North Carolina drought expands in some parts of the state

Two-thirds of North Carolina counties are categorized as in some stage of drought, according to the latest drought map, which includes data from Aug. 25 - Sept. 1. The northern Piedmont recorded a quarter inch or less of rain during the week, with drought conditions expanding. Parts of Guilford, Rockingham, Caswell, Person and Granville counties remain in extreme or exceptional drought, the two worst categories, respectfully.  

Drought conditions spread in the northern Coastal Plain, including parts of Warren, Halifax, Franklin and Nash counties that are categorized as in severe or extreme drought. Kerr Lake in Vance, Granville and Warren counties dropped 10 inches to 8.3 feet below normal, and officials with the John H. Kerr Dam & Reservoir along the Virginia state line began reducing hydropower generation on Aug. 29 due to the lake’s low level. 

“With the forecast for continued hot and dry conditions over the next week, we expect the drought to worsen again,” 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. “We anticipate drought conditions to improve this fall due to the El Nino pattern, but it will take time.” 

Areas in the Sandhills and coast received 1 to 2 inches of rain during the week, slightly improving drought conditions in a few counties. Part of Brunswick County, however, remains in severe or extreme drought, with the western part of the county classified as in exceptional drought, the worst category. 

Streamflows across the state dropped sharply. Streams in the central part of the state were well below average and some had record lows. Including locations in the Yadkin, Upper Cape Fear, Neuse and Tar-Pamlico rivers. A few, such as the Little Yadkin River near Dalton in Stokes County and Ryan Creek south of US Highway 220 in Guilford County, are at record lows. The level of Falls Lake in Durham, Wake and Granville counties continued to decline and was more than 3 feet below normal as it increased releases to support downstream water quality and supply. 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.  Visit DEQ’s Water Conservation page for more tips on how to conserve water.   DEQ's ​​Drought Indicator Wells can provide insights into local groundwater conditions.        

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.