Calling it Moderately Dry - As dry as it is, we still have no water use restrictions or emergency water conservation measures in effect here. No rain since 4-6 Apr (0.06”); previous to this was 17 Mar (0.72”). We’re under a SC Forest Commission Burn Ban for the entire state. SC Forestry app shows 115 wildfires across SC, plus we’re getting a lot of smoke from the GA wildfires. US Drought Monitor has our area in a D2 - Severe Drought. SC Drought Committee has the entire state in at least a Moderate Drought. Wateree River at US 76/378 running very low. Congaree River at I-77 south of Columbia is running very low with multiple sandbars visible. Both rivers are running clear on Friday. Local unirrigated lawns turning brown and crunchy. Local pastures showing large brown swaths. Roadside vegetation dry/brown and local roadside ditches dry. Local roadside swamps dry or nearly so. Wednesday Poinsett State Park hike showed very dry leaf litter with dry soil down to at least an inch underneath. More rocks showing in the small stream below the main park lake spillway. See photos from 20 Mar and those from 22 Apr showing more rocks exposed due to low main spillway stream flow. Also see small park stream photos from 20 Mar and 22 Apr: the stream flowing freely on 20 Mar is dry as of 22 Apr. Resurrection ferns dry and curled. Ferns on the forest floor starting to show brown patches. Dogwoods have lost their blossoms. Holly trees have finished blooming and show small green berries. Saw a black racer high up on the Knot Trail and a cottonmouth where the trail crosses Shanks Creek from the Laurel to the Splice trails. Birds and squirrels busy working the feeders at home, but didn’t see hardly any squirrels in the park on this hike. From Data Explorer: 0.06” for Apr (-2.46”/2% of normal); For the year: 6.04” (-7.00”/46% of normal). Last 30 Days: 0.06” (NOAA normal: 6.70”). Last 90 days: 4.94” (NOAA normal: 13.67”.