The cracked soil at the bottom of Lake Michie — visible from the shoreline as of June 17, 2026 — tells the story of North Carolina's drought more directly than any number. Where water should be lapping against banks, there is exposed, desiccated earth.
ABC11's June 17, 2026 reporting from Durham documents conditions that Durham water officials acknowledge could trigger Stage 3 mandatory restrictions within months if significant rainfall does not materialize. As of that date, neither Lake Michie nor the Little River Reservoir — the city's two drinking water sources — has received meaningful rainfall since May 25.
