Press Releases

Recent rainfall helped improve drought conditions in some parts of the state, but most of the state remains in extreme or severe drought, according to the N.C. Drought Management Advisory Council. The exceptional drought classification has been removed.

Drought conditions have intensified in five counties in western North Carolina, while extreme and severe drought continue across most of the state.

As the summer water recreation season approaches, the N.C. Department of Environmental Quality's Division of Water Resources (DWR) reminds the public to avoid contact with discolored water that could indicate the presence of an algal bloom. 

The North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality’s (DEQ) Division of Water Resources (DWR) is accepting public comment through Aug. 4 on the draft 2026 basin plan for Cape Fear River Basin, the most populous and largest river basin contained entirely within the state. 

According to the N.C. Drought Management Advisory Council, extreme drought conditions have expanded across most of the Piedmont and in western North Carolina, and an area east of Charlotte is now considered to be in exceptional drought.

The North Carolina Environmental Management Commission will meet May 13-14 in the Ground Floor Hearing Room of the Archdale Building in Raleigh. Members of the public may attend in-person or join the meeting by computer or phone.  

Drought conditions have expanded in North Carolina. Forty-seven counties are now experiencing extreme drought, and most of the rest of the state is in severe drought, according to the North Carolina Drought Management Advisory Council (DMAC).

According to the North Carolina Drought Management Advisory Council (DMAC), 15 counties are now experiencing extreme drought, 79 counties are experiencing severe drought, and six counties are in moderate drought.

The North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality Division of Water Resources is now accepting proposals statewide for projects that address stream restoration, water-based restoration and water management until June 30, 2026.

La Comisión de Gestión Medioambiental (EMC) de Carolina del Norte llevará a cabo tres audiencias para escuchar los comentarios del público sobre las normas propuestas para monitorear y reducir el 1,4-dioxano, una sustancia que probablemente causa cáncer y que se encuentra en las aguas residuales vertidas en las aguas superficiales de Carolina del Norte, procedentes de determinadas instalaciones. Las audiencias son parte de un período de comentarios públicos que inicio el 16 de marzo.

La Comisión de Gestión Medioambiental (EMC) de Carolina del Norte llevará a cabo tres audiencias para escuchar los comentarios del público sobre las normas propuestas para monitorear y reducir tres PFAS (sustancias perfluoroalquiladas y polifluoroalquiladas) que se encuentran en las aguas residuales que se vierten en las aguas superficiales de Carolina del Norte. Las audiencias son parte de un período de comentarios que inicio el 16 de marzo.

The North Carolina Environmental Management Commission will hold three public hearings to receive public comment on proposed rules for monitoring and minimizing three PFAS, or per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, in wastewater discharged into North Carolina’s surface waters. The hearings are part of a comment period that began on March 16. 

The North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality’s Division of Water Resources (DWR) is accepting funding proposals until May 29 for projects seeking to restore impaired waterways impacted by nonpoint source pollution, which is caused by water runoff that carries pollutants into waterways.

La Comisión de Gestión Medioambiental (EMC) de Carolina del Norte llevará a cabo tres audiencias para escuchar los comentarios del público sobre las normas propuestas para monitorear y reducir el 1,4-dioxano, una sustancia que probablemente causa cáncer y que se encuentra en las aguas residuales vertidas en las aguas superficiales de Carolina del Norte, procedentes de determinadas instalaciones. Las audiencias son parte de un período de comentarios públicos que inicia el 16 de marzo.