South Carolina Current Drought Status

State Climate Office                
NEWS RELEASE          DNR News 803-667-0696
June 8, 2004

A return to a pattern of below normal rainfall over the past eight months

South Carolina Drought Map for June 8, 2004

For previously issued drought statements see the archived status reports.

Table of all counties and drought status.
Drought Response Committee Meeting Sign-In sheet.

A return to a pattern of below normal rainfall over the past eight months led the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources (SCDNR) to issue an incipient drought declaration statewide. SCDNR convened the state agency members of the drought response committee today, June 8, in Columbia to evaluate the overall statewide conditions.

The state is once again facing drought conditions with most locations reporting a 5 to 10 inch rainfall deficit since January. The below normal rainfall is threatening agriculture, reducing streamflow, and beginning to make forest fires harder to control.

We are certainly not yet experiencing the dire conditions experienced during the record drought of 1998-2002, but everyone needs to be aware of the situation and industries and water systems should implement their drought plans as needed.

According to David Tompkins, the SC Department of Agriculture reports adverse impacts to crop quantity and quality. Bud Badr with SC DNR reported that streamflows are the lowest 10 percentile of flow for this time of year. Fortunately, according to David Baize with the SC Department of Health and Environmental Control, no water systems are reporting any supply problems at this time.

Larry Barr with the SC Forestry Commission also reported that wildfire losses over the past seven months have been slightly lower than average despite the rainfall deficit, but firefighters fear that the trend may be changing because fires are becoming harder to control.

The incipient drought declaration is the first level of drought followed by moderate, severe, and extreme. During incipient drought, the SCDNR activates the Drought Information Center, increases monitoring and notification of the drought status. Water systems and industries are encouraged to closely monitor conditions and implement their drought plans as needed.

If conditions continue to deteriorate the SCDNR will convene the full drought response committee in the next two weeks.

Contact Dr. 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.

Drought Status Table

Current Drought Status by County
Normal Incipient Moderate Severe Extreme
County
Status
County
Status
County
Status
County
Status
County
Status
ABBEVILLE
Incipient
AIKEN
Incipient
ALLENDALE
Incipient
ANDERSON
Incipient
BAMBERG
Incipient
BARNWELL
Incipient
BEAUFORT
Incipient
BERKELEY
Incipient
CALHOUN
Incipient
CHARLESTON
Incipient
CHEROKEE
Incipient
CHESTER
Incipient
CHESTERFIELD
Incipient
CLARENDON
Incipient
COLLETON
Incipient
DARLINGTON
Incipient
DILLON
Incipient
DORCHESTER
Incipient
EDGEFIELD
Incipient
FAIRFIELD
Incipient
FLORENCE
Incipient
GEORGETOWN
Incipient
GREENVILLE
Incipient
GREENWOOD
Incipient
HAMPTON
Incipient
HORRY
Incipient
JASPER
Incipient
KERSHAW
Incipient
LANCASTER
Incipient
LAURENS
Incipient
LEE
Incipient
LEXINGTON
Incipient
MARION
Incipient
MARLBORO
Incipient
MCCORMICK
Incipient
NEWBERRY
Incipient
OCONEE
Incipient
ORANGEBURG
Incipient
PICKENS
Incipient
RICHLAND
Incipient
SALUDA
Incipient
SPARTANBURG
Incipient
SUMTER
Incipient
UNION
Incipient
WILLIAMSBURG
Incipient
YORK
Incipient


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Sign-In Sheet

SC Drought Response Committee Meeting, June 8, 2004
Sign-In sheet
Name & AgencyName & Agency

Find out more about the State Climatology Office at https://www.dnr.sc.gov/climate/sco/ or by calling (803) 734-9100.