Drought exposing dangerous debris in Lake Wylie

For one Lake Wylie woman, a picture is worth a thousand warnings.

It’s actually two pictures, both of items pulled from Lake Wylie – items Linda Long Warman calls “dangerous discards” that are showing up more frequently as drought conditions worsen.

“Wearing goggles and floating close to shore last summer in our mostly full Lake Wylie, they found the first group in less than an hour in a small section of beach,” she said of her three grandchildren.

The photograph shows less than a half-dozen pieces of broken glass and metal. The items could injure swimmers, but not nearly as many as those children found this year.

“The second group was found this week,” Warman said last week, “in an hour searching a limited section of shoreline of our drought-affected lake.”

That photo shows more than 50 items. There are full glass bottles, sharp metal, a screwdriver, construction tools, also glass shards and nails.

The Lake Wylie Marine Commission, which also received the photos, began urging caution weeks ago as the drought took its toll on lake levels. Many people have called the group complaining or warning of large, potentially dangerous items exposed in the water.

Ellen Goff, for years an organizer with Riversweep, said current conditions are not without precedent.

“During the drought years of 2007 and 2011, low water exposed what we call ‘legacy trash’: junk and debris that had been covered by water and mud for years, even decades,” Goff said. “Vehicle tires, fencing, floating dock parts and old bottles are some of the items that persisted in the water.”

Riversweep, Oct. 3 this year, brought in a 14-foot boat hull that had been partially submerged for years.

As of press time Friday, Lake Wylie held tight at more than 5 feet below full pond and 2 feet below its target level. Due to low water levels, Ebenezer Park closed the beaches to swimming July 29.

Many boat ramps also have been closed: all four ramps at Allison Creek access in York, two at Buster Boyd Access Area on the main channel, Copperhead Island access in Steele Creek and Pitcairn Park access in Tega Cay.

“Boating safety needs to be top of mind for all boaters during low water conditions, especially along the widening shoreline,” Goff said. “Areas that people used to float, ski and wakeboard over are now rocky beaches.”

Drought status

North Carolina Drought Management Council updated its list Aug. 11, adding a seventh county to Stage 2 Severe Drought, which includes Mecklenburg and Gaston counties. Residents are asked to conserve water. Other measures include implementing water-shortage response plans, eliminating nonessential uses of water and increasing public awareness and educational outreach programs emphasizing the need to conserve.

Residents are asked to “minimize nonessential uses of water,” but nothing is mandatory. Water providers have a list of planning tasks like projecting water need for 90 days and checking for water efficiency issues. Visit ncdrought.org for more information.

The S.C. Drought Response Committee met July 16, when members upgraded the drought status of every county in the state. York is one of 28 counties in the second, or moderate stage of drought. Remaining counties are in first level, or incipient drought.

During this stage, residents are asked to voluntarily conserve water, including limiting watering to no more than two days a week and reduce washing sidewalks or parking lots.

The Catawba-Wateree Drought Management Advisory Group, made up of municipal water providers and Duke, announced July 20 continued dry weather conditions and above-average temperatures have placed the Catawba-Wateree River Basin in Stage 1 of the Low Inflow Protocol.

This story was originally published August 14, 2015 at 2:35 PM with the headline "Drought exposing dangerous debris in Lake Wylie."