Heather Nix
Water Resource Agent
Abbeville, Anderson, Cherokee, Greenville, Greenwood, Laurens, McCormick, Oconee, Pickens, & Spartanburg Counties
Water Quality Issues: Last year, harmful algal blooms (HABs) were plentiful and had a record long season, with SCDES identifying blooms in major reservoirs from 4/30/25 (Lake Hartwell) to 11/24/25 (J. Strom Thurmond Reservoir). We responded to many related complaints, including one that involved the deaths of 24 adult cows on a farm with cyanotoxin-producing HABs. In response, we are working to have new tools and materials available to improve and streamline responses later this year. Existing tools include several fact sheets, articles, manuals, a pocket field guide, and an online class – all available online at https://www.clemson.edu/extension/hab/materials.html.
Drought Status: Reports of low water levels in ponds are increasing across the Upstate.
As of 2/19/26, all of Cherokee County is experiencing some level of drought (see map), including
D2 Severe (northern ~61%) and D3 Extreme (southern ~39%).
Visit the US Drought Monitor website for updated weekly reports (https://droughtmonitor.unl.edu/CurrentMap.aspx). Submitting a report is quick and easy – and helps inform drought status decisions – visit the Condition Monitoring Observations Report website to get started (https://droughtimpacts.unl.edu/Tools/ConditionMonitoringObservations.aspx)
