FARMVILLE – The drought watch hasn't gotten better.

It has grown worse.

And become bigger.

The Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) is maintaining the Drought Watch declaration for the Appomattox River basin this month and, for the first time, extending it through the region to include the Middle James River basin in central Virginia.

“The drought watch advisories have been expanded because conditions identified in the state's Drought Assessment and Response Plan have declined,” DEQ states in a report on its website.

According to the Virginia Drought Monitoring Task Force, the main factors for the expansion of the Drought Watch include:

Precipitation amounts since October 1 have totaled less than 55 percent of the normal amounts expected for this time of year.

Stream flows levels have dropped.

Ground water levels are low.

“Precipitation, stream flows and ground water levels continued to decline throughout November, during a time when rebounds normally occur,” DEQ states.

According November precipitation data collected by WFLO, the National Weather Service's Official Cooperative Observer for the area, only .54 of an inch of rain fell in November, far less than the month's normal rainfall of 3.11 inches, bringing the year's precipitation deficit to 8.58 inches as the calendar turned to December.

DEQ declares that “in response to these conditions and to increase public awareness of the potential for a significant drought event, (DEQ) has issued 'drought watch' advisories for the Upper James River basin and the New River basins, and extended the existing advisory for the Appomattox River basin to include the entire Middle James River region.”

That means the entire region, with Buckingham, Cumberland and Appomattox Counties included in both the Appomattox River and Middle James River basin drought watch advisories.

Prince Edward County and the Town of Farmville are included in the Appomattox River basis declaration.

DEQ is encouraging, but not yet requiring, localities, public water suppliers and self-supplied water users to voluntary conserve their water use.

These steps are urged:

Minimize nonessential water use.

Review existing or develop new local water conservation and drought contingency plans, and take conservation actions consistent with those plans.

Continue monitoring the condition of public waterworks and self-supplied water systems in partnership with the Virginia Department of Health.

Impose water use restrictions when consistent with local water supply conditions.

Aggressively pursue leak detection and repair programs.

DEQ had placed the Appomattox River basin in Drought Warning status in mid-August, keeping it in September, reflecting the extreme conditions that developed in August and July.

On July 31st the Appomattox River recorded its lowest-ever flow in Farmville for any previous July 31st, the lowest flow on that date in 86 years.

Farmville's rainfall deficit reached 10 inches in July.

The Drought Warning designation was lowered to Drought Watch status in October, which is where November found itself in the Appomattox River basin.

The Appomattox River basis still finds itself there and now it has company.