With the first significant rainfall in weeks expected Thursday, farmers like Russell Holmberg won’t be lamenting having to miss a day in the fields at the peak of harvest time.

“A nice good soaking would be beneficial for everyone,” he said Wednesday.

At Holmberg Orchards in Ledyard, he said, the older, established apple trees have withstood the dry summer well and are ready for the pick-your-own season that began last week.

The young trees, though, had to be irrigated, he said, along with raspberry bushes and some of the tomato fields.

“We’d sure appreciate some rain,” he said.

Since the end of August, the southern part of New London County, along with southern portions of Middlesex, New Haven and Fairfield counties, have been in a “moderate drought,” according to the U.S. Drought Monitor, a partnership that includes the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

Rainfall totals for the year for New London County are about 16.5 inches — half of the normal average for this time of year, said Gary Lessor, meteorologist with the Western Connecticut State University Weather Center.

But the lack of rainfall, along with a late-summer heat spell that pushed the thermometer into record-breaking territory in the mid-90s in some parts of the state, is slated to end Thursday, Lessor said.

Up to one inch of rainfall is expected, along with lower temperatures, and more rain is possible Friday, Sunday and Monday, he said.

“The rain will go a long way towards helping gardens and lawns, but it may not do much for reservoirs,” he said.

In some areas of the state, he said, reservoirs are at 60 to 70 percent capacity, and voluntary conservation measures have been instituted.

“It’s definitely been stressing the trees,” he said, causing leaves to turn prematurely brown and branches to drop off. “You know it’s been dry when the weeds are dying.”

Steve Jensen, spokesman for the state Department of Agriculture, said the dry weather and intense heat of the last couple of weeks have “put virtually all fruit and vegetable crops under stress.

“Farmers are irrigating whenever possible,” he said, “but crops that typically cover a large amount of acreage such as sweet corn and many apple orchards make irrigation impractical."

Because the apple crop was well established before the drought conditions set in, the apple crop is expected to be good this year, he said.

“Most pick-your-own orchards are now open, and the apple crop in general looks very strong, but will greatly benefit from the expected rain,” Jensen said.

The state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection’s forestry director, Chris Martin, said Wednesday that he’s also hoping the forecasted rain becomes a reality.

“While this may not fully relieve the drought,” he said, “it will reduce the forest fire danger, which is rated ‘very high’ today (Wednesday).”

Last week, the state Department of Public Health’s Drinking Water Section sent an alert to public water systems around the state, urging them to monitor their water supplies carefully.

The letter said water systems may consider instituting water conservation measures and take measures to avoid water supplies hitting “trigger levels” that prompt mandatory water use restrictions.

Thus far the region’s public water supplies have been able to meet demand without imposing restrictions.

Barry Weiner, chairman of the New London Water and Water Pollution Control Authority, said city reservoirs are about 65 percent capacity, and the largest one, at Lake Konomoc in Waterford, has been deliberately drawn down further to enable contractors to install a new pump system.

“Our upstream reservoirs are in good shape, thanks to proper reservoir management,” Weiner said. “We are not at any trigger points where we have to institute conservation measures.”

Public supply wells that supply the 3,000 customers in the Southeastern Connecticut Water Authority’s systems also have ample supply to meet demand, said Josh Cansler, general manager.

“But we’re certainly keeping an eye on it,” he said.

Groton Utilities reservoir system is at about 80 percent capacity, said Rick Stevens, manager of water and water pollution abatement for Groton Utilities.

With demand at about 6 million gallons per day and a “safe yield” — the maximum amount the utility is allowed by its state permit to supply to its customers — at 12.6 million gallons per day, the system has plenty of water, he said.

One local water system has instituted preliminary conservation measures, however.

On Friday Norwich Public Utilities’ supply fell to a level that triggered a “water supply advisory,” the first phase in its response plan, said Chris Riley, NPU spokesman.

Under the advisory, Norwich Utilities' crews are monitoring water levels closely each day, and the utility has begun to evaluate possible steps to take if the situation continues, he said.

“While we believe that using water wisely is always a good idea,” he said, “we are not actively encouraging public conservation at this time.”

He said the NPU has a 246-day supply in its reservoirs, or more than 1.5 billion gallons.

j.benson@Theday.com

Twitter: @BensonJudy