Despite a lack of summer rainfall in the Charleston area, local water officials are not worried about water supplies, but concerns persist for crops.

Coles County received .95 inches of rain in June and is currently in a moderate drought, said Cameron Craig, an Eastern geographer. He said that the county is currently 7 inches below normal rainfall amounts.

Even though there was a quick rain shower on Sunday, Craig said there was not enough rain and that it fell too quickly to make a difference. Longer-lasting, soaking rain showers are what the area needs so that the ground can have the time to absorb the water and be taken in by crops and other plants.

Craig expects Coles County to enter a severe drought status if more long-lasting, soaking rain showers do not enter the area in the next two weeks.

Curt Beusher, director of public works in Charleston, said that as of July 3, the water level of Lake Charleston was down 1 inch below normal. He said Lake Charleston can hold up to a year-and-a-half’s worth of water supply and that water level does not become a concern until the lake is down 5 feet.

Lake Charleston’s water is pumped from the Embarras River. Mayor John Inyart said that the river is currently running strong because of rainfall in Northern Illinois and Indiana, the source of the Embarras River’s water.

Donna Beals, manager of Clear Water Service Corp. in Mattoon, said water supplies are sufficient and her main concern right now is water pressure and water quality.

Clear Water operates six wells west of Mattoon that serve over 2,450 households and businesses in rural Mattoon and Charleston.

Beals explained Clear Water normally operates two or three of the wells that produce the best quality water. However, as water pressure drops because of dwindling supply from rain, Clear water must bring additional wells online that have lesser water quality and contain elements such as iron and sulfur.

Beals said that while water supply is not a concern, Clear Water has begun operating four pumps and has recommended their customers cut back on unnecessary water usage, such as watering lawns, to try and maintain water pressure.

Even though water supplies are not of concern to local officials, Craig said that crops are at high risk because of the drought.

Craig explained that many fields of corn are struggling and that the lack of water is causing crops to mature at very slow rates. He said that corn fields should already be tasseling and pollinated by now, but many fields are barely to this point in maturation.

“Corn is in serious trouble,” he said. “Farmers are a little on-edge.”

Craig said he does not expect the necessary rain to help crops to come any time soon.

“The forecast is not very good,” he said.

Tim Deters can be reached at 581-2812 or [email protected].