Stream flow readings in Durham County shows there is still a substantial drought in the area.

Officials say low ground water levels leave well water users at a substantially higher risk of running out of water. Most municipal water users are not directly affected, however, because they receive water from reservoirs.

According to Water Manager officials, low ground water levels cause the water from streams to seep into the ground, which leads to an overall decline in water flow. They say the decline is usually the direct result of drought conditions.

At the Flat River in Bahama, discharge levels are at approximately two cubic feet per second. But Flat River's average levels are usually about 20 cubic feet per second. That means Flat River is flowing at about 10 percent of its normal rate.

At Durham's Little River, data collected by the US Geological Survey shows it has been discharging about 0.33 cubic feet of water per second. Usually, Little River's discharges about 6.4 cubic feet of water for that time.

Officials say the low discharge levels are a sign the drought's not over yet.

"It takes a much longer time for the ground water to recover than it does a surface water system," said Vicki Westbrook, director of Durham's Water Management department.

"When those lakes refill, we're doing okay," Westbrook said about most municipal water customers. "Folks who are relying on a well, they're relying on groundwater, and it takes more than one event to fill that up," she added.

Westbrook says water management officials are watching stream levels carefully. She says more consistent rain is one of the only solutions to refill the lacking ground water in Durham County.