While rainfall from Tropical Storm Debby cleared the majority of a statewide drought in August, drought continues to increase in lakes and land in the northwestern part of the state.
This week, the Keowee-Toxaway Drought Management Advisory Group, a partnership led by Duke Energy, announced that the Keowee-Toxaway River Basin has entered a Stage 1 drought. The area includes Lake Keowee and Lake Jocassee, both of which are below their normal levels, according to Duke’s data.
In a news release Tuesday afternoon , the advisory group requested that residents along the lakes who use the water to irrigate limit their withdrawals to Tuesdays and Saturdays and only withdraw what is necessary. The group encouraged water conservation across the basin .
The remaining storage in Lake Keowee and Jocassee is balanced weekly with the storage in the three U.S. Army Corps of Engineer lakes: Hartwell, Russell, and Thurmond. When in drought, Duke conserves storage by only releasing the required amount of water from Lake Keowee, Duke spokesperson Ben Williamson said in a statement to the Greenville News.