Despite some showers and thunderstorms over the weekend, 10 counties in southeastern North Carolina counties are in moderate drought due to a lack of rain and hot temperatures. Thirty-one counties, mostly in the eastern part of the state, are abnormally dry. That means drought conditions are possible if dry conditions persist. Klaus Albertin, Chairman of the North Carolina Drought Management Advisory Council said in a news release that streams, groundwater levels and inflows to reservoirs are affected by the unusually hot and dry conditions. He added water systems are seeing increased demand as well. Last week, the U.S. Forest Service issued a burn ban for 18 counties in Eastern North Carolina, including Beaufort, Carteret, Craven, Duplin, Jones Lenoir, Onslow, Pamlico, Pitt and Washington Counties.
The North Carolina Drought Management Advisory Council advises residents in counties under moderate drought conditions to:
Adhere to local water use restrictions.
Participate, as appropriate, in regional and local coordination for the management of water resources.
Stay informed on drought conditions and advisories (www.ncdrought.org).
Project water needs and available water supply for a ninety day period from the issuance of this advisory.
Assess your vulnerability to the drought conditions and adjust water usage to prolong available supply.
Inspect water delivery system components (e.g. irrigation lines, fixtures, processing equipment, water system lines, etc.), repair leaks and ensure that existing equipment is operating as efficiently as possible.
Minimize nonessential uses of water.Implement available public awareness and educational outreach programs emphasizing the need to conserve water.
