Conditions of the Catawba River Basin have been upgraded to Low Inflow Protocol (LIP) Stage 1 level, members of Catawba-Wateree Drought Management Advisory Group and the Catawba Riverkeeper are urging residents to continue water conservation practices on a voluntary basis.
"Yes, we have received more rain, that is obvious," said Riverkeeper David Merryman. "But we still have received only part of the rain we normally get at this time of the year.
"We have to remember we have been in severe drought conditions in the last two years and the upper part of the basin is still in abnormally dry or moderate drought conditions. We still need to be cautious considering we don't know what spring or summer may bring."
The CW-DMAG announced last week the upgrade in the basin's condition to a Stage 1 – a status in which members of the group recommend customers be encouraged to voluntarily use caution in their water usage.
"During these times, we're getting rain, so you don't need to water your lawn," Merryman said.
CW-DMAG coordinator Ed Bruce said recent rains have helped to alleviate the drought conditions.
"But spring's increasing evaporation and a period of below average precipitation in combination with increasing downstream flow releases could quickly stress the basin just as it did two years ago," Bruce said.
Kevin Greer, assistant Public Services director for the city of Hickory, calls the recent improvement a "gradual movement to improvement," urging caution in thinking the area is in the clear now.
"You need to have a history of improvement before you call it an improvement," Greer said.
The area has seen improvement in drought status in its recent three- to six-month averages.
The six-month average of stream flow in the basin is at 66 percent of the historical six-month average.
According to information distributed by the CW-DMAG, the rainfall through March 31 has been about two inches below long-term averages. The National Weather Service is predicting above normal precipitation for April and below normal during May.
The CW-DMAG will continue to monitor drought conditions and re-evaluate its recommendations as needed through the spring. It has increased its meetings to occur on a monthly basis and has received weekly updates on the basin's condition. Members include the area's public water suppliers and large industrial users that take water from the basin, North and South Carolina agencies, the U.S. Geological Survey and Duke Energy.
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