47 North Carolina Counties Now Experiencing Extreme Drought Conditions
Summary
The North Carolina Drought Management Advisory Council reports that 47 counties are now in extreme drought (D3 classification), with most remaining counties experiencing severe drought. Counties in extreme drought conditions must follow their Water Shortage Response Plans and submit weekly water use and conservation reports to the Division of Water Resources. The N.C. Forest Service ban on all open burning remains in effect until further notice. Rainfall totals across the state are 10 or more inches below normal for the past six months, with groundwater and streamflow levels at near-record lows.
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GovPing monitors NC DEQ Press Releases for new environment regulatory changes. Every update since tracking began is archived, classified, and available as free RSS or email alerts — 11 changes logged to date.
What changed
The drought status update announces the expansion of extreme drought conditions to 47 North Carolina counties, up from previous levels. Water systems in affected counties are subject to mandatory weekly reporting requirements for water use and conservation status. The public is advised to check with local water suppliers for active water use restrictions.
Water utilities and local governments in affected counties should verify their Water Shortage Response Plans are activated and that weekly reporting to the Division of Water Resources is current. The ongoing open burning ban applies statewide regardless of county drought designation.
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Apr 24, 2026GovPing captured this document from the original source. If the source has since changed or been removed, this is the text as it existed at that time.
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RALEIGH - Apr 24, 2026 Drought conditions have expanded in North Carolina. Forty-seven counties are now experiencing extreme drought, and most of the rest of the state is in severe drought, according to the North Carolina Drought Management Advisory Council (DMAC).
For counties in extreme drought conditions, or D3, water systems are advised to follow their Water Shortage Response Plan and adhere to water use reduction measures. They must report weekly water use and conservation status online at the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality’s Division of Water Resource’s Local Water Supply Plan website.
The public should check with their local water supply system for any information on water use restrictions that may be in place.
“Water utilities’ websites are the best place for residents to look for information on active conservation measures,” said Klaus Albertin, chair of the DMAC. “The best time to water is the morning before it gets hot out. Less water will evaporate so less water is wasted.”
Rainfall totals recorded by gages across the state are 10 inches or more below normal for the last six months, based on data from the Southeast Regional Climate Center. Groundwater and streamflow levels across the state are also below normal levels, according to the
“Rainfall helps to replenish not only streams, lakes, rivers and drinking water reservoirs, but also groundwater levels in our aquifers,” said Gabrielle Chianese, DEQ Division of Water Resources Groundwater Resources Branch supervisor. “Currently, we're seeing near-record low groundwater levels in many areas of the state.”
The N.C. Forest Service’s ban on all open burning remains in effect until further notice.
DMAC is a collaboration of drought experts from various government agencies in North Carolina, Virginia and South Carolina, and organized by DWR. 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 our drought education page.
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Contact
Laura Oleniacz laura.oleniacz@deq.nc.gov (919) 707-8604
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