The Virginia Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) announced on April 17 that Prince George County is now under a drought warning advisory, as part of an expansion that covers the entire state with either watch or warning status.
This update comes as dry conditions have spread across Virginia, raising concerns about agriculture and wildfire risk. The DEQ said all localities in the Commonwealth are currently affected by drought advisories, following coordination with the Virginia Drought Monitoring Task Force.
The agency reports that soil moisture and streamflow levels are well below normal throughout Virginia, particularly in central and southern regions. Groundwater has also declined significantly in several areas. The U.S. Department of Agriculture has designated affected counties for possible Farm Service Agency emergency loans due to widespread agricultural impacts.
Prince George County Public Schools District enrolled 6,181 students during the 2023-24 school year, according to the Virginia Department of Education. Of these students, white students made up the largest ethnic group at 44.7%, followed by Black students at 30.4%, according to enrollment data. Enrollment increased by 1.2% compared to the previous year’s total of 6,106 students as reported by state education records.
Prince George High School had the highest enrollment among seven schools in the county during this period with 1,818 students according to official figures. North Elementary School enrolled both the largest number of pre-kindergarten students (46) and kindergarteners (119), representing over a quarter of each group countywide according to state data.
The DEQ encourages residents to conserve water supplies by minimizing use and repairing leaks while working with local governments on response plans and ordinances for drought management.
