Drought Conditions Status

What is a Drought Management Plan (DMP)?

The overarching mission of the drought management plan is to encourage preparedness by those utilizing Tennessee's water resources to mitigate adverse impacts from drought events.

Where can I view the DMP?

You can view a copy of the drought management plan here.

What resources does the City monitor in regards to the DMP?

City staff monitors the U.S. Drought Monitor for the Rutherford County's drought status as well as the TVA website for the J. Percy Priest Lake level.

What are the different phases of the DMP?

Phase 1 - Drought Alert
Phase 2 - Voluntary Water Reductions
Phase 3 - Mandatory Water Restrictions
Phase 4 - Emergency Water Management

What trigger points initiate each phase of the DMP?

Phase	Primary Trigger Point	Secondary Trigger Point
Phase 1	U.S. Drought Monitor Identifies southern half of Rutherford County as D1 - Moderate	None
Phase 2	J. Percy Priest Lake level drops to conservation pool and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers initiates water accounting or declining water quality	U.S. Drought Monitor identifies all or part of Rutherford County as D2 - Severe Drought
Phase 3	1. J. Percy Priest Lake level drops to conservation pool with only 67% of usable storage remaining based upon percentage storage accounting by U.S. Army Corps of Engineers OR 2. J. Percy Priest Lake is interrupted or not available, or declining water quality	1. Water treatment plant operates at 90% or greater of design capacity for forty-eight (48) hours straight AND/OR 2. Water level in distribution reservoirs not returned at least to 70% full within a forty-eight (48) hour period
Phase 4	J. Percy Priest Lake is interrupted or not available	1. Water Treatment Plant operates at 90% or greater of design capacity for forty-eight (48) hours straight AND/OR 2. Water level in distribution tanks not returned to above 50% full within a forty-eight (48) hour period

What actions are taken under each phase of the DMP?

Phase 1 - Issue public notification through media and notify regional stakeholders
Phase 2 - Issue public notification through media
Phase 3 - Issue public notification through media, notify regional stakeholders, contact large customers, implement Category 2 non-essential uses
Phase 4 - Issue public notification through media, notify regional stakeholders, implement Category 3 non essential uses, notify Rutherford County Emergency Management and request emergency declaration

How severe is each drought level?

Drought Level	Drought Intensity
D0	Abnormally Dry
D1	Moderate
D2	Severe
D3	Extreme
D4	Exceptional

What is considered non-essential uses?

Category 1	Category 2	Category 3
Washing sidewalks, driveways, parking areas, tennis courts, patios, or other exterior paved areas, except by the City for the public safety	Laundromats	Schools and industry (discretion may be used in selecting schools and industries to be closed)
Filling or refilling a swimming pool	Use by a motor vehicle washing facility in excess of seventy percent (70%) of the amount used by it during the corresponding billing period of the previous year.	Use in any dwelling or separate residential unit in excess of fifty (50) gallons per day of each permanent resident thereof.
Noncommercial washing of privately owned motor vehicles, trailers, and boats	Any nonresidential use in excess of seventy percent (70%) of the amount used by the customer during the corresponding billing period for the previous year.	Any nonresidential use of excess of fifty percent (50%) of the amount used by the customer during the corresponding billing period for the previous year.
Any use of water from a fire hydrant except for fighting fires, or use by the City	-	-
Watering of lawns, gardens, landscaped areas, trees, shrubs or other plants	-	-
Watering any portion of a recreational field, etc. from the potable water system	-	-
Use of water for dust control or compaction during construction	-	-