Despite some rain this week, areas of extreme and severe drought continue to spread across the state, according to the U.S. Drought Monitor.
A dry summer put parts of Maine five to ten inches of rain 'behind,' said Nick Stasulis, co-chair of Maine's Drought Task Force. And that won't be changing anytime soon. Near and long-range forecasts show no signals of drought-reducing rainfall.
"When you have a deficit that large, getting even two, three inches of rain still doesn't get us out of the woods completely. Like that rain is not a 'drought buster,'" Stasulis said.
That's because when surface water is scarce, it becomes harder and harder for it to move underground and replenish groundwater aquafers. And that's taking its toll on well water supply.
More than 170 Mainers have reported their wells have run dry this year — more than the last four years combined according to the Maine Emergency Management Agency.
Stasulis said that short, intense periods of rain can help a little, but it depends on the type of well: whether dug and closer to the surface or a deeper, drilled one.
"If you have a drilled bedrock, it's likely that you saw little to no improvement, because this water isn't enough to work its way down into the aquifer and kind of replenish those deeper wells," he said.
Roughly half of Mainers rely on well water.
The drought affects all 16 counties. Extreme drought conditions now extend all the way across the middle of the state from east to west.