News about drought conditions in North Carolina

Current Drought News

Drought Conditions in Western North Carolina Even Worse Than Last Year
Released: 8/11/2008
Streamflow in the French Broad River at Asheville has reached the lowest level since 1895 when the U.S. Geological Survey first began making measurements at the site. On Sunday, the streamflow was about 121 million gallons per day (Mgd), or 188 cubic feet per second.
 
Previously, the lowest flow at the site occurred in 2002 when the flow was 139 Mgd. Before 2002, streamflow in the French Broad River at Asheville had not been below 155 Mgd since 1925.
 
Last year, when much of North Carolina was in exceptional drought, the lowest flow in the French Broad was 199 Mgd.

Lowest Streamflows in More Than 110 Years for Some North Carolina Rivers as Drought Worsens
Released: 8/31/2007
August was a hot, dry month in North Carolina bringing record lows to many of the state's rivers and streams and worsening the drought conditions.
 
The lowest average August streamflow in 110 years of record was recorded on the Tar River at Tarboro. The lowest average August streamflow on record was measured at 12 other monitoring stations in the state, with 9 of those sites located in central North Carolina, 2 sites in the coastal plain, and 2 sites in the mountains. All of these sites have at least 35 years of record, and most of the sites have more than 50 years of record.

Record Low Water Levels in May for North Carolina Rivers
Released: 6/8/2007
Despite some rainfall at the end of the month, streamflows during May in North Carolina were at or near record low levels, particularly in the western part of the state.
 
The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) has been monitoring and recording streamflow for more than 100 years at many locations throughout North Carolina, including the French Broad River at Asheville, which has been continuously monitored since 1895. Streamflows at this location in May were at or below the streamflow recorded on the same date in 2002, during the most recent severe drought.