North Carolina’s year-long drought worsens in some parts of the state

More than two-thirds of North Carolina counties remain categorized as in some stage of drought, according to the latest drought map, which includes data from Sept. 8-15. Parts of Guilford and Rockingham counties in the northern Piedmont saw expansion of exceptional drought conditions, the worst category. Other parts of Guilford and Rockingham, along with Caswell, Person and Granville counties, remain in extreme drought, the second worst category.   

Drought conditions spread in the Coastal Plain, including parts of Wilson, Wayne and Duplin counties, as well in parts of Franklin, Wake, Chatham and Harnett counties in central North Carolina. Drought conditions also worsened in some parts of Cherokee, Haywood and Swain counties in western North Carolina. 

“The weather pattern is shifting toward a more active and moisture-rich setup through the end of September and into early October,” said Barrett Smith, a member of the North Carolina Drought Management Advisory Council and the Senior Service Hydrologist for the National Weather Service in Raleigh. “However, while above-normal rainfall is favored, considerable uncertainty remains regarding total rainfall amounts in the coming weeks.” 

Kerr Lake in Vance, Granville and Warren counties dropped another 6 inches to almost 10 feet below normal. Because of the lake’s low level, the John H. Kerr Dam & Reservoir along the Virginia state line has reduced hydropower generation since Aug. 29.  The level of Falls Lake in Durham, Wake and Granville counties continued to decline and was almost 4 feet below normal as it increased releases to support downstream water quality and supply. 

More than half of the streamflows across the state were in the below-normal or much below-normal range. Record lows have been recorded in the Piedmont and Sandhills, including locations at Abbotts Creek at Lexington (Davidson County), Rockfish Creek at Raeford (Hoke County) and Little Hope Creek at Seneca Place (Mecklenburg County). 

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.  More information on what the classifications mean for water systems and the public is available at ncdrought.org.  

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. The U.S. Drought Monitor map is updated weekly on Thursdays, based on conditions through the previous Tuesday. To view North Carolina’s drought map, visit ​​www.ncdrought.org.