McDowell County to Begin Stage 2 Water Restrictions

McDowell County will implement a Stage 2 Water Shortage Alert for Nebo water customers beginning Friday, May 15, 2026, at 8 a.m., as drought conditions continue across the Catawba-Wateree River Basin and regional water managers escalate conservation requirements.

The action follows continued designation of the area in Extreme Drought status and aligns with basin-wide drought response measures coordinated through the Catawba-Wateree Drought Management Advisory Group (CW-DMAG) under the Low Inflow Protocol (LIP).

On May 1, 2026, Duke Energy announced the Catawba-Wateree River Basin had entered LIP Stage 2 due to sustained dry conditions. Under that designation, water managers reduce project flow requirements by 95% of the difference between normal operations and critical flow thresholds, and reservoir minimum elevations are adjusted to Stage 2 levels. The protocol also requires public water suppliers throughout the basin to implement mandatory conservation measures.

The Catawba-Wateree Water Management Group, which includes utilities and stakeholders across the basin, has worked alongside CW-DMAG since its creation during Duke Energy’s hydroelectric relicensing process to monitor water supply conditions and coordinate drought response strategies. The groups maintain annual water use reporting and planning efforts, including published summaries such as the Catawba-Wateree Water Use Summary Report, part of a long-running series documenting basin-wide consumption trends and drought response actions.

CW-DMAG was established to develop and implement the LIP, which sets structured triggers for reducing water use among major users and public systems during periods of reduced inflow. The protocol is reviewed periodically and guides coordinated actions by Duke Energy, utilities, and local governments during drought conditions.

In McDowell County, officials said the Stage 2 Water Shortage Alert follows a Stage 1 advisory issued April 24, 2026, which asked customers to voluntarily reduce non-essential water use by at least 5% under CW-DMAG guidance.

With conditions failing to improve, county officials said the escalation to Stage 2 now requires mandatory restrictions on Class 3 water uses under the county’s Water Conservation Ordinance.

Those prohibited uses include ornamental water features such as fountains and artificial waterfalls; outdoor noncommercial watering of lawns, gardens, parks, golf courses (excluding greens), and recreational fields; filling and operating residential swimming pools serving fewer than 25 dwellings; noncommercial vehicle washing; and routine water service in restaurants and similar establishments unless specifically requested by customers.

Officials said the restrictions are intended to reduce strain on local systems as basin-wide drought conditions continue to impact water availability. The Stage 2 designation will remain in effect until hydrologic conditions improve and the Low Inflow Protocol is deactivated or reduced.

County leaders encouraged residents and businesses to comply fully with restrictions and reduce overall water use where possible as part of the coordinated regional response.