Gothamist
A non-profit newsroom, powered by WNYC.
Gothamist
Listen Live
News
Drought watch expands to 50 counties in New York, including Hudson Valley
By
Giulia Heyward
Published Sep 11, 2025
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
Never miss a story
Email address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .
Getty Images
By
Giulia Heyward
Published Sep 11, 2025
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
We rely on your support to make local news available to all
Make your contribution now and help Gothamist thrive in 2026. Donate today
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
A statewide drought watch now covers 50 counties in New York, including Rockland, Orange, Ulster and Dutchess.
The Hochul administration is urging residents to cut back on water use, especially those who rely on private wells, as groundwater and stream levels remain below normal following a dry summer.
Reports of below-average precipitation over the last several months, as well as diminished stream flows and groundwater levels, prompted the expansion of the drought watch.
Gov. Kathy Hochul said she made the call after consulting the state’s Drought Management Task Force and federal agencies across regions, including the Catskills and Finger Lakes.
“The dry conditions experienced by many regions throughout the summer are continuing into September,” she said in a statement Wednesday. “New York state experts are closely monitoring data and conditions on the ground to safeguard our water supplies and recommend appropriate action, which now includes taking simple steps everyone can do to help conserve water.”
There are no mandatory restrictions in place under a drought watch, which is the first of four advisory levels issued by the state, followed by warning, emergency and disaster.
Counties under New York’s expanded drought watch now cover much of the state, including areas just north of New York City.
Residents are being asked to voluntarily limit their water use. That includes watering lawns less often, only washing full loads of laundry and taking shorter showers.
The newly added counties include: Albany, Allegany, Cattaraugus, Columbia, Cayuga, Chemung, Delaware, Dutchess, Fulton, Greene, lower Herkimer, Livingston, Montgomery, Oneida, Onondaga, Ontario, Orange, Putnam, Rensselaer, Rockland, Saratoga, Schenectady, Schoharie, Schuyler, Seneca, Steuben, Sullivan, Tompkins, Ulster, Washington, Wyoming and Yates.
A full list of all counties under the state’s drought watch is available here.
New York City, which briefly faced its own drought warning last fall, lifted its advisory in January after back-to-back months of heavy rainfall and early snow helped replenish reservoirs that supply the city.
The temporary shortage also forced the city to pause maintenance on the Delaware Aqueduct, a key pipeline from the Catskills, to keep water flowing.
Tagged
Health and Science
Kathy Hochul
environment
new york state
Giulia Heyward
Giulia Heyward is a breaking news reporter on the Day-Of desk. She previously worked at NPR, as a breaking news reporter, and the New York Times, as a reporting fellow on the national desk. Her work has also appeared in CNN, The Atlantic and Politico. Got a tip? Email [email protected] or more securely on signal at 917-715-1458.
Read more
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
MORE news
Parents grumble as NYC schools chancellor dodges calls for NYC schools integration plan
Journalist Nikole Hannah-Jones said she felt disappointed by the lack of details.
By
Jessica Gould
Published Oct 20, 2026 at 10:01 p.m. ET
Driver found with apparent gunshot wound on George Washington Bridge, officials say
The westbound upper level was closed Tuesday night as Port Authority police investigated the incident.
By
Charles Lane
News
Driver found with apparent gunshot wound on George Washington Bridge, officials say
The westbound upper level was closed Tuesday night as Port Authority police investigated the incident.
By
Charles Lane
16 arrested in New York auto insurance fraud crackdown involving nearly $500K
By
Giulia Heyward
Coney Island's small, 1890s lighthouse may be landmarked by the city
By
Catalina Gonella
New renderings are out for Queens' Metropolitan Park casino
By
Willow Higgins
Never miss a story
Catch up on the most important headlines with a roundup of essential NYC stories, delivered to your inbox daily.
Sign upEmail address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .