2006–2008 Southeastern United States drought

Natural disaster in the United States 350px|thumb|U.S. drought map 2006–2008 From 2006 to 2008, the Southeastern United States experienced a drought. It was caused by an unusually strong Bermuda High pressure and by the timing of La Niña, which causes dry conditions across the Southern United States. 2007 was particularly dry across the region, with rivers and lakes dropping to record-low levels and many of them drying up completely.http://ocp.ldeo.columbia.edu/res/div/ocp/drought/SE.shtml Drought in the southeastern United States: the recent drought in the context of a millennium of climate variability, physical changes, and future hydroclimate change Seager Richard Tzanova Alexandrina July 2008 Lamont–Doherty Earth ObservatoryUS Department of Commerce NOAA 2007 Weather Year in Review https://www.weather.gov/bmx/climo_2007review 2026-04-13 www.weather.gov EN-US History thumb|The dried lakebed of Jordan Lake, North Carolina, October 2007 thumb|Buster Boyd Bridge shows the low water level of Lake Wylie, South Carolina in August 2007 The drought was set in motion by the weather phenomenon La Niña, which developed in 2005. La Niña caused dry weather across much of the Southeast, causing a dry winter from late 2005 to early 2006.http://ggweather.com/enso/oni.htm El Niño and La Niña Years and Intensities ggweather.com 2018-02-06 On top of that, the Bermuda High, also known as the Azores High, a hot and dry air mass over the Atlantic, formed unusually far west, and blocked storms from entering the region, a pattern that wouldn't break until 2008.Seager Richard Tzanova Alexandrina Nakamura Jennifer 2009-10-01 Drought in the Southeastern United States: Causes, Variability over the Last Millennium, and the Potential for Future Hydroclimate Change* Journal of Climate EN 22 19 5021–5045 10.1175/2009jcli2683.1 free The dryness continued into 2006; however, this dryness was mild in comparison to 2007 and did not have a massive impact.https://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/sotc/national/200613 National Climate Report - Annual 2006 Crouch, Fenimore www.ncdc.noaa.gov 2018-02-06 2007 was very dry across the Southeast, which received record-low rainfall during the year. Mississippi and Georgia, which usually have very wet spring seasons, each had their driest spring on record.https://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/sotc/drought/200705 Drought - May 2007 State of the Climate National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI) Heim www.ncdc.noaa.gov en 2018-02-06 In May 2007, the Bugaboo Fire burned near the Okefenokee Swamp along the border between Georgia and Florida, exacerbated by the drought conditions.2007-05-12 Bugaboo Fire Rages in Georgia and Florida https://science.nasa.gov/earth/earth-observatory/bugaboo-fire-rages-in-georgia-and-florida-7682/ 2026-04-12 NASA Science en-US Summer 2007 brought a major heat wave and record-breaking wildfires across the region. The heatwave was partly caused by the drought because the dryness lowered the dew point, which raised the temperature of the air. On July 2, Lake Okeechobee in Florida fell to 8.82 ft m, breaking the previous record for the lowest recorded water level,https://www.flbrace.org/images/docs/drought-factsheet.pdf Extreme Drought 2006–2008 Florida Health 2026-04-12 Florida BRACE4 and on July 31, the USDA declared almost every county in Georgia a drought disaster area.USDA declares most of Georgia a drought disaster https://www.savannahnow.com/story/news/2007/08/01/usda-declares-most-georgia-drought-disaster/13792777007/ 2026-04-12 Savannah Morning News en-US 2007-07-31 August 2007 was the warmest August and second-hottest of any month across the region. Knoxville, Tennessee saw a daily maximum temperature above 100 F on 16 days that month. High temperatures were still in the 90s °F (32+ °C) as late as the end of October.GOODRICH GREGORY B. THOMPSON J. KYLE WINGARD STANLEY D. BATSON KYLIE J. 2011 The 2007 Mid-South Summer Drought and Heat Wave in Historical Perspective 26228968 Southeastern Geographer 51 3 411–421 10.1353/sgo.2011.0031 In North Carolina, 32 public water systems began imposing restrictions on water usage.https://climate.ncsu.edu/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/Factsheet_Water_2007-09_NC.pdf 2007-09 DROUGHT October 2020 2026-04-16 In August 2007, over 75% of the state of Alabama was in extreme or exceptional drought.Harrington Nate 2016-10-03 Alabama’s Drought: Comparing 2016 to 2007 https://www.cbs42.com/news/alabamas-drought-comparing-2016-to-2007/ 2026-05-28 CBS 42 The drought peaked in October, with over 70% of the Southeast in the worst category of drought, known as D4 (Exceptional). 2007 was the region's second-driest year as a whole. North Carolina had its driest calendar year ever; several towns nearly ran out of water.https://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/sotc/drought/200710 Drought - October 2007 State of the Climate National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI) Heim www.ncdc.noaa.gov en 2018-02-06 On October 15, North Carolina Governor Michael F. Easley called for residents to only use water for essential purposes, saying that he may need to call for a state of emergency if conservation efforts fell short.Goodman Brenda 2007-10-16 Drought-Stricken South Facing Tough Choices https://www.nytimes.com/2007/10/16/us/16drought.html subscription 2026-03-16 The New York Times en-US 0362-4331 By October 23, water systems in 17 North Carolina cities were about 100 days from running out of water.Robertson Gary D. 2007-10-23 Tryon among 17 N.C. water systems near crisis point https://www.blueridgenow.com/story/news/2007/10/23/tryon-among-17-nc-water-systems-near-crisis-point/28047058007/ 2026-03-16 BlueRidgeNow Times-News On October 20, when Atlanta had about 90 days of water left, Georgia Governor Sonny Perdue declared a state of emergency in 85 counties in the northern part of the state and requested that President George W. Bush declare the area a major disaster area. Perdue said he wanted the United States Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) to stop up Buford Dam, which would prevent water from being diverted out of Lake Lanier, which is the primary water source for metro Atlanta.2015-07-01 2008-03-11 Southeastern US Drought FWS - 3/11/08 U.S. Department of the Interior https://www.doi.gov/ocl/hearings/110/southeasterndroughtfws_031108 2026-04-16 U.S. Department of the Interior en The water is normally diverted downstream from Lake Lanier to the Chattahoochee River, and further downstream to Alabama and Florida, which were also experiencing droughts. In those states, the water was needed to preserve species of endangered mussels and fish. The disaster declaration would allow the USACE to ignore normal regulations and close the Buford Dam, thus conserving water for human use in Georgia at the risk of damaging downstream ecosystems and reducing water supplies in Alabama and Florida.2007-10-20 Georgia's governor declares drought emergency https://www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna21393296 2026-03-16 NBC News en2007-10-22 Parched Georgia Calls State of Emergency https://www.npr.org/2007/10/22/15528721/parched-georgia-calls-state-of-emergency 2026-03-16 NPR enManuel John April 2008 Drought in the Southeast: lessons for water management https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC2291006/ Environmental Health Perspectives 116 4 A168–171 10.1289/ehp.116-a168 0091-6765 2291006 18414616 Perdue sued the USACE in an attempt to get a court order to force the water in Lake Lanier to go primarily to Atlanta-area residents on October criticized the continued diversion of water from Lake Lanier, saying, "I don't believe that was the regional intent of the Endangered Species Act, that water would be diverted away from potential human use in order to protect endangered species." The dispute contributed to the ongoing tri-state water dispute between Georgia, Florida, and Alabama. In Raleigh, North Carolina, there were bans on car washing (outside of permitted facilities) and filling new swimming pools. On November 13, 2007, Georgia Governor Perdue hosted a large prayer gathering at the Georgia State Capitol, where hundreds of people prayed for rain.Lohr Kathy 2007-11-14 In Drought-Stricken Georgia, a Prayer for Rain https://www.npr.org/2007/11/14/16281915/in-drought-stricken-georgia-a-prayer-for-rain 2026-04-12 NPR en At this time, the water level in Lake Lanier was down to 20 ft m below its usual level.Lohr Kathy 2010-03-31 Georgia Once Prayed For Rain, Now Plans For Drought https://www.npr.org/2010/03/31/125190243/georgia-once-prayed-for-rain-now-plans-for-drought 2026-04-12 NPR en It reached a historic low of 1,050.75 ft m on December 28, 2007, breaking the previous record of 1,052 ft m set during a different drought in 1981.https://www.weather.gov/media/ffc/anreport07.pdf Shareholders' Report February 2008 11 2026-04-11 National Weather Service Peachtree City, Georgia Sections of the sandy bottom of Lake Lanier were revealed for the first time since the lake was created in the 1950s.https://pubs.usgs.gov/fs/2010/3101/pdf/fs2010-3101.pdf Extreme Drought to Extreme Floods: Summary of Hydrologic Conditions in Georgia, 2009 USGS As the drought progressed, the Northwind Equestrian Center in Cherokee County, Georgia rescued many horses from people who could no longer afford to feed their animals because hay prices had increased as a result of failing hay crops in the region.Lohr Kathy 2008-03-26 Horses Require Rescue as Georgia Drought Persists https://www.npr.org/2008/03/26/89100050/horses-require-rescue-as-georgia-drought-persists 2026-04-12 NPR en Ultimately, the Bermuda High retreated out into the Atlantic, and heavy winter rains during 2007–2008 helped alleviate the drought. A wet 2008 further improved the drought across most of the region; however, parts of Western North Carolina remained in drought until 2009.https://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/sotc/drought/200913 Drought - Annual 2009 State of the Climate National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI) Heim www.ncdc.noaa.gov en 2018-02-06 Lake Lanier recovered around September 2009 following the wet 2008 and 2009 seasons, during which there were historic floods that increased the water level by 18 ft m. Impact thumb|Dried up cornfield in Tennessee, August 2007 It is estimated that the drought caused an economic loss of $1.3 billion over the region, and water shortages caused the first importing of water in 100 years. Crops failed across the region, causing catastrophic impacts.https://climate.ncsu.edu/edu/DroughtEffects Effects of Drought North Carolina Climate Office climate.ncsu.edu en 2018-02-06 During the drought, some localities took advantage of the opportunity to work on water infrastructure. For example, when Lake Okeechobee dried up, water managers in Florida undertook a $7 million project to improve the lake bed, removing debris and invasive plants and replacing them with beneficial flora in an effort to improve the health of the ecosystem once the water ultimately returned to the lake.4 As a result of the simultaneous drought and heat wave, the 2007 Atlanta Pride event moved to an indoor location and rescheduled for October, a few months later than its usual June date. Since then, organizers have continued to hold Atlanta Pride in the second week of October, partly because it is the weekend before National Coming Out Day.FAQs https://atlantapride.org/organizational-faqs/ 2026-04-12 Atlanta Pride en-US2022-10-22 Why is Pride Month in Atlanta held during October? (And other significant queer events over the last 40 years) https://scadconnector.com/2022/10/22/why-is-pride-month-in-atlanta-held-during-october-and-other-significant-queer-events-over-the-last-40-years/ 2026-04-12 The Connector en-US Savannah, Georgia2025-06-05 Atlanta celebrates Pride in two parts—June and October https://www.11alive.com/article/news/local/atlanta-pride/why-atlanta-pride-is-in-october-june-events/85-9e0b84c7-640d-49b1-ba11-619dee09b3f5 2026-04-12 11Alive.com en-US In the years following the drought, public officials and others across the region began to work together to plan for future droughts. See also 2008 Atlanta tornado outbreak 2010–2013 Southern United States and Mexico drought 2012–2013 North American drought Climate of the United States Droughts in the United States Hurricane Katrina List of droughts National Integrated Drought Information System Tornado outbreak of February 28 – March 2, 2007 References __FORCETOC__ Category:Droughts in the United States Category:2006 disasters in the United States Category:2007 disasters in the United States Category:2008 disasters in the United States Category:2006 droughts Category:2000s droughts Category:Southeastern United States