Drought stage drops to “O”

Significant rainfall this month has improved lake storage in the Keowee-Toxaway River Basin and that, according to Duke Energy, allows the regional drought plan to return to Stage O. In Stage O, Duke is required to monitor conditions. Rainfall has resulted in Lake Jocassee gaining about 10 feet of storage since April. The Keowee-Toxaway basin had been in Statg 2 since January 2012, which required mandatory conservation and limited residents along both Keowee and Jocassee to irrigating on Tuesdays and Saturdays only.