Sep 19, 2024

Continued dry weather puts Keowee-Toxaway basin in Stage 2 drought

The Keowee-Toxaway Drought Management Advisory Group (KT-DMAG) announced that the Keowee-Toxaway (KT) River Basin has entered Stage 2 of the Low Inflow Protocol (LIP) on Sept. 17, 2024. This comes after months of warm weather with reduced rainfall, and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) recently declaring Level 2 of its Drought Plan for the downstream federal projects (i.e., lakes Hartwell, Russell and Thurmond).

Despite the moderate rain event this week impacting the Carolinas, the amount of rainfall is not enough to recover from longer term impacts of months of unusually dry weather.

Stage 2 is the third of five drought stages outlined in the LIP. Stage 0 was declared on Aug. 1, 2024, followed by Stage 1 on Sept. 1, 2024.

Water conservation is recommended by all water users across the basin.

Neighbors on Lake Keowee and Lake Jocassee who withdraw water for irrigation purposes must limit their water withdrawals to no more than two days a week (i.e., Tuesdays and Saturdays).

"The region is continuing to experience dry conditions," explained Phil Fragapane, Duke Energy’s KT-DMAG coordinator. "We want to thank residents for supporting water conservation efforts and ask everyone withdrawing irrigation water from Lake Keowee or Lake Jocassee to limit watering to the two designated days per week. Conserving water is vital for managing the continuing dry conditions," Fragapane added.

Other large water users in the Keowee-Toxaway River Basin will adjust their practices to limit water withdrawals with a goal of reducing withdrawals by 5% to 10% or more.

“We also support a collaborative approach to ensure we conserve our shared water resources by proactively planning and responding to changing conditions,” said Jeff Caldwell, Deputy Director of Anderson Regional Joint Water System. “We continue to ask that customers use water wisely.”

The LIP is a regional drought management plan used by major water users in the Keowee-Toxaway River Basin to share responsibility and set priorities for water conservation. The plan outlines specific actions for each stage.

Stages of the LIP are based on defined triggers, including reservoir storage and USACE Drought Plan status, the U.S. Drought Monitor and stream flow. These triggers are reviewed at least biweekly in LIP Stage 2 and above.

The KT-DMAG regularly reviews the drought status and recommends coordinated response efforts when the LIP is initiated. The group consists of representatives from large water users and federal and state resource agencies. The KT-DMAG and the LIP are outcomes of Duke Energy’s relicensing process for the Keowee-Toxaway Hydroelectric Project.

Learn more about the KT-DMAG at duke-energy.com/lakes/ktdmag.asp.