Corps starts twice-daily water releases

The Chattahoochee River south of Atlanta is filling up faster than normal, thanks to U.S. Army Corps of Engineer releases to keep downstream locations covered.

The Corps says it's started twice-daily releases from Lake Lanier, in order to protect Fla. shellfish on the Apalachicola River. Federal law requires the Corps to keep three point-two-billion gallons flowing southward daily.

Columbus Water Works President Billy Turner official says that's likely to continue, if the quantity of water meets the Endangered Species requirements.

Fish and Wildlife officials will monitor the health of the mussels downstream, to determine of they can survive in lesser amounts of water. If so, the Corps will gradually cut back on the amounts released.

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