It’s probably little consolation to water-logged Pickens and Oconee counties, but recent torrential rains that led to flooding problems there have allowed state officials to remove the two counties from the drought list.

Cherokee County, meanwhile, remains in drought status, even if it’s at the least-severe level.

Overall, 20 of the state’s counties remain in “incipient drought” status, according to state climatologist Hope Mizzell. She said members of the state Drought Response Committee voted Wednesday to remove Pickens and Oconee from the list following an eightday period of rain that dumped vast amounts of water over Georgia and the northwestern portions of South Carolina.

Mizzell said the Walhalla Hatchery received 17.5 inches of rain between Sept. 15 and Sept. 22, while Long Creek received 11.75 inches during the same period.

Pickens saw close to eight inches of rainfall during the same time.

“All the drought indices responded to the rain event,” Mizzell said. “In the past week Lake Jocassee rose 9 feet, Lake Hartwell rose 3 feet, and groundwater levels returned to normal.”

The South Carolina Forestry Commission reported brush fire occurrence has been low as a result of the extra moisture.

Other Upstate counties like Greenville, Anderson and Abbeville also received significant rainfall during recent weather events, Mizzell said, but not enough to remove them from the drought declaration.

While Cherokee County and much of the Upstate remain in “incipient drought” status, it’s a big improvement in many ways. Much of the Upstate had been under an extreme drought declaration at about the same time last year.

October is historically the driest month of the year in South Carolina.

Incipient drought status generally requires water companies and systems to monitor water supplies and review conservation plans.