What does "pronounced" mean here?

Jenkinson   Tue Apr 24, 2007 3:20 am GMT
The aquifer which had once fed the wells was pronounced dry.
Does it mean "announced " as a verb or "obvioulsy" as an adverb?
Josh Lalonde   Tue Apr 24, 2007 3:32 am GMT
It means "declared to be"
Lazar   Tue Apr 24, 2007 5:06 am GMT
I second Josh.