(8/4) The Emmitsburg commissioners were to have considered, at their August meeting, the imposition of Phase-2 water restrictions, which would have placed compulsory water-use restraints on users, but, instead, voluntary restriction will remain in place.

Mayor Don Briggs and the commissioners voted at their July meeting to enact voluntary water restrictions, following several weeks of ‘abnormally dry’ weather in Frederick County, and across the state in general, and the declaration that North Frederick County was in a state of moderate drought.

But even as the August meeting was about to begin, summer storms had found a means of breaching the Catoctin Mountain, and Rainbow Lake, which serves as the municipal reservoir, and the town wells, began to show that water levels were beginning to rise towards potential normalcy.

In addressing the impending implementation of Phase-2 at the August meeting, Town Manager Cathy Willets said, regarding the optimum well levels, “The wells came back up some since the end of June. None are terribly low for immediate concern. We're still in really good condition.”

She stated that as of August 3, the lake is at 15.5 feet, noting that, normally, it is at 16.6. The difference is about one foot below its spillway level.

She further noted, “(Regarding) Well No. 1, we're a foot to the good; Well No. 2, we're four-feet to the good; and then Well No 4, we're two-feet to the good; and Well No 5, we're one-foot to the good; so the wells have come up.” Well No. 3 had previously been taken off-line due to a higher level of alkalinity.

Concerning rainfall, the town manager said “We do six month increments (in measuring precipitation), so the amount of precipitation for February 1 through July 31 (on average) is 23.3", and we received 18.6". So we are in a deficit of 4.7". We only received .9" of rain in July.” This, of course, does not reflect the ongoing storms that have been occurring since the end of July.

Willets said that she had consulted with Water & Sewer Superintendent Dan Fissel, and that, “Right now, we have no problem with continuing with voluntary water restrictions.” The status of the water supply would be re-assessed at the commissioners' September meeting.