Updated NC Drought Map (Asheville, Graham: property taxes, living, storage)

[mm34b]

http://www.ncwater.org/drought/graphics/weekly_dm/20070529.pdf (broken link)

[mm34b]

More than three quarters of North Carolina is now suffering from drought conditions, and several western counties are extremely dry, according to climate figures released Thursday.

North Carolina's seven westernmost counties - Cherokee, Clay, Graham, Haywood, Jackson, Macon and Swain - face the worst conditions, according to the U.S. Drought Monitor. It also said all counties west of Interstate 26 face severe drought conditions.

Asheville has seen just 11.82 inches of rain since the beginning of the year - more than 8 inches off its average, according to the National Weather Service.

Rainfall in the Triad region has totaled just .54 inches for May, which would mark the third driest May on record and the driest since 1954, the weather service said. The area in 3.7 inches below its average rainfall since the beginning of the year.

In the Triangle region, rainfall is 4.42 inches below average.

[mm_mary73]

Bottom line: CONSERVE. It is the height of arrogance to water grass when we've got food crops dying for lack of water. That well you dug for grass-watering purposes - you're depleting MY drinking water. We are all inter-dependent, like it or not. My conservation affects my neighbor - next door and in the next county. Pray for rain.

[silverwing]

Originally Posted by mm_mary73

That well you dug for grass-watering purposes - you're depleting MY drinking water.

Some of us are on wells simply as subsistence. Unless they have a large storage tank, wells really aren't efficient for
dispensing large quantities of water at one time, anyway.

I just rode thru SE Kentucky and NE Tennessee a few days ago and noticed very dry conditions there as well.
Looks like we might be in for another arid summer.

The people living on the lakes, or those who frequent them for recreation, might just have to leave their party barges
and Ski-doos dry docked this year. This was High Rock Lake during the worst of the 1998-2002 drought.
The homeowners there pitched a fit and demanded rebates on their property taxes because they were not getting full
use of their property.
http://www.awwa.org/Communications/mainstream/2003/July/Lead01_waterseriesno4-2.jpg (broken link)

For those just recently relocated to this area, get used to it. I notice that the governor has issued an official plea for
people to voluntarily conserve water NC Office of The Governor News Release (http://www.governor.state.nc.us/News_FullStory.asp?id=3919 - broken link)

If conditions worsen, some mandatory measures might be taken. In worse years, car washes were forced to close
and fines instituted against people who were caught washing their car in the driveway.

Let's hope Tropical Storm Barry brings some relief
http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/storm_graphics/AT02/refresh/AL0207W5_sm2+gif/204024W_sm.gif (broken link)