Despite several summer storms hitting the region, the drought in Virginia continues to be serious.
On Friday, the National Park Service closed Shenandoah National Park’s streams and rivers to fishing due to “low flows and high water temperatures,” according to a news release.
Most of Northern Virginia is under a drought warning and the entire state is under a drought watch. In the D.C. area, Loudoun, Prince William, Arlington and Fairfax counties were all affected by the warning.
NPS said that some stream flows in the park are “completely dry.” This has caused extremely “stressful conditions” for fish because of depleted oxygen levels.
The park was also closed to fishing because of drought conditions in 2021 and 2023. NPS says such closures are rare.
NPS will lift the fishing ban when stream conditions improve, the release said.
The Virginia Drought Management Task Force says Virginia also experienced a high-impact drought during the late summer and fall of 2023 that was a “primary factor in several major wildfires, including the Matts Creek Fire in the Jefferson National Forest.”
Residents can check the current drought conditions in their area on the drought map here.
Get breaking news and daily headlines delivered to your email inbox by signing up here.
© 2024 WTOP. All Rights Reserved. This website is not intended for users located within the European Economic Area.
