The Delaware River is in a state of drought emergency -- meaning the River and many of its tributaries are far below normal levels for this time of year. But thanks to backup reservoirs, water is still flowing. According to Delaware River Basin Commission spokesperson Chris Roberts, those whose drinking water comes from other sources are much more likely to feel the effects of a drought.

" I think people on groundwater get the message when the well goes dry. Groundwater is a lot slower to recover than say reservoir storage when you get a heavy rain and you get runoff directly into the reservoir... With groundwater the infiltration is a much slower process."

Roberts says a single tropical storm could bring enough rain to put the Delaware River back on track. But it would take several months of steady rain to make up for years of low groundwater levels.

"Some areas if you go back 12-18 months, Philadelphia for instance, you're looking at 12-13 inch deficit. So you really need to make that up, and droughts usually take a while to occur and it usually takes some time to get out of them, so I don't think you're going to see that overnight."

Roberts says water usage is at its highest during the summer -- with people watering lawns, washing cars, and filling swimming pools, while rainfall is typically low, give or a take a hurricane or two.

More information's available on the web at GreenWorks.tv. I'm Brad Linder.