COLUMBIANA COUNTY, Ohio - Despite the wet spring in the valley, the recent dry weather left Columbiana County in a severe drought.

21 News Chief Meteorologist Eric Wilhelm said that August was Ohio’s driest on record, and locally, August 2025 goes into the record books as Columbiana County’s driest ever.

In fact, the county is now under a severe drought D2 intensity, according to the National Weather Service.

With the drought only expected to worsen, how is this affecting those in the valley?

As for the look of the county, patches of brown are spread across farms.

As for farmers, Craig Mercer, owner of Catalpa Grove Farm, said this means more labor, and higher costs to run his farm's irrigation system.

“It's just a case of the time it takes, and the cost of the diesel fuel to run t

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