Getting drought conditions info to the Shelter Island public faster
The Town Board is moving to get messages about changing drought conditions out to the public faster.
In August, members of the Water Advisory Committee (WAC) discussed their observations of local conditions that are not taken into account by those who issue reports of drought conditions in New York State.
What committee members know is they had a particularly dry winter and well water levels reported by the United States Geological Survey (USGS) are lower than usual for this time of year. But of particular concern to the WAC is the reports for the Island’s four “big wells” — Congdon, Manwaring, Goat Hill and Manhanset — that are especially low compared to usual readings at this time of year.
In New York, the State Department of Environmental Conservation monitors drought conditions and issues its view of drought conditions using USGS data, but what they get is not sufficiently localized, WAC members said.
Unless Island residents were paying close attention to those concerns, they failed to be informed that conditions should be listed as moderate, with some voluntary efforts suggested.
The Town Board got the word out Tuesday, with Supervisor Amber Brach-Williams telling her colleagues that faster communication is necessary between meetings so information can be quickly posted to the Town website.
Perhaps instead of waiting for a meeting to get a report, emails could circulate to Board members who could ensure changes get posted sooner.
The committee’s recommendation now is that the condition be listed as moderate and voluntary restrictions be announced, encouraging Islanders not to water lawns between 9 a.m. and 6 p.m.
Some landscapers had expressed concern about restrictions at a time when property owners might be putting down new grass seeds and adding new plantings.
But WAC members noted new lawns and plantings are allowed to be watered until they take root. They also agreed the landscapers should be consulted in terms of recommendations they might make without threatening Shelter Island moving to conditions that could result in a full drought.
