Drought has ended statewide

For the first time in more than two years, no part of North Carolina is experiencing drought. Last Thursday's federal drought map shows that widespread rainfall in recent weeks brought improvements throughout North Carolina, most notably in 14 mountain counties that had been the state's only area experiencing drought. Fifty-three counties on opposite ends of the state remain abnormally dry, which means an area could return to drought without adequate rainfall. Alleghany County was considered abnormally dry in the report issued on May 5, but was completely free of any drought status as of May 12. A portion of the county was in moderate drought, the least severe drought status, on March 10. The county was considered abnormally dry from March 17 until May 5.

Alleghany first entered drought status in March 2007, when a small section of the Piney Creek area was first considered to be in moderate drought. As the drought progressed, the county saw its drought status reach the highest levels in fall 2007. While some improvement was seen, this latest report marks the first time the county has been drought-free and not considered abnormally dry since February 2007.

"Certainly, we're encouraged by the rainfall we've seen recently," said Dee Freeman, secretary of the N.C. Department of Environment and Natural Resources. "But it's safe to say we're cautiously optimistic about what this means for the weeks and months ahead. There's no reason people should not try to conserve water whenever possible."

"In the abnormally dry areas, a number of water table wells are below normal levels for this time of year. There is still the possibility that dry conditions can return, and we could have impacts from drought this summer."

The drought of 2007-08 was the worst in North Carolina since recordkeeping began on the subject in 1895. The drought started Feb. 13, 2007, creeping from the mountains to the coast as a lack of rainfall depleted streamflows and reservoirs to record low levels. The drought prompted many towns to enact mandatory and voluntary water conservation restrictions and helped bring about a state law that makes state and local officials better prepared to respond to future droughts.

In recent months, above average rainfall amounts have helped move much of North Carolina from a drought.