Kala Kachmar , @NewsQuip2:54 p.m. EDT October 19, 2016
The state is holding a public hearing on Thursday to determine whether a drought warning will be issued for 12 New Jersey counties.
Minimal rainfall, below-normal storage in water supply reservoirs, depleted stream flow and low groundwater levels are all contributing to the drought situation, according to the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection.
Issuing a warning gives the DEP the authority to manage water resources to avoid a shortage.
All but three — Cape May, Atlantic and Cumberland counties — are under a drought watch. Counties that could soon be under a warning: Bergen, Essex, Hudson, Hunterdon, Mercer, Middlesex, Monmouth, Morris, Ocean, Passaic, Somerset and Union.