North Carolina Gov. Easley Encourages Voluntary Water Conservation To Avoid Mandatory Restrictions In The Future

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9/13/2007 -- Raleigh - North Carolina Governor Mike Easley called on residents throughout North Carolina to continue water conservation since rain from Tropical Storm Gabrielle did little to lessen the drought’s impact even in the coastal counties. The dry conditions are causing higher than average fire activity, record low stream flows and depleted reservoirs.

“I do not want us to get to the point where I have to order mandatory water restrictions,” Easley said. “If everyone across the state will conserve voluntarily, we should be able to avoid a situation where health and safety is threatened and I have no choice but to enact mandatory measures.”

Thursday’s federal drought map shows that 98 of the state’s 100 counties are now experiencing exceptional, extreme or severe drought – the three worst categories of drought in the four-category system. Buncombe, Henderson, Madison and Transylvania counties that were listed last week in extreme drought were moved into exceptional drought, the worst category in the four-category system. Only Carteret and Pamlico counties, which received rain from Tropical Storm Gabrielle, remained under a moderate drought. Severe drought has spread from the northern Piedmont to the Virginia border. Extreme drought, which now covers 75 counties, spread into parts of northeastern and northwestern North Carolina that had been under severe drought last week.

Numerous communities are heeding the governor’s call to implement water conservation measures, which was sent in a letter last week to mayors and county commissioners that operate public water systems. In all, 62 public water systems have enacted voluntary water restrictions and another 66 systems have put in place mandatory water usage restrictions.

Many people are heeding the state’s ban on open burning. Still, dry, windy conditions are increasing the number of wildfires in North Carolina. With nearly four months left in 2007, the state has already exceeded its annual average number of wildfires and amount of acreage burned. On average, North Carolina sees about 4,931 wildfires that burn 20,008 acres each year. As of 5 p.m. Tuesday, North Carolina had seen 5,555 wildfires that had burned 31,611 acres.

The N.C. Division of Forest Resources banned open burning Aug. 21 because of the drought and increased fire activity. People in violation of the ban on open burning will be assessed a $100 fine and are at-risk of violating air quality regulations and possible local ordinances. Outdoor burning is also prohibited in areas covered by Code Orange or Code Red air quality forecasts.

The governor continues to direct state agencies in all 100 counties to stop non-essential water use and asks all citizens to cut back their water consumption by 20 percent.

Last month, Easley asked the U.S. Secretary of Agriculture to declare most of the state a federal disaster area due to crop losses caused by the drought. Information gathered by the U.S. Farm Service Agency shows 85 counties have at least one covered crop with a 30 percent or greater reduction in normal yield.

The governor has also issued an executive order waiving certain highway size and weight restrictions for trucks to help with drought relief efforts for farmers. The order allows vehicles transporting hay or water along North Carolina roadways to drought-stricken counties to exceed the normal size and weight restrictions.

For information on current drought conditions, go online to: www.ncdrought.org. State agencies that need guidance on water conservation measures should go to: www.sustainablenc.org/neguidance.htm. To find out more information on feed for livestock visit: www.ncagr.com/drought.

Source: North Carolina Governor