This summer’s drought was a wake-up call for citizens of the Tri-State Area who take our water resources for granted. Areas across the United States suffered from droughts. October was the driest month recorded in the lower 48 states since the 1800s. Eastern Ohio and parts of West Virginia and Pennsylvania broke records for deficits of rainfall. More than half of Ohio saw some degree of drought designation.

Ryan Fogt, a climatologist and meteorology professor at Ohio University, said, “It’s really kind of uncommon actually for Ohio.” Our home in Harrison County remains in the exceptional drought range.

West Virginia was no different, experiencing the worst drought in over two decades: “The USDA reported the condition of corn, soybeans, apples, and peaches were in very poor, poor, and fair categories, with none in the good or excellent categories.” Farmers in West Virginia and Ohio had to buy feed for livestock as their pastures dried up. Some sold livestock and others dipped into winter feed. Designated areas were set up in the Tri-State Area to allow farmers access to water for their livestock. We saw these areas along Tappan Lake where we live. Streamflow, groundwater levels, lake levels, and reservoir levels dipped lower and lower as the summer progressed.

The Tappan Lake region has been in an exceptional drought since July. June saw a record number of days with temperatures higher than 90 degrees with literally no substantial rainfall. As of Oct. 25, it was reported there had been 36 days this year where the high temperature has reached at least 90 degrees in Columbus. The last time the temperature reached at least 90 was Sept. 22.

The heat and lack of rain have taken a toll on farmers, and others, as well. Woodland streams dried up altogether. Most rural residents rely on well water or in some cases spring water for their water source.

We installed a 700-gallon cistern to use for watering our large garden, but without rainwater, that water source was eventually depleted. We went into water conservation mode and stored our wash water in a graywater tank to use for our tomatoes. There was no car washing or any unnecessary use of water.

Studies show that climate change has and will continue to play a role in droughts. It’s been reported that “drought can reduce forest productivity, cause vegetation shifts, and diminish the capacity of forests to provide ecosystem services.” This includes the ability to store carbon. “Globally, forests absorb nearly 16 billion metric tons of carbon dioxide per year, and currently hold 861 gigatons of carbon in their branches, leaves, roots and soils.”

Our area is made up of mixed mesophytic forests, where tree and plant species diversity is very high. Our forests in SE Ohio are home to the Hellbender salamander. This salamander can reach up to 24 inches in length. The Tennessee-Cumberland, Mobile and Ohio river basins of this and adjacent ecoregions are primary freshwater biodiversity hotspots in the temperate world.” However, in the past 40 years there has been an estimated 80 percent decline in Hellbender populations. Some of the decline, according to a 2021 study in the American Midland Naturalist, can be attributed to changes in the landscape, including “widespread habitat degradation and alteration” from fossil fuel extraction.

Sadly, our freshwater lakes and streams are not valued as ecosystems for freshwater species, instead they are just another commodity extracted from our communities by oil and gas companies for pennies on the dollar.

A recent 2023 study from Ohio Northern University found, “fracking is episodically reducing small Eastern Ohio River basin stream levels,” and though stream flow reductions occur infrequently, they “could have lasting negative impacts on the stream biota and have the potential to affect downstream users, including regionally-endangered species. The stream ecosystem might be severely impacted.” Christopher Spiese, one of the researchers, said, “I was also naively surprised at how difficult it was to find water source locations for well pad permits,” noting that the amount of fracking in Ohio makes it “almost impossible” to determine where the fracking water is coming from specifically.

The area’s lakes also saw significant impacts from the drought. Boat docks at Tappan Lake buckled as the water levels dropped and low lake levels left boats stranded at Atwood Lake. At one point the water sales conducted by the Muskingum Watershed Conservancy District to Encino Energy for its well pads at Atwood Lake were reduced by 75 percent, to 500,000 gallons a day, down from 2 million gallons a day. The MWCD also sells water from Leesville Lake to Encino.

The MWCD has a long history of selling water to fracking companies, dating back to 2012. After environmental concerns about water withdraws were expressed in 2012, the MWCD signed an agreement with U.S. Geological Survey to do a study of Tappan, Leesville and Atwood lakes for water usage issues. The report however, “assumed historical lake operations were successful in maintaining seasonal pool levels.” Currently, Tappan Lake elevation is 897.4 feet above sea level and two feet below summer pool levels of 899.3 feet. The lake has been below summer pool all season. Studies need to reflect the ongoing possibility of these droughts.

According to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources, “any facility with the capacity to withdraw more than 100,000 gallons of water per day (70 gallons per minute) must register that facility with the Ohio Department of Natural Resources, Division of Water Resources.” Private property owners who have access to surface water also are trying to cash in on water sales. This can be seen along state Route 800 near Dennison, where local residents and businesses with access to the Stillwater and Little Stillwater creeks have set up commercial operations to sell water.

As this drought continues, oil and gas companies continue to remove surface water from our region for fracking. Water hoses and pumps can be seen located close to fracking wells as they withdraw water from woodland streams.

The USGS estimates that between 1.5 and 16 million gallons of water can be used per fracked well. The Association of State Drinking Water Administrators said, “Watersheds where the greatest amount of water was used for fracking include those found in the Marcellus and Utica Shale formations covering parts of Ohio, Pennsylvania, West Virginia and New York.”

To add insult to injury, that precious, clean water will end up as wastewater from fracking well pads. The brine trucks hauling waste to Class II injection wells along the lake roads are a constant reminder of this careless use of our water by out-of-state oil and gas companies.

Water used for fracking becomes forever contaminated with toxic fracking chemicals as well as Radium-226 and Radium-228. This radiation is naturally occurring deep in the bedrock of Marcellus and Utica shales. These water-soluble isotopes become dissolved in fracking fluids during the process of fracking. The tankers are labeled as being brine, but they are in reality a toxic, radioactive brew.

Recently, we biked the Conotton Creek bike trail near Scio. We were shocked at the low water levels in the Eagle Pond close to mile 9 on the trail. This pond is fed primarily by the Conotton Creek. This creek has been used by oil and gas companies as a water source. We saw hoses in the stream last summer.

Isn’t it time to put a stop to this irrational and irresponsible use of our water resources for fossil fuel extraction?

(Pokladnik, a resident of Uhrichsville, holds a bachelor’s degree in chemistry, master’s and doctorates in environmental studies and is certified in hazardous materials regulations.)