I am in Merrimack County, one of the counties in the D2 designation. While we've gotten reasonable amounts of rain and snow since October, we had almost no rain or snow melt between late March/early April last year (quite early for no snow) until fall, and we haven't gotten enough since then to make up for it - it's just been average. We are on a well so I did water the veggie garden last summer and did occasional watering of some of the ornamental plantings in late June and July last year when we had absolutely not a drop of rain for something like 6 weeks, but there are parts of NH that have quite shallow aquifers (not my area - I am in glacial lake sediments that meant we drilled forever to get a new well a couple of years ago for DH's shop). Those aquifers really need to recharge if towns are to be able to supply water to residents. I am not sure if I have ever seen the Merrimack River as low for as long as it was last summer, so I wouldn't mind getting a couple more good snow falls this spring and more rain in April-June this growing season. It does make me realize that I really should renew mulch for moisture conservation this year. Thanks for the link, Claire.

Landscape Message: Mar 31, 2017 The Landscape Message will be updated weekly April through June. The next message will be available on April 7. .................................................................................................................................................... Drought Conditions Update: Greater than 98% of Massachusetts is currently under official drought status, of that approximately 98% of the Commonwealth is classified as at least 'Abnormally Dry', 67% is classified as 'Moderate Drought', and approximately 15% is classified as 'Severe Drought'. For more information see http://droughtmonitor.unl.edu/Home/StateDroughtMonitor.aspx?MA. .................................................................................................................................................... If you go to this link, U.S. Drought Monitor - Northeast you can click on an individual state on the Northeast map and get the drought conditions for that state. .................................................................................................................................................... ....................................................................................................................................................

Landscape Message: May 12, 2017 The Landscape Message will be updated weekly April through June. The next message will be available on May 19. To receive immediate notification when the next Landscape Message update is posted, be sure to join our e-mail list. ''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''' ''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''' Drought Conditions Update: Virtually all of Massachusetts (99.99%) is not under official drought status at this time! For more information see http://droughtmonitor.unl.edu/Home/StateDroughtMonitor.aspx?MA. ''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''' From the Northeast Regional Climate Center: http://www.nrcc.cornell.edu/regional/drought/drought.html Northeast Drought Update Posted May 11, 2017 U.S. Drought Monitor The Northeast is free of drought for the first time since mid-April 2016. Moderate drought eased in Connecticut, Pennsylvania, and Maryland. Abnormal dryness eased in portions of Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, New York, and portions of Connecticut, Pennsylvania, Maryland, and West Virginia. According to the U.S. Drought Monitor released on May 11, 3% of the region is abnormally dry this week compared to 8% last week. '''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''

Landscape Message: May 19, 2017 The Landscape Message will be updated weekly April through June. The next message will be available on May 26. To receive immediate notification when the next Landscape Message update is posted, be sure to join our e-mail list. ''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''' Drought Conditions Update: All of Massachusetts (100%) is not under official drought status at this time! For more information see http://droughtmonitor.unl.edu/Home/StateDroughtMonitor.aspx?MA. ''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''' Northeast Drought Update http://droughtmonitor.unl.edu/Home/RegionalDroughtMonitor.aspx?northeast ''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''' Claire