Drought in Kentucky, August 1 to 31, 1999

After one of the wettest Junes on record, the rest of the summer was extremely dry. By the end of August, Western Kentucky was in a severe drought, according to the Palmer Drought Index. Total rainfall from July 1 through the end of August was less than an inch at many locations, including Paducah, which reported about 0.75 inch for the 60-day period. July,1999 was the driest July on record at Paducah, and August was tied for the third driest August. Most crops suffered badly from the drought, especially tobacco and soybeans. Most tobacco farmers reported they would barely break even with their crop. The soybean crop was severely affected, with yields less than 30 percent of normal. Only the corn crop fared reasonably well, mainly due to heavy spring rains, which allowed it to mature before the drought set in. Many cattle farmers were forced to begin feeding their herd hay as early as August due to lack of pasture. Disaster assistance was made available to farmers after Governor Patton requested a disaster declaration for all counties. Fields and shrubs dried out and turned brown, contributing to very high fire danger. Most counties instituted outdoor burning bans. A field fire on the south side of Paducah threatened a number of businesses along U.S. Highway 62, along with a coal train stopped on the tracks. Officials closed Highway 62 for a few hours to allow better access for fire equipment. Many other grass fires occurred, including a field fire in Ballard County that burned 10 to 15 acres and one in Marshall County that scorched 30 acres. Because most of the region relies on the Ohio River or deep aquifers for drinking water, water rationing was not mandated anywhere in West Kentucky. However, water quality deteriorated for those whose water was drawn from the Ohio River. The nearly stagnant river flow contributed to algae buildups, which gave the water a poor taste and appearance. Low water on the Ohio River made navigation more hazardous for barge traffic, so voluntary load limits were put in place from Paducah downriver to the Mississippi. Because the dry ground hardened, any vibration caused water mains to crack. The Owensboro system reported water main breaks were especially numerous there. Landscape and lawn care companies reported very slow business, requiring some to lay off workers.