Water concerns disappear after repeated rain and snow events pull reservoirs back to normal. Watch video
A drought watch that has been in effect since September in 12 New Jersey counties was lifted today as regular snow and rain events eliminated significant precipitation shortfalls after a dry summer.
The state Department of Environmental Protection lifted the drought watch after reservoir, ground water, streamflow and precipitation levels returned to normal this winter after fears that the state was on the cusp of its first drought in more than a decade.
"The rainfall and snowfall have been steady and gradual, it's not like the floodgates opened up," said Larry Hajna, a spokesman for the DEP. "This is a good way of pulling out of a drought watch situation."
The counties affected are Bergen, Essex, Hudson, Hunterdon, Mercer, Middlesex, Monmouth, Morris, Ocean, Passaic, Somerset and Union. No portion of the state remains under a drought watch.
Hajna said the DEP still encourages state residents to conserve water wherever possible, but the lifting of the drought watch indicates there is no imminent danger of water shortages as the state heads toward the spring and summer.
The state issued the watch in September, weeks after an NJ Advance Media investigation showed it had been publishing faulty rainfall data.
Stephen Stirling may be reached at sstirling@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @sstirling. Find him on Facebook.