HAPPY INDEPENDENCE DAY to all! Per SC Forestry app: 36 wildfires across SC. Both the US Drought Monitor and the SC Climate Office show this area in a “D3-Severe Drought” condition. 0.11” rain this past week (9.99” NOAA normal). 2.00” rain in June (4.75” NOAA normal). Non-irrigated lawns showing more stress with brown/bare spots. River birch trees dropping a lot of yellow and brown leaves. Local roadside ditches/swamps now dry again or mostly so. Local retention ponds either dry or very low. Local pastures and cornfields showing stress with wilted leaves on young corn. One local pond is so low that water is almost to the bottom of the stumps and lily pads are turning yellow and brown. No mandatory/voluntary water use restrictions here yet, so not moving to “Severely Dry”. On a 1 July Poinsett State Park hike there were many squirrels and lizards (red headed/blue tailed skinks and anoles) about, along with very many spider webs occupied by different spider types. Hopefully this will help reduce the very plentiful mosquitos in the park and at home. The smaller park streams have dried up (see attached photo), and Hart Creek is definitely at a reduced flow (attached photo with the water/light brown sand). Shanks Creek (the main creek that feeds the park’s lake) is steadily running lower, but it’s fed by Christmas Mill pond and it’s associated springs. The cottonmouths really seem to love Shanks Creek. The main spillway is running low (attached photo showing exposed rocks). The past few days here have been very hot and humid, but very dry. From Data Explorer: For July: 0.00” (NOAA normal 0.68”); (-0.68”/0.0% NOAA normal). For the year: 12.91” (NOAA normal 22.66”) ;(-9.75”/57% NOAA normal). Last 30 days: 1.45” (NOAA normal: 9.99”). Last 90 days: 6.92” (NOAA normal: 16.70”).