Basin officially out of the drought

Just in time for summer recreation, the Keowee-Toxaway Basin is officially “out of any drought designation.” A Duke Energy announcement this afternoon says rainfall has improved storage in the utility’s reservoirs and met other conditions in the regional drought plan. The basin takes in Bad Creek and lakes Jocassee and Keowee. U-S Army Corps of Engineers’ drought levels improved to normal conditions May 9. Recent rain helped Duke’s reservoirs recover to more than 90% of full storage. Duke and its stakeholders have been reviewing an “Interim Low Inflow Protocol” before sending it to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission next year as part of the new hydro license application.