Spotty rains across North Carolina during the past week brought relief from the year-long drought to some areas, but others saw little to no improvement. Parts of the state remain in severe or extreme drought, according to the U.S. Drought Monitor report released on Thursday. Because many reservoir and groundwater levels are still below normal in these areas, the public is encouraged to conserve water.
The Piedmont and coast saw sporadic rain, with a few areas recording 2 inches or more. Most areas, however, received less than average rainfall. Parts of Guilford, Rockingham, Caswell, Person and Granville, remain in extreme drought, the second worst category, according to the latest drought map, which includes data from Aug. 11-18. Conditions in parts of Warren and Halifax counties worsened, causing those areas to be classified as extreme. Western Brunswick County continues to experience exceptional drought, the worst drought condition.
Western North Carolina saw heavier, more widespread rain resulting in continued improvements in drought conditions. Areas in Macon, Jackson and Transylvania counties improved from extreme drought to severe, the third worst category.
“After much higher-than-normal rains in July, North Carolina has settled back into a more typical summer pattern with isolated thunderstorms bringing patchy rain,” said Klaus Albertin, chair of the North Carolina Drought Management Advisory Council and Water Resources Engineer with the NC Department of Environmental Quality’s Division of Water Resources.” While many areas are still in some level of drought, these isolated showers should result in gradual improvements across the state.”
Temperatures over the last two weeks were 3 to 5 degrees above 30-year averages in some parts of the state, causing levels in streams and reservoirs to worsen, according to data from the Southeast Regional Climate Center. Streamflows at locations in the Neuse and Tar-Pamlico basins returned to the well-below-normal category. A few, such as Flat River at Bahama and Little Fishing Creek near White Oak, are at record lows. The level of Falls Lake in Durham, Wake and Granville counties, which had increased due to heavy rains in July, has started to decline again. Kerr Lake is 7 feet below normal, and officials with the John H. Kerr Dam & Reservoir along the Virginia state line are considering reducing power generation due to the lake’s low level. Levels improved in Tanasee Creek, Wolf Creek and Bear Creek lakes in western North Carolina. Lake Norman and Lake Wylie in the Catawba basin remain below target elevations. More information on what the classifications mean for water systems and the public is available at ncdrought.org.
For counties in exceptional or extreme drought, water systems are advised to follow their Water Shortage Response Plans and adhere to water use reduction measures. Systems in these areas must report weekly water use and conservation status online at the Water Use Reporting website.
Residents can check with their local water supply system for information on water use restrictions such as limits on lawn watering, car washing, or other measures. Systems may also have tips for conserving water, such as washing only full loads of laundry.
Tips for Homeowners
- Check your local water system’s conservation status, and follow any conservation measures or restrictions.
- At homes with private wells, watch for the pump cycling when no water is being used or tap water that looks muddy, as these can be signs the well is running low. DEQ's Drought Indicator Wells can provide insights into local groundwater conditions.
- Limit outdoor watering to before 10 a.m. to reduce evaporation.
- Fix leaky faucets or toilets and wait until dishwashers and washing machines are full before running them to save both water and money on utility bills.
- Use dishwashers rather than washing by hand. Dishwashers are more energy- and water-efficient, and they typically don’t need dishes to be heavily pre-rinsed.
- Use a broom instead of a hose to clean sidewalks and driveways.
- Hold off on washing your car until the drought eases or visit a commercial car wash that recycles and treats its water.
About the Drought Management Advisory Council
North Carolina maintains one of the most comprehensive state level drought monitoring efforts in the United States. Each week, the DMAC, a multiagency group of drought experts from various government agencies in North Carolina, Virginia, and South Carolina, evaluates a wide range of environmental, hydrological, and agricultural indicators to produce the state’s official drought assessment and recommendations to the U.S. Drought Monitor. DMAC is chaired by DEQ’s Division of Water Resources.
DMAC members meet weekly and submit their drought condition recommendations to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the National Drought Mitigation Center for updates to the U.S. Drought Monitor, a map of the nation’s drought conditions. DMAC’s drought map is updated weekly on Thursdays, based on conditions through the previous Tuesday. To view North Carolina’s drought map, visit www.ncdrought.org.
To learn more, visit DEQ’s drought education page.