Special to Iredell Free News
The Catawba-Wateree Drought Management Advisory Group (CW-DMAG) announced on Wednesday, November 1, that warm and dry weather conditions and below-average rainfall throughout the year have placed the Catawba-Wateree River Basin in Stage 1 of the group’s Low Inflow Protocol (LIP).
Stage 1 is a drought stage that requires the first phase of operational adjustments at Duke Energy’s hydroelectric facilities.
“While some areas of the basin have received scattered rainfall, the lack of widespread and consistent precipitation along with warm temperatures have resulted in increased drought conditions,” said Ed Bruce, Duke Energy’s CW-DMAG coordinator. “We will continue to monitor conditions and provide updates as needed to best protect the shared water supply available to our communities.”
CW-DMAG was established in 2006 to monitor drought status and to recommend coordinated actions for CW-DMAG members. CW-DMAG members include the area’s public water suppliers and several large industrial users withdrawing water from the river and lake system, North Carolina and South Carolina resource agencies, other federal agencies and Duke Energy.
The Low Inflow Protocol (LIP) is the drought management plan used by major users of water from the Catawba-Wateree River Basin to share responsibility and set priorities during drought conditions. Stage 1 represents the second of five drought stages in the protocol, emphasizing voluntary water conservation by all water users across the basin.
Measures to achieve this goal include:
♦ Limit lawn and landscape irrigation;
♦ Limit car washing;
♦ Turn off the tap when brushing teeth, washing dishes, or other tasks that don’t require a continuous flow of water; and
♦ Repair leaky faucets, toilets, and irrigation systems
“We want to be proactive in making our community aware of the current conditions,” said Statesville Assistant City Manager Scott Harrell. “By working together to conserve water, we can mitigate the impact of this drought.”
LEARN MORE
The City of Statesville’s Water Shortage Response Plan can be found on the city website at https://www.statesvillenc.net/water-resources.