Watauga County
remains in moderate state drought zone despite recent rain
By Scott Nicholson
Though Western North Carolina has moved out of the most
severe drought category, the extended dry spell continues as the
traditional growing season begins.
The most recent state drought map, which was released Thursday,
shows 12 counties in the second-worst level, severe drought; 15
counties in moderate drought, which is one level better than severe
drought; 45 counties that are abnormally dry; and the remaining
28 Piedmont counties experiencing normal conditions for this time
of year.
The North Carolina Drought Management Advisory Council rates Watauga
County in the “Moderate Drought” category, in which
water conservation and education are encouraged.
The state has also been notifying municipalities on the status
of their drought-management plans as required by a 2008 drought
law.
Under the law, municipalities that don’t have approved plans
must implement state-imposed water-reduction measures in the event
of a declaration of extreme drought.
Appalachian State University and the towns of Banner Elk and Beech
Mountain received notification that their plans were approved,
though 12 municipal water systems presented water-shortage response
plans that were insufficient, including the cities of Raleigh
and Hendersonville.
Other municipal plans are still under review.
State guidelines require that each response plan must have specific
measurements or conditions that trigger water-use reduction measures
and a method for notifying water users when conservation measures
go into effect.
Plans also must identify tiered levels of response that correspond
to drinking water shortages of increasing severity and outline
enforcement measures to ensure compliance with water use restrictions.
The National Weather Service is forecasting cloudy and rainy conditions
through Sunday for the Boone area.
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