S.C. Code Regs. § 121-11.2 - Definitions
A. "Department"
means the Department of Natural Resources.
B. "Conservation" means, to minimize or
prevent depletion or waste of the water resource.
C. "Drought Response Committee" means the
committee created under Section
49-23-60
to be convened to address drought related problems and responses.
D. "Office of primary responsibility" means
the Department of Natural Resources.
E. "Person" means all persons, including
individuals, firms, partnerships, associations, public or private institutions,
municipalities or political subdivisions, governmental agencies, or private or
public corporations organized under the laws of this State or another state or
country.
F. "Drought" means a
period of diminished precipitation which results in negative impacts upon the
hydrology, agriculture, biota, energy, and economy of the State.
G. "Water resources" means water on or
beneath the surface of the ground, including natural and artificial water
courses, lakes or ponds, and water percolating, standing, or flowing beneath
the surface of the ground.
H.
"Diffused surface water" means waters of a casual or vagrant character, lying
or running on the surface of the earth but not in definite courses, streams, or
waterbodies.
I. "Drought indices"
means topical and quantitative indicators of drought including, but not limited
to, sustained decline in water levels of natural flowing streams and other
natural bodies of water, decline in water tables above and below ground, forest
fire indices, sustained decline in potable drinking water supplies,
agricultural stress, low soil moisture, and low precipitation. The department
must, through regulation, establish specific numerical values for the indices
that define each level of drought.
J. "Incipient drought" means that there is a
threat of a drought as demonstrated by drought indices. The incipient drought
phase shall initiate inhouse mobilization by department personnel and the
Drought Response Committee. The department shall routinely monitor the climatic
variables, streamflow, and water levels in potable drinking water supplies and
water levels in the above and below ground water tables and lakes, and shall
notify the Drought Response Committee and relevant federal, state, and local
agencies that a portion of the State is experiencing an incipient drought
condition. The department must increase monitoring activities to identify a
change in existing conditions.
K.
"Moderate drought" means that there is an increasing threat of a drought as
demonstrated by drought indices. Statements must be released to the news media
by the department, and appropriate agencies must accelerate monitoring
activities.
L. "Severe drought"
means that the drought has increased to severe levels as demonstrated by
drought indices. This phase must be verified utilizing data, forecasts, and
outlooks from various agencies. A drought of this severity normally requires an
official declaration by the department and water withdrawals and use
restrictions.
M. "Extreme drought"
means that the drought has increased to extreme levels as demonstrated by
drought indices. The department shall continue to evaluate information from
various sources. Upon confirmation of an Extreme Drought Alert Phase, the
Drought Response Committee may recommend that the Governor issue a public
statement that an extreme drought situation exists and that appropriate
water-use and withdrawal restrictions be imposed.
N. "Board" means the governing authority of
the Department of Natural Resources.
O. "Minimum flow" means the monthly 5
percentile flow.
P. "Trigger level"
is defined as a water level decline equal to 150 ft. below the predevelopment
level of an aquifer except for the Floridan aquifer system in which the trigger
level is a decline of 75 ft below the predevelopment level or to mean
sea-level, whichever is the least decline. Decline in aquifer water levels due
to withdrawals not associated with drought should not be used for declaration
of drought alert phases.
Q.
"Drought Emergency" exists as declared by the Governor when the safety,
security, health or welfare of the State or any portion of the State is
threatened.
R. "Essential water
use" means water used strictly for fire-fighting purposes, health and medical
purposes, maintaining minimum streamflow requirements, and minimum water levels
in the potable drinking water supplies and the above and below ground water
tables, and the use of water to satisfy federal, state, or local public health
and safety requirements is considered essential water use.
S. "Non-essential water use" means categories
of water use, other than essential water use, which may be curtailed during
severe or extreme drought.
T. "7Q10
Flow" is defined as the lowest mean streamflow over seven consecutive days that
can be expected to occur once in a ten year period. In any year, there is a 10
percent probability that the average flow for seven consecutive days will be
equal to or less than the 7Q10.
Notes
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