News 12 at 11, November 10, 2008

MCCORMICK, S.C. --- The water levels at Lake Thurmond aren't what they used to be.

"The drought is not over. There's no signs of it being over, and we're going to get worse. And yes, there is a very strong safety problem," Barb Shelley said. Shelley is a member of Friends of the Savannah River Basin.

Safety is a big concern here in McCormick County, and it shows. More than 600 people including homeowners, hydrologists, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, representatives from DNR, and politicians all coming together to talk about the drought status, how it effects on the reservoirs, and how it affects the economy.

"We rely on our lake to draw tourists and future home buyers. And if they don't come to our area then we can't do that. Also when the lake levels are down, our businesses go under," Shelley said.

And property values go down. All of it tied to the water level. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers says they're concerned about public health and safety. The water supply down stream, our drinking water, and environmental needs.

"It's really a new drought of record for us because the pools are lower than they were in our 98-02 drought. So it's the worst drought we've seen since the early 50's when Thurmond Dam was built," Hydrologist, Jason Ward said.

And the water on Lake Thurmond is very blue, another sign there's been no rain. In fact, Lake Thurmond is 16 feet below summer pool.

"Our boat is on the ground. We have extended our dock twice this summer, but we did not go any further," Lake Property Owner, Sandra Reese said.

And as the lake levels go down, problems with water safety rise. Rocks, and tree stumps are now closer to the surface. All serious concerns that could be fixed with the right amount of rain.

The most important time for the reservoir to get rainfall is during the winter between December and March.