Drought conditions in central and southeast Ohio have worsened, according to the latest data from the U.S. Drought Monitor.
The online drought indicator shows that the most severe drought level, called a D-4 exceptional drought, has extended to Pickaway County and most of its neighbors. It is also stretching from Meigs and Athens counties up north to Harrison and Tuscarawas counties.
In total, 14 counties were added to the D-4 drought level. Parts of far south Franklin County are in the second-highest level of D-3 extreme drought.
Last week, the D-4 drought level was only assessed to Meigs and Athens counties.
Scott Metzger is a grain crop farmer in southern Pickaway County. He works a 3,200 acre multi-generational farm with his family.
Metzger said he expects lower yields this year.
"A lot of the soybeans are maybe knee high on me where they would normally be waist high. And the corn is quite a bit shorter this year than what it normally is," Metzger said.
Farmers like Metzger have told WOSU that they are having to harvest their crops earlier.
Metzger said he expects the yield on bushels of corn and soybeans to be about half of what last year's haul was for total bushels.
“Corn you'd normally be in that 180 to 225 (bushels) range for non-irrigated stuff. So you know, you're talking substantially less. I mean it could easily be half on everything pretty easily," Metzger said.
This disaster declaration issued by the U.S. Department of Agriculture carries with it some possibility for aid to farmers impacted by the drought.
New information from the USDA said farmers are eligible for programs like the Livestock Forage Disaster Program, if they suffered a grazing loss in their pastures. Another example is that they are providing compensation to farmers having to haul water to livestock, honeybees and farm-raised fish. Orchards and tree nurseries are eligible for cost-share assistance to replant or rehab eligible trees.
The drought is impacting farmers like Metzger throughout the region. Metzger said the aid will help.
"That gives people an opportunity that if they're to re-consolidate some of their loans, whether it's an operating line or whatever loan they may have at a lower interest rate to help combat some of that... it's a good risk management tool," Metzger said.
Climate scientists and forecasters think this may be one of the most severe droughts in Ohio history. This drought is having a big impact in Appalachian Ohio.
Ohio University’s Scalia Lab director Ryan Fogt in Athens said the ground is so dry that recent rains have just run off rather than getting absorbed by the ground. Fogt says the Hocking River is down to a near-record low level.
“The Hocking River is is almost like a trickle. It's the lowest I've ever seen it since I've been here. There's a lot of more exposed low parts of the river, and then just a small little channel that's moving through town here. So it's really almost dried up," Fogt said.
Fogt said it doesn’t look like the dry weather is expected to end for at least the next couple of weeks, if not longer.
"Unfortunately (the forecast) has for the drought persisting all the way through fall and into early winter. So not recovering, but persisting throughout this season into the next season. So not really much hope there unfortunately for that to recover," Fogt said.
Fogt said he hopes good rains come through, but the likelihood is that the drought will persist for a longer time.
