Drought recovery termed complete

On this rainy morning, the Army Corps of Engineers calls the recovery from drought complete. The Hartwell Reservoir rose more than two feet above the Drought Level 1 trigger at 3 o’clock yesterday morning, and that prompted a switch to normal operations. The flow restriction at the Thurmond Dam is now removed. Mild weather means the demand for peak energy is expected to be relatively low the next few months. But, according to the Corps of Engineers, there is one exception: Thurmond’s current level of 329 feet above mean sea level is not only out of balance with Lake Hartwell, it is inhibiting gate maintenance. That means an increase in release rates to adjust the reservoir level. The Savannah River Basin entered mild drought conditions September 22 when Thurmond levels dropped four feet below full summer pool. NOAA’s seasonal 90-day drought outlook shows no indication of drought expected through the end of May.