News
June 17, 2008
Falls Lake Dips Below Full
Falls Lake has dipped below full for the first time since recovering its deficit on April 5. The Lake currently stands at 251.24 feet, which is 0.26 feet (approximately 3 inches) below full. The reduction is a result of the area measuring 2.25 inches below rainfall for year-to-date 2008.
The U.S. Drought Monitor reclassified all of Wake County in the moderate drought category last week. Charlotte is the only area of the state that remains in the extreme drought classification. The rainfall deficit for 2007 was 7.2 inches, giving a total shortfall of 9.45 inches since Jan. 1, 2007. While the National Weather Service is predicting some rainfall for the weekend, it is not forecast to be significant. Below normal rainfall is anticipated for the coming 10 days, with only scattered showers predicted.
The current 30-day pumping average shows that Raleigh water customers are continuing their conservation efforts. The average of 49.8 million gallons per day (MGD) is 19 percent less than the corresponding 30-day average from 2007, which was 61.5 MGD. The current 30-day average is an increase of 11.0 MGD over the lowest value recorded during Stage 2 restrictions. This 30-day average includes the four consecutive days of record-breaking 100 degrees or more the area experienced last week.
Since revising the Stage 1 water conservation measures 27 days ago, Raleigh water customers have averaged 50.7 MGD, which is a 9.5 MGD or 23 percent increase over the Stage 1 average. Since returning to the Stage 1 water conservation measures on April 7, a total of 62 citations of $200 have been issued.
Revised Stage 1 Water Conservation Measures
Raleigh water customers now may irrigate twice each week. Odd property addresses are permitted to irrigate on Tuesdays and Saturdays, while even property addresses may do so on Wednesdays and Sundays. Irrigation on these days by automatic irrigation systems is permitted only from midnight to 10:00 a.m. Those who use Raleigh-supplied water in garden-hose-attached lawn irrigation sprinklers may irrigate from 6:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. and between 6:00 p.m. and 10:00 p.m. on assigned days. Hand-held watering is allowed at any time.
City Manager J. Russell Allen said that once-weekly irrigation is insufficient to maintain lawns and shrubs during hot weather. Mr. Allen also said that Raleigh water customers are continuing to do a good job of conserving.
Mr. Allen said a formal move from Stage 1 can come only following a careful and comprehensive review of the restrictions by the City Council-appointed Water Conservation Council. The City Manager said such a careful study could take several months.
Other Stage 1 Measures
The Stage 1 conservation measures also limit use of City of Raleigh-supplied water for other residential uses such as washing vehicles at home (allowed on Saturdays and Sundays only), power washing driveways, sidewalks, homes (Saturdays and Sundays only) and filling swimming and decorative pools. The entire Stage 1 water conservation measures are available on this page and are available by contacting the City of Raleigh Public Utilities Department at 857-4540 or the City of Raleigh Public Affairs Department at 890-3100.
The water conservation measures apply to all City of Raleigh water customers, including those in towns that have merged water and sewer systems with Raleigh. Those towns are Garner, Rolesville, Wake Forest, Knightdale, Wendell and Zebulon.
Prepared by:
Jayne Kirkpatrick
Director
Public Affairs Department
For More Information Contact:
Dale Crisp
Director
Public Utilities Department
One Exchange Plaza, Suite 620
Raleigh, NC 27602
919-857-4540
|
