|
On Tuesday morning, Aug. 27, the
remaining water supply pool in Falls
Lake was at 59 percent and the lake
level was continuing to drop, falling
just below 247 feet later that day.
The lake is the only water
source for 410,000 people in Raleigh’s
water system, which includes Wake
Forest, Rolesville, Garner, Knightdale,
Wendell and Zebulon.
The projection is that the
water supply pool in Falls Lake will be
exhausted by Jan. 6 unless there is a
change in the weather pattern. Raleigh
could turn to Cary to ask for water from
Jordan Lake, which is maintaining higher
levels and which has a larger watershed
than Falls.
The entire state is
classified as experiencing drought
ranging from exceptional in the far
western mountains, extreme through the
mountains and into Chatham County,
severe for Wake and other Piedmont
counties and moderate along the outer
coast counties. The darker colors
indicating more severe drought
conditions continue to move eastward.
The governor is asking for
federal help for farmer is 84 counties,
including Wake.
Governor Mike Easley has
also asked all North Carolinians to
reduce their water use by 20 percent.
The state has banned all
outdoor burning and revoked all burn
permits.
For a comprehensive list of
ways to reduce your water use, go to
http://www.wakeforestnc.gov/waterconservation_
watersavingsideas.aspx. |
