drought

March and April of this year ranked as the seventh-driest on record in New Jersey. Overall, Spring 2016 delivered an average of 9.39 inches of rain, nearly three inches below normal.

Obama issued a presidential memorandum and separate action plan Monday that sets forth a series of goals for the federal government. They include sharing more information about drought risks with state, regional, tribal and local authorities, and improving coordination of federal drought-related activities.

Four straight days of rain have replenished several key reservoirs in Northern California, delighting a state in its fifth year of drought and raising hopes that water-use restrictions might be eased.

Four years of drought and heavy reliance on pumping of groundwater have made the land sink faster than ever up and down the Central Valley, requiring repairs to infrastructure that experts say are costing billions of dollars.

With the sustained dry weather and not much precipitation in sight, many New Jerseyans are being urged to voluntarily cut down on their water usage.

We haven't had any significant rainfall in the Garden State in a couple of months, and there is growing concern a drought could soon be declared in parts of New Jersey.

Normally rainy cities in Washington state took the unusual step on Tuesday of asking residents and businesses to voluntarily cut back their water use by 10 percent, in response to unusually hot and dry weather.

California says water use fell by 27 percent in June, passing governor's conservation target.

It was just about a month ago when New Jersey was on the verge of a potential drought, but a wetter-than-average June has erased the possibility.

New Jersey has been on the precipice of drought conditions in recent months, but the recent rainfall has made a big difference.