Recently, higher temperatures have been hitting Virginia hard, especially the water levels.
This includes water reservoirs like Carvin’s Cove.
According to the Western Virginia Water Authority, Carvins Cove can hold up to 6.4 billion gallons of water.
The drought has lowered how much water can be in the Cove, but WVWA Program Manager for Public Relations Laura Schirmer says that there is still plenty of water left in the tank.
“Currently, we are about 11 feet low at the reservoir, which is a little bit lower than we were last year,” Schirmer said. “We still have about 4.8 billion gallons of water in that reservoir, and we are sitting at about 76% full.”
Incoming rain could help balance those levels out.
“We could see a good 3-4 inches here when we get to the middle of next week just from this unsettled pattern that we are in,” 10 News Meteorologist Edward Shaw said.
“Before the ground starts moistening up and softening up, it’s going to directly affect bodies of water,” Shaw said. “Carvins Cove is a good example, Smith Mountain Lake is a good example, just because of gravity, because of water flowing in, this will be beneficial for the entirety of the area.”
While the rain is always a good thing, drought conditions are still in effect. This could have an effect on some activities, but as long as the weather holds up, Carvin’s Cove will still be open for everyone to enjoy.
“With the water levels being low you can’t launch a boat from the boat landing,” Schirmer said. “Kayaks and stand-up paddle boards are perfectly fine. All of our trails are open and it’s still a beautiful place to come visit.”