OAK BLUFFS – Following several months of above-average rainfall, the Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs has announced that Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket are no longer in a state of drought, joining all other regions in the state as drought-free.
Recent rains aided the full recovery of long-term precipitation on the islands, and near recovery of groundwater, with groundwater levels on Nantucket still slightly below normal but trending in the right direction.
“After several months of experiencing drought conditions, I am pleased to declare that the Islands region has returned to normal. However, we need to continue practicing water conservation methods to enable full recovery and minimize impacts of future droughts across the State,” said Rebecca Tepper.
“The Healey-Driscoll Administration thanks those who contributed to our drought resiliency efforts,” she said. “We must take an all-of-government approach to address these challenges as we experience more extreme and frequent weather events due to climate change.”
As per the Level-0 designation, the state will continue to monitor rain and water levels throughout the state, while the Drought Management Task Force will suspend its meetings until drought conditions return.
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