Dry weather draining 2 big SC lakes

MONCKS CORNER, S.C. (AP) — Lakes Marion and Moultrie are drying up in South Carolina hot summer.

The Post and Courier of Charleston reported (http://bit.ly/nLIMui) Thursday that the water level has dropped more than one foot in the past two weeks.

Officials say some boat landings no longer have water and the shallow lake bottoms are being exposed.

Officials blame high temperatures and the lack of rainfall.

The Charleston area is nearly 10 inches below normal rainfall for 2011. The lakes are nearly 4 feet below normal levels.

The state-owned utility Santee Cooper closed two Lake Moultrie boat landings Wednesday. The Moncks Corner utility posted a low-water advisory for a third boat landing.

Santee Cooper spokeswoman Mollie Gore says the hot summer took its toll on the water levels.

___

Information from: The Post and Courier, http://www.postandcourier.com