On April 9, the state's Drought Response Committee declared South Carolina was under a moderate drought. On Thursday, designators elevated that status to severe.
The committee says it factors in seven indices in its decisions. The group looks at stream flow, lake and reservoir levels and crop moisture.
South Carolina farmers have been feeling the pressure from the dry conditions. State agriculture leaders say farmers are having to irrigate just to get crops to germinate.
According to the State Climatology Office, statewide precipitation from September through March ranked as the driest in 131 years on record.
The committee’s designation largely aligns with recent U.S. Drought Monitor reports. On its 5-level scale, most of the state falls under level four, or extreme drought. Jasper and Hampton fall under the most severe level of exceptional drought.
