A little thirsty

WINSTON-SALEM, North Carolina (Winston-Salem Journal) -- C.F. Haymore is one of the lucky farmers in the Southeast this year.

Haymore, 73, said that the crops at his Davidson County farm have so far turned out fine this year despite the heat. ''Tomatoes have been awful good this year,'' he said while selling produce yesterday at the Piedmont Triad Farmers Market.

The Piedmont has been spared the brunt of the nation's extreme drought, though officials say that the area is experiencing a mild drought. Yearly rainfall at the Piedmont Triad International Airport is 3.26 inches below normal, according to the National Weather Service.

Forecasters predict that the drought will continue into October and gradually wane through the rest of fall, said Tony Young, the director of the North Carolina Drought Monitoring Council.

''We have been getting more of the classic summer thunderstorm activity during July, so that's helping,'' he said. ''To end the current drought, the western Piedmont needs one inch of rain, the central Piedmont needs six inches of rain and the southern Piedmont needs five inches of rain,'' he said.

Despite officials' proclamations about the drought, many Piedmont residents have barely noticed it and are proceeding as usual with summer activities.

Gray skies did not deter 12 fishermen who lined the pier at Higgins Lake in Guilford County.

Katie Hawkins, 6, may have become hooked on fishing when she caught small brim almost as fast as her father could bait her hook. She grinned as she counted her two-inch trophies, updating her total -- ''That's nine'' -- with each new catch.

A week off work allowed Bob Hawkins, Katie's father, to take his three children on their first fishing trip. Hawkins, of Summerfield, said that his children became impatient when they didn't immediately catch fish. Still, he hopes that they will learn to love fishing.

Farther down the pier, Ernie Jackson recalled conditions at Higgins Lake two years ago, when levels fell during a drought and forced the pier to close.

This summer, he said he fishes on the lake at least once a week, and the dry weather hasn't hurt the well-water supply at his Summerfield home.

Lake Higgins and Lake Brandt are full, but Lake Townsend is about 20 inches below full, said Alan Williams, the director of water resources in Greensboro.

The three lakes serve as reservoirs for Guilford County's water supply, which Williams described as in ''pretty good shape.'' Because of those levels, Williams said he does not expect to restrict water use this year.

Davidson County residents are not as fortunate, however. Water levels at High Rock Lake are well below normal. Flow in the Yadkin River, the lake's main source, has slowed to 35 percent of normal -- the biggest effect of the drought.

As a result, lake levels have dropped 6 1/4 feet to meet water needs downstream. During summer months, Alcoa Power Generating Inc., the company that controls lake water levels, usually keeps the lake 2 to 3 feet below full.

Without more rain, water levels could continue to drop, said Gene Ellis, the environmental and natural-resources manager for Alcoa Power Generating Inc. ''We continue to hope that more rain comes our way,'' he said.

Haymore hopes so, too. He is handling the rainfall shortage by irrigating his crops. ''If you don't, you won't have anything,'' he said. ''It's not as good as the natural rain, but you can save your crop.''

If the drought continues, late crops such as apples could suffer, said Jack Carter, who sells produce at the Farmers Market.

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