“Severely Dry” again this week, based on last week’s report and no rain this week. Some rain starting this evening, but unknown how much we’ll receive. Both the US Drought Monitor and the SC Climate Office show this area in a “D2-Severe Drought” status. 32 wildfires across the state per SC Forestry app. Many patches of brown/dead smaller trees and bushes along various county roads (see photo). Lower branches on some larger trees also appear to be dying. All local roadside swamps and ditches now totally dry. Local non irrigated lawns now brown and crunchy, some with totally bare spots. Local cornfields showing areas of brown/dead stalks among the green plants. During 31 Jul and 1 Aug Poinsett state park hikes, leaf litter was dry and many soil areas were dry down to at least 1”. The recent dry weather has lessened the mosquito population a bit, but still many spiderwebs in the park to hopefully catch some mosquitos. Squirrels plentiful in the park, along with fire ants. Grass surrounding the park office is grey, brown and crunchy. Resurrection ferns dry, grey/brown and curled (see photo). Some leaves have turned and are beginning to fall. Wild grapes are ripe, this usually happens in the Sep-Nov time frame. Most small streams in the park have dried up. The lake’s main wide spillway is totally dry (see photo). While the lake drain is operating, the spillway usually has a least a little water draining. The park’s small waterfall is running at a visibly reduced flow(see photo), with no water covering the exit rocks as normal. The lake appears to be down 4”-6”. SC DES Groundwater Monitoring Wells in the Sumter vicinity appear to be down approx. 2’-10’ since March. From Data Explorer: No rain this past week. 1.68” for July (-3.56" : 32% of NOAA Normal). For the year: 14.59” (-12.80" : 53% of NOAA Normal). Last 30 Days: 1.68”; NOAA Normal: 10.39”. Last 90 Days: 8.36”; NOAA Normal: 18.70”.