‘Unprecedented’ drought hits Lancaster County. Will the entire Rock Hill region follow?

Lancaster County is now part of an unprecedented drought blanketing eastern South Carolina, according to the state’s top climatologist . York and Chester counties aren’t far behind it.

All 46 counties had normal drought conditions ahead of Tuesday’s South Carolina Drought Response Committee conference call. Every county was upgraded to some level of drought following it.

York and Chester are two of 12 counties listed as incipient, the first of four severity levels. Another 19 counties are in the next level, at moderate drought.

A 15-county area from the midpoint of South Carolina to its eastern beaches and the North Carolina state line — a region that includes Lancaster County — jumped directly to the third level, or severe, drought. Only an extreme drought listing is worse.

The state drought committee typically avoids even a two-level increase, state climatologist Hope Mizzell said in a news release after Tuesday’s call. Moving counties straight from no drought to severe hasn’t happened before now.

Weather hasn’t followed typical patterns, Mizzell said, with a wet winter and spring followed by dramatic change in June.

“The rain stopped,” she said, “and the thermostat soared.”

What impact does drought have across SC?

The drought group lists crop, livestock, stream flow and wildfire risk impacts with the ongoing hot and dry weather. Many parts of the state received less than 2.5 inches of rain since early June, coupled with triple-digit temperatures.

Farmers have lost or seen stressed corn crops, delayed soybean planting and lost grass for cattle to feed on, Lancaster Conservation District chairman and drought committee member Joe Ghent said in the drought release.

More than 200 wildfires burned over 1,200 acres since June 1, according to the South Carolina Forestry Commission. Fires are up 77% and burned acreage is up 214$ compared to the state’s 10-year average for that time period.

Streams are down statewide. The Little Pee Dee and Black rivers in particular are nearing critically low levels, according to the drought group. Larger reservoirs haven’t dropped as significantly due to higher rain levels earlier in the year.

Is Lake Wylie impacted?

Drought upgrades are important because they can trigger water conservation measures across the region.

Duke Energy has a drought response system that uses its 11 Catawba River basin reservoirs to even out water levels through varied flow releases. Duke Energy also works with municipalities that draw water to coordinate conservation efforts.

Duke Energy released a statement tied to three of its lakes on July 1. They noted drier than normal weather has created lower levels in Lakes James, Norman and Wylie.

Lake James is the headwaters source in the North Carolina mountains. Lakes Norman and Wylie are the largest lakes in the middle of the two-state river chain. Duke Energy uses those three to level the entire system during abnormally wet or dry weather.

On Wednesday morning Lake Wylie sat at its target level for this time of year.

Lake Wylie dipped between a couple of inches and half a foot below that target each day prior, since June 21. Those levels come after Lake Wylie topped its target level throughout the spring, at times by more than a foot.

Lake Norman, the largest reservoir on the Catawba River chain, sat more than a foot below its target level Wednesday morning. Lake Norman was about a foot and a half above its critical low level, a point where public utilities can be impacted.

Lake James was almost a foot below its target level Wednesday, but still more than two feet above its critical low point. Five of the 11 reservoirs were below target levels. Mountain Island Lake, Charlotte’s drinking water source, was more than a foot above its target level.

The drought committee in South Carolina asked all water systems statewide to review drought response plans and use them as needed. State conditions will be reevaluated July 24.

North Carolina drought status

The Drought Management Advisory Council in North Carolina lists conditions by all or parts of counties. As of July 2, all of the state is in one of five drought status listings.

All of Mecklenburg, Gaston, Union, Cabarrus and Lincoln counties are in abnormally dry conditions. That’s the lowest severity level.

Most of the state — 69 counties across most of central North Carolina — are the next level moderate drought. Mainly on the eastern side, the state has 10 counties in severe drought. Only extreme and exceptional drought listings are worse.

If drought conditions in either state warrant cutbacks from water users that impact irrigation, washing cars or the like, municipal water providers will communicate them directly to customers.

Because Duke Energy works with a range of municipal systems, community rules often are similar if utilities have to enact them.