Drought declaration removed for some S.C. counties

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The South Carolina Drought Response Committee removed its drought declaration for several Lowcountry counties, though the drought status for the rest of the state remained largely unchanged.

The committee met Friday via conference call, according to a news release from the S.C. Department of Natural Resources.

During the past month, as much as 14 inches of rain have fallen on the coastal portions of the state, leading to the removal of the drought declaration in Beaufort, Berkeley, Charleston, Colleton, Dorchester, Georgetown, Hampton and Jasper counties. All of these counties previously had incipient drought status.

The status for 35 counties remains incipient, while Anderson, Oconee and Pickens have normal drought status.

Incipient is the first level of drought, followed by moderate, severe and extreme. 

The committee said the impact of drought conditions on state agriculture was a key factor in its decision to keep the incipient drought status in place for the remaining areas.

“Without timely rain, pasture and crops will quickly show stress due to high temperature,” the committee said.

The committee meets again next month.