Shenandoah County – Mandatory water conservation measures
DEQ: DROUGHT UPDATE June 25, 2026 – Much of the state has received 0.5 to 2 inches of rain during the last two weeks, which has prevented drought conditions from worsening, however, severe drought continues in many parts of Virginia, particularly where precipitation was minimal. Due to ongoing dry soils and low streamflows and groundwater levels, the Drought Monitoring Task Force (DMTF) has continued the existing drought advisory statuses for Virginia. The DMTF considered […]
A Novel Algae Species Discovered
Reported in Interstate Commission on the Potomac River Basin Newsletter, The Potomac News Reservoir, June 18, 2026 Research led by the Christova Lab at George Mason University recently discovered a novel algae species in the North and South Forks of the Shenandoah River. This mat-forming benthic freshwater cyanobacterium is described based on morphological, phylogenetic and […]
Potential HAB Sighted at NF Shenandoah River Deer Rapids Boat Launch, Report Submitted to VDH
🔍 Today, Wednesday, June 17, 2026, at around 12:28 PM, aquatic vegetation (AV), green algae, filamentous algae (FGA), and what looked like potential Harmful Algal Blooms (HAB) were observed in the North Fork of the Shenandoah River at the Deer Rapids public boat launch. The sighting has been reported to the VA Dept of Health. […]
Most of Virginia is now under a Drought Warning!
Most of Virginia is now under a Drought Warning! According to the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ), in coordination with the Virginia Drought Monitoring Task Force, the drought warning advisory has expanded to include 94 counties and 33 cities across the Commonwealth. The following areas in the Shenandoah Watershed are included in the warning […]
Lowest Flow Rates Recorded in Shenandoah River watershed!
This Shenandoah River is setting records — and not the kind we want to see! On Saturday, May 9, 2026, the flow levels in the North Fork, South Fork, and Main-stem of the Shenandoah River all fell below previous record lows, in some cases breaking nearly 100 years of recorded river flow data. These historic […]
Protect Grassland Birds and Get Paid to Do It
The Virginia Grassland Bird Initiative’s Financial Incentives Program Application is NOW Open! The Virginia Grassland Bird Initiative provides financial support for two best management practices (BMPs) that benefit both working lands and wildlife. These practices, (1) delayed haying and (2) summer pasture stockpiling, are designed to protect vulnerable grassland birds during nesting season, enhance overall […]
EMERGENCY! Groundwater in the Shenandoah River Watershed is Critically Low
Despite some recent precipitation, the Shenandoah River watershed continues to be under drought watch status due to insufficient and infrequent rainfall. Of greater concern is the ongoing lack of groundwater recharge, which has caused groundwater supplies in the watershed to drop to critically low levels. Groundwater is a vital resource for communities, agriculture, and ecosystems […]
Shenandoah River Watershed is Under a Drought Watch Advisory
September 22, 2025 | Richmond, VA – The Virginia Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ), in coordination with the Virginia Drought Monitoring Task Force, has issued drought watch advisories for counties within the Shenandoah River watershed. Affected counties include: Augusta, Clarke, Frederick, Page, Rockingham, Shenandoah, and Warren. “A drought watch advisory is intended to help Virginians […]
FOSR is committed to providing public access to our data
Friends of the Shenandoah River (FOSR) is committed to providing public access to our data. We provide unrestricted access to our Summer Weekly E. coli Testing Program results, and have made them available in four different formats to help community members easily access and understand this important information: Infographic summaries, such as this one for […]
Shenandoah Riverkeeper Spotlights FOSR’s E. coli Testing Program
In case you missed Mark Frondorf’s, the Shenandoah Riverkeeper, great radio spot on The River 95.3 FM last week you can listen to it here https://theriver953.com/river-report-8-22-25/ A big thank you to Mark for the kind mention and public support of Friends of the Shenandoah River and the work we do. Your recognition of our summer […]