Kentucky's drought is getting worse.

The National Drought Mitigation Center shows western Kentucky is experiencing extreme drought.

The situation is getting worse in other parts of the state as well.

That's alarming towns that rely on a single like a reservoir for their drinking water.

Our June Leffler visited Wolf Lake in eastern Kentucky, where the water level there is receding and a mayor is praying for rain.

This is Wolf Lake.

The single public water source for 2600 households across Wolf County.

Campton is the county seat and Kathy Mae is the mayor.

So yeah, the lake's really not been to full capacity for us for several years.

A full lake could reach the height of these rocks nowhere near where it is today.

May and engineers monitored the lake by site.

The stump was covered in water after snowfall in February.

Now it's exposed.

A marker placed at the lake's edge days ago is now surrounded by mud, showing how the water level has receded.

Public officials are taking the reins.

Last November, the county placed a moratorium on new water customers.

My clerk has answered two calls that I know of today, of someone calling to get new water service.

And, you know, it's heartbreaking for us to tell them that we cannot give them water service.

And we have people that are starting to build their their homes in the hopes that by the time they get their homes built, that that they will be able to obtain a water meter.

And the statewide drought has only made conditions worse.

And lack of rainfall has definitely aided in this as well.

We've struggled, you know, a couple of winters in the past, but by spring we get the spring rain and the lake is back to full, full.

Unfortunately, this spring we did not get the rainfall.

So we are still struggling.

And it's it's a scary situation.

The Division of Water, a state agency, says the drought is impacting the water supply of multiple counties.

May says any emergency conservation efforts will be decided alongside state officials.

From the.

I would think that we're already in a critical state.

It'll be he doesn't deem it there yet because he has monitored this lake for many years and he he knows how many gallons, how many thousands of gallons that I have left.

But we do have a timeframe of when we're going to have to call the state of emergency if the rainfall doesn't come.

May is looking for more water outside of off lake, with plans to tap into nearby communities, water systems, drill more wells, and hopefully acquire another lake from a private donor.

You know, getting tied in to one of our in our local connects is obviously the fastest solution and one that we desperately need now.

But long term, I really want to see Wolf County being able to supply their own water.

So we are beginning that process so that, you know, I probably will not be here to see it.

You know, come to fruition.

But, you know, hopefully for the future mayor or whomever, you know it, it will happen.

If spring showers don't come soon, may says she'll have to make some tough decisions by the end of the month.

For Kentucky Edition, I'm Jen Leffler.

Thank you.

June.

According to last week's Kentucky Drought Update, statewide rainfall for this year is at 10.5in.

That's seven inches fewer than normal.