Kingstonist News - Failing fields, dry wells: Eastern Ontario’s summer of drought
“I’ve never seen lineups like there are currently at the water fill station, waiting on average an hour or more — so we have to schedule our days around getting water.”
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This recent article from Kingstonist highlights how ongoing drought conditions are affecting rural communities across eastern Ontario. With rainfall well below seasonal norms — July saw less than 40% of the usual precipitation — crops, livestock, and household water supplies have all been strained.
Agriculture Canada reported that July 2025 was among the driest on record for the region, with many areas receiving less than 40% of normal precipitation. In Kingston, for example, only 18.7 mm of rain fell, compared to a historical average of more than 70 mm. These prolonged conditions have left more than a third of farmland in drought, while home wells and livestock ponds are running low.
Producers are adapting in multiple ways—by sourcing supplemental feed, tapping into local water fill stations, and reworking farm management practices to maintain operations. Gardeners and families dependent on well water are also adjusting to new routines, with many reducing water use, altering crop choices, or adjusting harvest expectations. Municipalities, too, are responding, extending access to water stations and strengthening local support systems.
Producers like Brian Windover of Bayview Farms report near-total soybean failure, reduced corn yields and an early reliance on hay to feed cattle. Without crop insurance, many farmers are left to absorb losses while also paying more to secure feed for livestock. Hobby farmers and gardeners are facing similar struggles, with many vegetable gardens failing and wells running dry.
For rural households, the drought has made even basic needs more complex. Communities like Napanee have extended operating hours at local water fill stations to help residents access potable water, but long wait times are now part of the routine. Families are rationing water for livestock, conserving wells for cooking and hygiene, and in some cases, purchasing extra hay and feed at significant cost.
The broader impacts are also visible: reduced harvests, diminished hay stocks, increased feed costs, and higher risks of fire. Local leaders have already put burn bans in place to reduce pressure on emergency services and protect communities. Farmers and residents alike are calling for more long-term planning, recognizing that a future with more frequent droughts is likely.
The broader impacts of drought extend beyond this growing season. As eastern Ontario faces these challenges, situations like these highlight the need for long-term planning and improved water resilience strategies. National-scale initiatives like the Canada1Water project (C1W) plays an important role providing detailed hydrological insights and climate data to inform water management and agricultural decision-making. With conditions growing more variable across Canada, tools like C1W are vital in supporting communities as they navigate a changing climate and increasingly uncertain water future.