ROCKINGHAM COUNTY, VA (Rocktown Now) — Despite the heavy sleet and frozen precipitation delivered by Winter Storm Fern, groundwater levels in the central Shenandoah Valley continue to decline. The storm coated Rockingham and surrounding counties with hours of icy mix, but the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) reports that most of that moisture remains locked at the surface and has not yet filtered into the aquifer.

Photo credit: USGS

According to real‑time USGS monitors, the region’s water table has dropped 20 feet since late July, a decline that has raised concern among hydrologists and local officials. Several municipalities now have water conservation measures in place. If levels fall another three feet, the Valley will reach its lowest groundwater point in at least a decade.

Photo credit: USGS

Experts suggest the frozen sleet and snow will eventually percolate downward, but the recharge process is slow—especially during winter, when frozen soils limit infiltration. Until then, the Valley remains in a deepening groundwater deficit, despite the recent winter storm.