U.S. Army Corp of Engineers officials say, they could cut back the amount of water being sent down the Savannah River should the region's drought continue.
Corp officials told about 40 people who attended a public meeting in Savannah yesterday that Lakes Hartwell and Thurmond have enough reserve water to keep downstream flow at current levels through next summer.
The next few months will be critical, though. Hydrologists said, without a wet winter, they could be forced to reduce flows, a prospect shrimper Mike Dubberly said, would hurt his harvest.
"If it's going to be a shortage of drinking water, I can understand the need for them maybe not to release as much," Dubberly said. "But just to make someone have ten or fifteen feet of water at their dock, I don't see that's a reason to change the way they're doing things."
Savannah's chief water official said less water could make the city tap more expensive. Nuclear watchdogs raised the prospect of a shut down power plant. And a tour company operator said any less water and recreational boating would dry up.
Corp officials told about 40 people who attended a public meeting in Savannah yesterday that Lakes Hartwell and Thurmond have enough reserve water to keep downstream flow at current levels through next summer.
The next few months will be critical, though. Hydrologists said, without a wet winter, they could be forced to reduce flows, a prospect shrimper Mike Dubberly said, would hurt his harvest.
"If it's going to be a shortage of drinking water, I can understand the need for them maybe not to release as much," Dubberly said. "But just to make someone have ten or fifteen feet of water at their dock, I don't see that's a reason to change the way they're doing things."
Savannah's chief water official said less water could make the city tap more expensive. Nuclear watchdogs raised the prospect of a shut down power plant. And a tour company operator said any less water and recreational boating would dry up.
