Cape Cod is experiencing a significant drought, affecting farms and gardens.
At Coonamessett Farm in East Falmouth, the pumpkin plants are suffering, because the irrigation system doesn't reach them, farmer Ron Smolowitz said.
“It's a combination of factors,” he said. “It's not just the drought, it's the fact that we've had hot weather and that, you know, we had full sun, so you get issues like sunburn on tomatoes, which … lowers their value.”
And the more he waters, the higher his electric bill, he said.
Soils on the Cape can be challenging in a dry spell, said Don Kossack, owner of Hart Farm Nursery and Garden Center in Dennis Port.
“On the Cape here, we have a lot of sandy soils, which can really get powdery dry, which is kind of tough to deal with,” he said. “Most gardens are going to need additional water to keep the plants hydrated and healthy.”
The Cape is in a Level 2 drought, called “significant” under the state’s 0-4 classification system, and Nantucket is in a mild drought, at Level 1. Drought on the Cape has persisted, at some level, since last fall.
No current drought has been declared for Martha’s Vineyard or the South Coast.
Rainfall isn’t the only factor in the rating. Heat dries out the soil and leads to more water usage.
The drought rating tracks groundwater levels in wells, according to Rob Megnia, a senior hydrologist at the National Weather Service. He said low groundwater levels are the main thing preventing the drought rating from returning to normal.
“The first half of this month, we didn't have any rainfall, and then it also got very hot, so that caused our soils to dry out … much faster,” he said. “When it starts to get hot and dry, agriculture is going to rely on more outsourcing for water,” reducing the water level in groundwater wells.
In July, rainfall was below average in southeastern Massachusetts, and temperatures statewide were two to four degrees above normal, according to the Department of Conservation and Recreation.
