PICKENS COUNTY — The South Carolina Drought Response Committee (DRC) met on August 6, 2026, to evaluate statewide drought conditions. The DRC serves as the state’s primary drought decision-making body and determines drought severity levels as outlined in the S.C. Drought Response Act, which helps protect the state’s natural resources. The Act establishes four drought levels: incipient, moderate, severe, and extreme.
The DRC reviewed all drought indicators and determined that rainfall received over the past five weeks was sufficient to downgrade drought classifications in 21 counties.
Abbeville, Anderson, and McCormick counties were improved to Incipient drought status. Aiken, Barnwell, Beaufort, Cherokee, Chester, Chesterfield, Darlington, Dillon, Edgefield, Greenville, Greenwood, Fairfield, Kershaw, Lancaster, Oconee, Pickens, Spartanburg, and York counties were downgraded to Moderate drought status. Eighteen counties remain in Severe drought status.
Rainfall since July has improved drought conditions across the state; however, in counties remaining in Severe drought, recent summer downpours have not been enough to overcome a 10-month rainfall deficit that contributed to declining groundwater levels, streamflow, and lake levels.
Some locations have received more rainfall during the past five weeks than they received throughout March, April, May, and June combined. However, sustained improvements in groundwater levels and streamflow have not yet occurred in the counties that remain in Severe drought.
Summer rainfall can also be highly variable, with some locations within the same county receiving several inches of rain from a single thunderstorm while others receive little to no rainfall just a few miles away. Since July 1, rainfall totals in Charleston County have ranged from 15 inches in Mount Pleasant to only 2.63 inches on Edisto Island.
It can be challenging to understand why drought conditions persist when grass is green and rainfall has been normal to above normal in recent weeks. However, recovering from a hydrologic drought can take months, not just a few weeks. Recharging groundwater resources is especially challenging during the hot summer months because at least one inch of rainfall per week is needed simply to offset losses from evaporation. Areas downgraded to Incipient and Moderate drought status have experienced more widespread rainfall and significant improvement across drought indicators, including groundwater levels and streamflow.
During July, the Forestry Commission responded to 192 wildfires that burned more than 1,516 acres, well above the 10-year average. Since more widespread rainfall began in early August, fuel moisture levels have improved, and wildfire activity has returned to more typical levels. While conditions have improved, some areas along the coast remain dry, and residents should continue to burn with caution and follow all applicable state and local outdoor burning regulations.
The Committee also received encouraging reports from farmers that recent rainfall has improved crop conditions. Farms with irrigation systems reported that ponds have, in some cases, finally regained enough water to operate irrigation pumps for the first time in more than a month. However, continued normal rainfall will be needed for crops to fully recover and maintain growth.
According to the South Carolina Department of Environmental Services, 50 water systems are still requesting voluntary water conservation, and 16 water systems are requiring mandatory water restrictions.
Water systems in the Keowee-Toxaway Basin and Catawba-Wateree Basin will continue complying with the Stage 2 Low Inflow Protocol (LIP), which requires mandatory water restrictions. As part of Duke Energy’s hydro relicensing process, LIPs were established to monitor and reduce water consumption during periods of low rainfall and declining reservoir or river storage within these basins.
The S.C. Drought Response Committee will continue to closely monitor conditions and will reconvene on September 8, 2026. For more information about the DRC and the South Carolina Drought Response Program, visit scdrought.com.