia counties have been declared federal disaster areas in response to the drought plaguing much of the Commonwealth. Though Albemarle County is not included on this list, it did receive "continguous disaster status," making it potentially eligible for some federal assistance.
The University and the Charlottesville-Albemarle community are doing everything possible to combat water loss and help the larger agricultural community, according to University Environmental Compliance Manager Jeff Sitler and Lee Catlin, Albemarle County community relations manager.
"We [University officials] are not watering anything unless it absolutely needs to be watered to survive, and we are working to notify people to limit water use," Sitler said.
Catlin echoed Sitler's mention of efforts to allay some of the drought's effects, including prohibiting car washing and encouraging residents to use paper napkins and paper plates.
The drought, however, has not reached emergency levels yet, she added.
"We may have to restrict groundwater users as well as public water users and prohibit shower use in fitness clubs if the drought continues," Catlin said.
University students have not experienced a drastic change in lifestyle on Grounds so far, according to Sitler.
"Other than minimizing water use in the dining halls, no real harsh measures have been taken that could impact student life," he said, adding that "the situation could get worse if the water level continues to decrease."
Farmers in the official disaster areas are feeling the effects of the drought. The new status qualifies these eight counties and 44 others in Virginia, including Albemarle County, to apply for federal low-interest loans to mitigate agricultural losses.
According to Hughes Swain, president of the Nelson County Farm Bureau, the loans can be used to pay for winter feed and other farm expenses whose costs have been elevated as a result of the drought.
"It's not a good picture for farmers going into the winter months," Swain added. "Farmers try to get along the best they can without the borrowed funds, but if it means selling off stock or taking a loan, the low-interest plan is a good solution."
The newly instated loan option is the result of a federal process established to evaluate the individual needs of disaster victims, said Marion Horsley, spokesperson for the Virginia Department of Agriculture.
The water level in the Rivanna Reservoir is currently calculated to be at a 120-day supply, a much larger supply compared to the 30-day supply reached during the 2002 drought, Sitler said.
According to Swain, although the situation may be difficult for Virginia farmers, the drought has not reached a crisis level yet, and federal aid will be a helpful cushion for some.
"It is a pretty serious situation, but we've dealt with it here before, and we've withstood it," he said.
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