Thus far, the city hasn't issued any conservation warnings, and Calkins doesn't expect it to get as bad as the 2007 drought, when the city asked for voluntary conservation from its customers.
A big reason for the change is the amount of rain the area received last spring.
"If you remember, back in April, we had parts of Connemara underwater out there," he said, adding that last year's drought began in the spring.
"People had a lot more to overcome last year than what they've had to overcome this year," Calkins said. "You haven't had to worry about watering back in the spring this year."
In September 2007, water was below the level where it would flow over Dam No. 9 for eight straight days, in the middle of the month, and five straight toward the end of the month.
This year, the water levels haven't dipped below the dam, but on Sept. 29, it came very close.
Tropical Storm Faye in early September increased the water level to just above five inches, but it has since dipped down.
"Faye parked over southeast Kentucky and dumped rain at the headwaters, and they jumped it up," Calkins said.
Officials were hopeful that the remnants of Hurricanes Hannah and Gustov would do the same, but the area had no such luck.
"Everything missed us," Calkins said. "It was just like last night (Monday). There were places in Lexington that received three-quarters of an inch, and the highest we got on any of our rain gauges around here was two-tenths.
"It did not come heavy enough, hard enough or long enough to even get everything wet," he added.
In addition to rains from Faye, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers released some water from the Carr Fork dam, near Sassafras, Ky., in Knott County, which helped some, Calkins said.
"In past years, the Corps releases would come later in the year, so I don't know if that's something that's changed in recent history or not," he said.
Wilmore Utilities Director Dave Carlstedt said his city is in good shape water-wise.
"It's kind of the same story that we've had for the last couple years since we went through our water plant upgrade in 2002," he said. "We have no need for restrictions or monitoring on a day-to-day level."
Meanwhile, Calkins said if the traditional weather patters hold out, then central Kentucky should start seeing rainfall before too long.
"We don't bet the farm or our 401K on long-range weather forecasts, but we do pay attention to them," he said.
