Ben Vaughn, operation manager of the Moore County Utility Department, said rainfall is "well above average," thanks to recent storms -- including the remnants of Tropical Storm Alberto. Parts of the county have received more than 10 inches this month.
But water use has also been higher, particularly on Memorial Day, when 3.6 million gallons were used. Much of that was probably for irrigation, particularly in Pinehurst, said Public Utilities Director Marcus Jones.
Vaughn and Jones point out that the underground aquifer (groundwater supply) recharges much more slowly. The county system includes Pinehurst, Seven Lakes, Vass and Hyland Hills. Most of its water comes from a system of public wells that the county owns and maintains.
About 99 percent of the water in the aquifer that the wells draw on has seeped into the ground from past rainfalls, Vaughn said. But the downpours so prevalent recently create flooding and runoff, much of it due to water falling on paved surfaces. Ditches and culverts carry most of that runoff to creeks and streams. Normally, only 10 to 11 percent actually seeps into the ground, Vaughn said.
It takes three to six months for seepage from rainfall to get into the aquifer and recharge it, he added. Long, slow gentle rains, which Moore County has also experienced several times recently, are more beneficial -- especially for farmers. That type rain can soak gradually into the ground instead of running off.
Voluntary Conservation
Despite the recent rainfall, the county is still asking customers to conserve water voluntarily by limiting irrigation to every three days until Sept. 1. The county hopes to reduce usage by 20 percent.
Drowning Creek is providing plenty of water to Southern Pines, and there's no need to recommend water conservation measures to its customers, said Assistant Town Manager David White. The town gets all of its water from Drowning Creek but is interconnected with Aberdeen and Carthage. Southern Pines also has a 20-million-gallon water impoundment at the treatment plant.
Usage is up, White said, because of the recent hot weather. On a recent day, usage hit 5 million gallons.
Even surface water such as Drowning Creek is indirectly impacted by the aquifer. Underground spring-fed water bubbling up into the beds of creeks and streams augments the flowing water originating from a lake or larger river or drainage basin elsewhere.
Homeowners who use private wells for drinking water and irrigation are also asked to follow voluntary conservation measures that the county has in place.
At the worst of the drought of 2002, the Drowning Creek stream bed became so dry a person could walk across it.
One of the "triggers" to a Stage 1 water conservation is that the static water level measured in wells indicates the aquifer water level has fallen 20 percent from its previous level, Jones said.
That was the same drop in water level that occurred the summer of 2002 that the county now thinks needs to be flagged. The county endured a severe drought in August of that year that resulted in the imposition of mandatory conservation measures.
Five-Stage Plan
The county system has a five-stage plan, with the most severe being mandatory conservation measures.
Stage 1 recommendations include:
-- Water only once every three days, and avoid watering from 10 a.m.-7 p.m. because the evaporation rates are higher than other times of day.
-- Turn off timed irrigation systems while out of town.
-- Don't spray water on the driveway or sidewalks, unless it's necessary for health or safety.
-- Refrain from having ornamental water fountains on unless they are supplied with a recycling water systems.
-- Avoid washing vehicles.
A re-education program may be necessary, according to Pinehurst Mayor Pro Tem George Hillier, who noted at the last council meeting that at least 1,000 new residents have moved into Pinehurst alone since 2002.
Vaughn, who was the county system's water quality supervisor in 2002, said Thursday that he is much more comfortable about the water situation today.
"We learned quite a bit from that 2002 experience," he said.
But in 2002, the entire central part of North Carolina had recorded several years of annual rainfall deficit.
"We're still assessing the long-term situation, when we get June figures in," said Vaughn.
The county and Southern Pines are monitoring the water supply and usage, helped by state monitoring agencies.
Sara Lindau can be reached at 693-2473 or by e-mail at slindau@thepilot.com.
