The Inter-Mountain photo by Emma Engle Local livestock, such as the above cattle grazing in Upshur County, have been affected by this year’s drought.

ELKINS — Across West Virginia, a significant drought has affected wildlife and agriculture since March of this year. Central West Virginia has been especially affected by this, and the effects have been devastating for those who rely on agricultural output to make a living.

However, the outlook for the future is positive with oncoming cool temperatures and increased rainfall, officials said.

During the summer, Randolph County was classified by the National Integrated Drought Information System as experiencing extreme and exceptional drought. During October, the county was moved to the severe drought category, one class less than extreme. Other

counties are still experiencing exceptional drought, though the area covered for exceptional drought is much smaller than in the summer months.

Jody Carpenter, a local West Virginia University agriculture extension agent, expressed concern regarding agricultural output for this season.

“The extended drought period has affected irrigation water for livestock and food production,” Carpenter told The Inter-Mountain. “In Barbour County, I’ve had some farmers with toxic algal blooms, that can be fatal for livestock, forcing them to pull those animals out. It’s a waiting game and there’s not much we can do other than removing them from that area.”

The drought, caused by a lack of rainfall and high summer temperatures, has lessened in severity. The Tygart River has risen from its drought state and the area has seen an increase in rainfall as well as lower temperatures. Access to clean city water will likely remain unaffected. However, Carpenter still urges residents to be considerate regarding their actions in this difficult time.

“For a municipality, the water is recycled, meaning it has more stability than an agricultural supply,” Carpenter said. “However, with the decrease in the quantity of water, I’d encourage folks to be more careful with water like turning off the faucet, taking quicker showers, and not watering the lawns until we can regain some of that groundwater.”

Carpenter notes that resources are available for those who are affected by the drought.

“There are some government funds available for farmers that have been affected by the drought,” Carpenter said. “Our operations rely on water, horses, sheep and cows. The funds reflect the decrease in production in the yield for farmers with crops and pounds on livestock. Those funds are available for farmers.”

The drought has severely depleted our water reserves and groundwater. Before our area can be considered clear, the area will need a couple hundred inches of rain to replenish those reserves and groundwater, officials said, adding that Randolph County residents should be conscious about household water usage for the next few months and beyond.