Drought in Maryland, March 1 to 31, 2002

March 2002 was the first month since August of 2001 where precipitation was wetter than normal. Precipitation events on March 2nd and 3rd, 12th and 13th, 17th and 18th, 20th and 31st resulted in above normal precipitation for the Maryland Eastern Shore. On a county weighted average, March monthly precipitation totals ranged from 4.1 inches in Cecil County to 4.6 inches in Talbot County. Normal is around 3.6 inches. At the beginning of the month 21 of the 30 gaged streams in Maryland and Delaware as well as 7 of the 17 of monitored groundwater wells were at record low levels. They were lower than the levels set during the 1950s and 1960s droughts. Flow into Chesapeake Bay was only half of normal. The drought, high salt levels in the bay and unseasonably warm weather have made disease more widespread in Chesapeake Bay and caused one of the lowest oyster harvests on record. Controlled burns were getting out of control because of how dry the ground and fuels were. Another result of the drought was the cancellation of seasonal soil testing (percolation) for anyone seeking septic tank permits because of dramatically low groundwater levels. The rains of March helped prime the soil for the spring planting and temporarily halted central Maryland (including Cecil County) from being upgraded from drought warning to drought emergency status. Nevertheless, the Maryland Department of the Environment continued its drought warning for all of the Maryland Eastern Shore. No formal water restrictions were in place, but water conservation continued to be emphasized.