For previously issued drought statements see the archived status reports.
Table of all counties and drought status.The S.C. Department of Natural Resources convened the S.C. Drought Response Committee on April 15 in Columbia. All areas of the state received much-needed rainfall over the past several weeks, prompting the Drought Response Committee to reduce the drought severity level state-wide. These recent much above normal rain events can be deceptive, giving the impression the drought is over; however, groundwater levels have not recharged completely in those counties where the drought was maintained.
The counties downgraded to the moderate category are Oconee, Pickens, Greenville, Spartanburg, Anderson, Abbeville, Laurens, Greenwood, Union and Cherokee. The nine counties downgraded to incipient drought are Chester, Edgefield, Fairfield, Kershaw, Lancaster, McCormick, Newberry, Saluda and York.
The drought declaration was removed completely from counties in the southern Midlands, along the coast and in the Pee Dee region.For more information about drought and to see a drought status by county map, visit the Office of State Climatology drought Web site.
According to DNR hydrologist Masaaki Kiuchi all 17 statewide stream flow gauges show no drought, "Lake levels around South Carolina are normal except in the Savannah River Basin which is still well below normal although recent precipitation has improved lake levels."
Darryl Jones with the S.C. Forestry Commission says fire season began as a busy one, but he is cautiously optimistic, "We received rain frequently enough in March and April to lower the number of wildfires around the state. If we continue to receive regular rainfall, we should make it through the rest of the traditional wildfire season with a moderate number of fires."
West Drought Management Area committee member Dennis Chastain of Pickens urged the public to look at the broader picture given the recent precipitation around the state, "Certainly we are much better going into spring and summer than we had anticipated, but the public needs to look below the surface and realize we are still in a ten-year drought cycle. We need a substantial improvement in rainfall to recharge groundwater to anything like normal."
Northeast Drought Management Area committee member Mike Hancock from Lugoff-Elgin Water Authority stated, "While most of the drought indices we consider show improvement, we encourage continued voluntary water conservation measures."
"The SC Department of Natural Resources will closely monitor the drought status and if rainfall is reduced the committee will promptly reconvene," said Ken Rentiers, Deputy Director, Land, Water and Conservation Division.
Contact South Carolina State Climatologist Dr.Hope Mizzell in Columbia at (803) 734-9568 or e-mail at mizzellh@dnr.sc.gov for more information.
DNR protects and manages South Carolina's natural resources by making wise and balanced decisions for the benefit of the state's natural resources and its people. Find out more about DNR at the DNR Web site.
| Current Drought Status by County | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Normal | Incipient | Moderate | Severe | Extreme |
| County Status |
County Status |
County Status |
County Status |
County Status |
| ABBEVILLE Moderate |
AIKEN Normal |
ALLENDALE Normal |
ANDERSON Moderate |
BAMBERG Normal |
| BARNWELL Normal |
BEAUFORT Normal |
BERKELEY Normal |
CALHOUN Normal |
CHARLESTON Normal |
| CHEROKEE Moderate |
CHESTER Incipient |
CHESTERFIELD Normal |
CLARENDON Normal |
COLLETON Normal |
| DARLINGTON Normal |
DILLON Normal |
DORCHESTER Normal |
EDGEFIELD Incipient |
FAIRFIELD Incipient |
| FLORENCE Normal |
GEORGETOWN Normal |
GREENVILLE Moderate |
GREENWOOD Moderate |
HAMPTON Normal |
| HORRY Normal |
JASPER Normal |
KERSHAW Incipient |
LANCASTER Incipient |
LAURENS Moderate |
| LEE Normal |
LEXINGTON Normal |
MARION Normal |
MARLBORO Normal |
MCCORMICK Incipient |
| NEWBERRY Incipient |
OCONEE Moderate |
ORANGEBURG Normal |
PICKENS Moderate |
RICHLAND Normal |
| SALUDA Incipient |
SPARTANBURG Moderate |
SUMTER Normal |
UNION Moderate |
WILLIAMSBURG Normal |
| YORK Incipient |
||||
| SC Drought Response Committee Meeting, April 15, 2009 Sign-In sheet | |
|---|---|
| Name & Agency | Name & Agency |
|
Warren Harris - Drought Committee Buddy Rivers - Drought Committee David Baize - SCDHEC Charles Seyton - BJWSA Steve Hammond - Duke Mitch Turner - SJWD John Westcott - Drought Committee Marion Rizer - Colleton Soil & Water District Elbert Warren - Drought Committee Chris Bickley - Drought Committee Ken Rentiers - SCDNR George Lamberty - NWS Francis Turbolino - SCEMD David Lodgeman - Governor's Office Vernon Osteen - Drought Committee Scott Willett - Anderson Regional Water Doug Young - Chickasaw Point Property Owners Assoc Brenda Nettles - Drought Committee Carol Roberts - SCDHEC Ed Bruce - Duke |
George Gallaher - Duke Mike Hancock - Drought Committee Darryl Jones - SC Forestry Commission Norman Whitaker - Drought Committee Masaaki Kiuchi - SCDNR Steven J. de Kozlowski - SCDNR Jim Wilkowski - Drought Committee David Tompkins - SC Dept. of Agriculture Kirsten Lackstrom - University of South Carolina Michael McShane - SCDNR Chairman Hope Mizzell - SCDNR Evelyn Johnson - SCDNR Brett Witt - SCDNR Mark Brug - Santee Riverkeeper Andy Fairey - Drought Committee Bill Yetman - City of Rock Hill Stuart Ames - Drought Committee John Shelton - USGS Rick Walker - Rain-Catchers.net Dennis Chastain - Drought Committee |
Find out more about the State Climatology Office at https://www.dnr.sc.gov/climate/sco/ or by calling (803) 734-9100.
