According to a report yesterday (Wednesday, Nov. 16, 2016) by the Smoky Mountain News, St. Waynesville, N.C., USA, the severe drought plaguing Western North Carolina has taken its toll on the local water supply, and residents are being asked to conserve what they can. 

 

 

Pictured above: the local water reservoir is literally at completely empty/dry levels.

 

Municipal water districts are calling on residents to reduce their water use, families’ private wells are drying up, and Evergreen Packaging may have to shut down operations temporarily if drought conditions continue. 

The mill in Canton, N.C., USA, relies on the local Pigeon River for adequate water flow needed to produce primarily paper packaging products, but the low water level is making that process more difficult. Evergreen notified the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality on November 14 that the mill may have to suspend operations if the drought persists — and all indicators say it will persist for another month at least. 

"The severe drought the region is experiencing has caused the Pigeon River to drop to a level that may not provide adequate flow to allow the mill to operate," said Tim Heim, an environmental engineer for the state's Division on Water Resources.