Governor Stein Provides Update on Drought Conditions in North Carolina

Today Governor Josh Stein and Department of Environmental Quality Secretary Reid Wilson provided an update on ongoing drought conditions.

"After a dry fall in 2025, North Carolina had a very dry start to 2026," said Governor Josh Stein. "Although recent rainfall has made a dent in the problem, we're not in the clear yet. I encourage North Carolinians to check their local water system's conservation status and do their part to use water wisely."

"It may seem odd to talk about drought and continued water conservation after days of very wet weather, but we need to make up for months of extremely dry conditions," said DEQ Secretary Reid Wilson. "Everyone has a part to play in conserving water to ensure that we have sufficient clean water supplies to support our families and our economy."

"The pattern of drier weather that we've seen since last August seems to have finally shifted," said Klaus Albertin, chair of the North Carolina Drought Management Advisory Council and water resources engineer with the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality's Division of Water Resources. "We still have drought across the state, but most impacts are long term and will just take time and slightly above normal rain to improve."

Drought Updates

A wetter-than-normal July and significant rainfall from the past week have improved drought conditions in central and northeastern North Carolina, but many reservoirs remain below their normal levels for this time of year, and the public is still encouraged to conserve water. Based on reporting from the US Army Corps of Engineers, the nearly year-long drought had reduced water levels to record lows. Streamflows are now near normal except in a few areas. Groundwater levels, which are below normal for this time in a typical year, will take longer to respond.

For example, last week's rain caused water levels to rise in Falls Lake, Little River Reservoir, and Lake Michie in northern Durham County, but those reservoirs are still respectively 3.1 feet, 12.3 feet, and 8.8 feet below normal for this time of year. The water level for Kerr Lake stabilized but did not rise and is at 5.4 feet below normal pool. Jordan Lake, spanning Durham and Chatham counties, benefited the most from the recent rainfall and is close to full. Wolf Creek, Bear, and Tanasee Creek lakes in western North Carolina are still below normal levels.

Responding to the Drought

For counties in exceptional or extreme drought, water systems are advised to follow their Water Shortage Response Plans and adhere to water use reduction measures. Systems must report weekly water use and conservation status online at the Water Use Reporting website. More information on what the classifications mean for water systems and the public is available online at ncdrought.org.

Residents can check with their local water supply system for information on water use restrictions such as limits on lawn watering, car washing, or other measures. Currently, 70 systems are under mandatory water restrictions, and 68 have voluntary measures in place. Systems may also have tips for conserving water, such as washing only full loads of laundry.

Tips for Homeowners

• Check your local water system's conservation status, and follow any conservation measures or restrictions.
• At homes with private wells, watch for the pump cycling when no water is being used or tap water that looks muddy, as these can be signs the well is running low. DEQ's Drought Indicator Wells can provide insights into local groundwater conditions.
• Limit outdoor watering to before 10 a.m. to reduce evaporation.
• Fix leaky faucets or toilets, and wait until dishwashers and washing machines are full before running them to save both water and money on utility bills.
• Use dishwashers rather than washing by hand. Dishwashers are more energy- and water-efficient, and they typically don't need dishes to be heavily pre-rinsed.
• Use a broom instead of a hose to clean sidewalks and driveways.
• Hold off on washing your car until the drought eases, or visit a commercial car wash that recycles and treats its water.

About the Drought Management Advisory Council

North Carolina maintains one of the most comprehensive state-level drought monitoring efforts in the United States. Each week, the Drought Management Advisory Council (DMAC), a multi-agency group of drought experts from various government agencies in North Carolina, Virginia, and South Carolina, evaluates a wide range of environmental, hydrological, and agricultural indicators to produce the state's official drought assessment and recommendations to the US Drought Monitor. DMAC is chaired by DEQ's Division of Water Resources.

DMAC members meet weekly and submit their drought condition recommendations to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the National Drought Mitigation Center for updates to the U.S. Drought Monitor, a map of the nation's drought conditions. DMAC's drought map is updated weekly on Thursdays, based on conditions through the previous Tuesday. To view North Carolina's drought map, visit www.ncdrought.org.

To learn more, visit DEQ's drought education page.