Water level at Falls Lake in Raleigh shows impact of NC drought
North Carolina's drought is worsening, and the Triangle is in need of rain. Falls Lake, which supplies water to the city of Raleigh, is three feet below its normal level.
A drought monitor released Thursday shows North Carolina's moderate, severe and extreme drought conditions have expanded, and parts of Wake County, Durham and Chapel Hill are now in moderate drought stage.
North Carolina’s Drought Management Advisory Council (DMAC) classified nine western North Carolina counties in the Extreme Drought category for the first time since 2017. The counties in the extreme drought category include:
- Cherokee County
- Clay County
- Cleveland County
- Graham County
- Henderson County
- Macon County
- Polk County
- Rutherford County
- Transylvania County
The lower water level at Falls Lake is not unusual for this time of year, because summer and fall are drier seasons.
The lake levels are currently at 84% for water supply. According to Raleigh's water resources manager, that's still a healthy volume.
"A low level in March is much more worrisome than a low level in October or November," said Ed Buchanan with the city of Raleigh. "By way of example, during the drought we had in 2007 and early 2008, the winter was very dry, and that is something we would obviously keep an eye on."
The lake level is not yet concerning, but rain is still needed.
According to WRAL meteorologist Aimee Wilmoth, only 0.02 inches of rain has fallen this month, which is 1.67 inches below normal. Rain totals for the year are at 36.46 inches, which is 4.7 inches below normal.
According to Wilmoth, as of Thursday, this month is the second driest November on record at RDU.
On Thursday areas of western and central North Carolina are in the severe drought category, and the southwestern portion of the state was in extreme drought.
There is some good news. This winter, we are in an El Niño weather pattern for the first time in years. El Niño usually means a wetter winter than normal with more snow in the forecast, which should help water levels at Falls Lake.
