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April 16, 2008

'Severe' drought status maintained for 12 counties

SC Drought Declaration map

The S.C. Drought Response Committee met April 16 in Columbia and decided to maintain the drought status at "severe" for 12 South Carolina counties ranging from the Upstate to the upper central region of the state. Fourteen counties were downgraded to moderate while 20 were lowered to incipient. Previously the drought status was at "severe" for all South Carolina counties except Jasper and Beaufort. A concern for the committee was public perception that recent rainfall over the past 60 days has alleviated the drought in some areas, but the rain events have not been enough to ameliorate the drought on some streamflows, ground water, and reservoirs.

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