South Carolina Code of Regulations › Chapter 121 - DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES › DROUGHT PLANNING RESPONSE › Section 121-11.2 - Definitions

Current through Register Vol. 48, No. 6, June 28, 2024
A. "Department"
			 means the Department of Natural Resources.
B. "Conservation" means, to minimize or
			 prevent depletion or waste of the water resource.
C. "Drought Response Committee" means the
			 committee created under Section
			 49-23-60
			 to be convened to address drought related problems and responses.
D. "Office of primary responsibility" means
			 the Department of Natural Resources.
E. "Person" means all persons, including
			 individuals, firms, partnerships, associations, public or private institutions,
			 municipalities or political subdivisions, governmental agencies, or private or
			 public corporations organized under the laws of this State or another state or
			 country.
F. "Drought" means a
			 period of diminished precipitation which results in negative impacts upon the
			 hydrology, agriculture, biota, energy, and economy of the State.
G. "Water resources" means water on or
			 beneath the surface of the ground, including natural and artificial water
			 courses, lakes or ponds, and water percolating, standing, or flowing beneath
			 the surface of the ground.
H.
			 "Diffused surface water" means waters of a casual or vagrant character, lying
			 or running on the surface of the earth but not in definite courses, streams, or
			 waterbodies.
I. "Drought indices"
			 means topical and quantitative indicators of drought including, but not limited
			 to, sustained decline in water levels of natural flowing streams and other
			 natural bodies of water, decline in water tables above and below ground, forest
			 fire indices, sustained decline in potable drinking water supplies,
			 agricultural stress, low soil moisture, and low precipitation. The department
			 must, through regulation, establish specific numerical values for the indices
			 that define each level of drought.
J. "Incipient drought" means that there is a
			 threat of a drought as demonstrated by drought indices. The incipient drought
			 phase shall initiate inhouse mobilization by department personnel and the
			 Drought Response Committee. The department shall routinely monitor the climatic
			 variables, streamflow, and water levels in potable drinking water supplies and
			 water levels in the above and below ground water tables and lakes, and shall
			 notify the Drought Response Committee and relevant federal, state, and local
			 agencies that a portion of the State is experiencing an incipient drought
			 condition. The department must increase monitoring activities to identify a
			 change in existing conditions.
K.
			 "Moderate drought" means that there is an increasing threat of a drought as
			 demonstrated by drought indices. Statements must be released to the news media
			 by the department, and appropriate agencies must accelerate monitoring
			 activities.
L. "Severe drought"
			 means that the drought has increased to severe levels as demonstrated by
			 drought indices. This phase must be verified utilizing data, forecasts, and
			 outlooks from various agencies. A drought of this severity normally requires an
			 official declaration by the department and water withdrawals and use
			 restrictions.
M. "Extreme drought"
			 means that the drought has increased to extreme levels as demonstrated by
			 drought indices. The department shall continue to evaluate information from
			 various sources. Upon confirmation of an Extreme Drought Alert Phase, the
			 Drought Response Committee may recommend that the Governor issue a public
			 statement that an extreme drought situation exists and that appropriate
			 water-use and withdrawal restrictions be imposed.
N. "Board" means the governing authority of
			 the Department of Natural Resources.
O. "Minimum flow" means the monthly 5
			 percentile flow.
P. "Trigger level"
			 is defined as a water level decline equal to 150 ft. below the predevelopment
			 level of an aquifer except for the Floridan aquifer system in which the trigger
			 level is a decline of 75 ft below the predevelopment level or to mean
			 sea-level, whichever is the least decline. Decline in aquifer water levels due
			 to withdrawals not associated with drought should not be used for declaration
			 of drought alert phases.
Q.
			 "Drought Emergency" exists as declared by the Governor when the safety,
			 security, health or welfare of the State or any portion of the State is
			 threatened.
R. "Essential water
			 use" means water used strictly for fire-fighting purposes, health and medical
			 purposes, maintaining minimum streamflow requirements, and minimum water levels
			 in the potable drinking water supplies and the above and below ground water
			 tables, and the use of water to satisfy federal, state, or local public health
			 and safety requirements is considered essential water use.
S. "Non-essential water use" means categories
			 of water use, other than essential water use, which may be curtailed during
			 severe or extreme drought.
T. "7Q10
			 Flow" is defined as the lowest mean streamflow over seven consecutive days that
			 can be expected to occur once in a ten year period. In any year, there is a 10
			 percent probability that the average flow for seven consecutive days will be
			 equal to or less than the 7Q10.