Atlanta mayor hopes for truce in 3-state water war

West Point Lake. (Dave Bender/file)

Mayor Shirley Franklin is hopeful President-elect Barack Obama will make good on a promise to unite Georgia, Florida and Alabama over the issue of water.

In October, Obama said he would call for the states' governors to begin negotiating again on water sharing.

Speaking to the Atlanta Press Club Tuesday, Franklin said she considers overhauling the city's troubled sewer system one of hermost challenging accomplishments, but that the new president must bring regional governors to the table on water issues.

Franklin, who leaves office at the end of the year, says her successor will need to focus on what can be done to ensure a stronger future for Atlanta.

(AP)

Click here for more GPB News coverage of water issues and here for previous reports about the drought.

High Court Declines Georgia Motion Water Wars Case

Lake Allatoona: a bridge over troubled, and receding, waters (Dave Bender/file)

The U.S. Supreme Court will let stand a lower court ruling that threatens Georgia's long-term water plans for the Atlanta region.

The court's decision Monday raises fundamental questions about Georgia's rights to Lake Lanier, a massive federal reservoir outside Atlanta. It could also play a key role in deciding the
long-running water wars among Georgia, Florida and Alabama.

The case involves a 2003 water-sharing agreement with the Army Corps of Engineers that would have allowed Georgia to take far more water from Lanier for drinking water.

Florida and Alabama contested the pact. A lower court agreed, saying the Corps didn't have authority to use the lake for that reason.

Georgia had appealed to the Supreme Court for another review.

(AP)

Click here for more GPB News coverage of water issues and here for previous reports about the drought.

Rain helps Allatoonta, not Lanier

Recent rainfall and winter precipitation of the past few weeks has been good for one north Georgia lake, but not so for another.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers says Lake Allatoona is now slightly above its normal 'winter pool'level. Rob Holland with the Corps says it is a smaller reservoir, so it's easier to refill.

On the other hand, Holland says recent rainfall has not appeared to have found Lake Lanier.

"It has not benefitted from the rain--it seems like the rain goes around it. And it has a relatively small drainage basin that feeds it, so it's going to take a heck of a lot of rain to refill it".

Holland does say the Corps has been able to keep water releases from Lanier to the minimum required, as rainfall has helped downstream.

Lakes Drying as Governors Hold Water Talks

Lake Lanier marina: Mud flats in foreground are fast approaching the boat berths. If the drought increases, the docks will be unusable. (Susanna Capulouto)

The governors of Georgia, Florida and Alabama are meeting today in Tallahassee for White House-backed water talks as drought conditions worsen in the region.


Lake Allatoona: Boats docked at nearly unusable marina. (Dave Bender)

The three states have been fighting over rights to the water in the Chattahoochee River for well-over a decade. North Georgia is in a record-setting drought and rains over the weekend didn't help much. Reservoir levels have been dropping fast.


Allatoona: Empty berths. (Dave Bender)

After a White House meeting November 1st, the governors of the three states agreed to talk some more, and the US Army Corps of Engineers has since slowed down the releases of water out of Lake Lanier -- Atlanta's main drinking water source. Florida needs water out of the river for the ecosystem in the Apalachicola Bay, and Alabama needs it for power plants.

Today's meeting could be the beginning for talks towards a permanent water pact that would end the tri-state water wars.


Allatoona: Receding shoreline, near bridge to Red Top Mountain State Park. (Dave Bender)


Allatoona: View to the south, from the bridge. (Dave Bender)


Allatoona: Shoal markers, high and dry. (Dave Bender)

Click here for ongoing GPB News coverage of the water crisis.

Water flows cut from Lake Allatoona

Some good news for Lake Allatoona. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has decided to reduce the flow of water out of Allatoona by 40 to 50 percent. It’s an effort to make sure Allatoona remains a lake. The Corps has not said whether it has similar plans for nearby Lake Lanier, which is metro Atlanta’s main water source.

Cobb May Need New Water Source

Cobb county may soon have to find other water options. Right now, the gate on Lake Allatoona that provides almost half of Cobb County with water is less than 10 feet away from being exposed. The gate pulls water from the lake into the pipes that transfer it to Cobb County. Two other gates are already out of commission.

Cobb County-Marietta Water Authority Manager, Glen Paige, said there is one gate left, 7 feet deeper than the other three. No one knows if it even works; it’s never been used. But, Paige said not to worry, there are other options.

“If the lake level continues to fall, we will need to take other measures, including what we’re considering, which is installing some temporary pumps nearly a mile away in a deeper pool in the lake,” said Paige.

Before the deepest gate can be used, two or three feet of silt have to be removed and the gate must be tested. That process will cost a hundred thousand dollars. Temporary water pumps would cost six times as much.

Report: Atlanta suburb taking too much water

A suburban Atlanta water provider may be drawing too much water out of a federal reservoir. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers warned the Cobb County-Marietta Water Authority today that it has taken too much water from Lake Allatoona. The water authority has 10 days to respond. The analysis comes days after the governors of Georgia, Alabama and Florida gathered in Washington over water-sharing problems that have festered for the better part of two decades.

North Georgia county seeks more water rights

Today Floyd County, the home of two north Georgia rivers, voted to ask the state to return water taken out of Lake Allatoona. The water goes to metro Atlanta counties. It’s then treated, and sent to the Chattahoochee River. Floyd County wants that water to return to north Georgia. Floyd County also wants more money for a watershed analysis, funding for a regional reservoir and a plan to reduce water pollution.

Water War

The North Georgia outdoor watering ban is fueling an ongoing water dispute with neighboring Alabama. North Georgia is in a level four drought, the most severe category, and Lakes Allatoona and Lanier could reach record lows if rain does not come soon. Sam Olens, who chairs the Atlanta Regional Commission, says Alabama, which gets water from both lakes, needs to impose a watering ban as well. "We should all encourage our residents to preserve water," said Olens, "but if you have one area at level 4 and another state with no watering ban that’s just piggish." Alabama officials say they leave watering bans up to local governments. Last month, Birmingham loosened its summer restrictions and now allows sprinklers at odd-even days.

Lake Allatoona to Release Less Water

This week, in response to Georgia’s worsening drought, officials are cutting the amount of water released from Allatoona Lake by a third. Less water flowing out of Lake Allatoona, located 30 miles north of Atlanta, means less water for communities primarily in North West GA, like Rome, and Cartersville.

Joe Cook, with the Coosa River Basin Initiative in Rome says officials are sacrificing these communities to help metro Atlanta.

“We are concerned about having adequate flows to protect out economy and our ecology in N W GA. They are holding back water in Lake Allatoona primarily to preserve water supplies for communities in metro Atlanta.”

Cook says holding back water will also affect the Coosa River’s wildlife. He says that because water from the river is used to cool Georgia Power’s Plant Hammond the, rivers temperature is elevated. And with less water flowing downstream, the river may get too hot.

Georgia to cut back water to Alabama

As drought continues in Georgia, water flow will be cut back from dams in Georgia. The U.S. Army Corps of engineers says it will reduce water being released downstream to Alabama by a third. One reason is that North Georgia's Lake Allatoona is dropping about a foot a week. Without cutting back on dam releases, Allatoona could be empty by February.

Two more Georgia counties ban all watering

The list of Georgia counties that have now enacted total outdoor watering bans has grown by two. Officials in Cobb and Paulding counties have announced the new restrictions-—no outdoor watering anytime, anywhere. Cobb officials say they are being proactive in taking steps now to preserve water supply for future use. Similar total watering bans are in place in Jackson, Barrow, Clarke, Oconee, Douglas, and Carroll counties.

The drought is severely affecting two lakes in north Georgia. Lake Allatoona in Cherokee County north of Atlanta is more than 12 feet below its normal level. Lake Lanier in the Gainesville-area is getting to a point that the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers estimates it may reach low levels not seen since the 1950’s.

Corps to release more water from Lake Allatoona

The Army Corps of Engineers is giving into pressure from Alabama, and will release more water from north Georgia’s Lake Allatoona. Alabama Governor Bob Riley has complained that his drought-stricken state needs more water released from the lake into the Alabama-Coosa-Tallapoosa river system. But Governor Sonny Perdue says Riley's request for higher releases would drain Lake Allatoona and give Alabama little drought relief. Georgia and Alabama have waged a legal battle since 1990 over water- sharing.

Alabama water claim disputed

Alabama's Governor has accused the Army Corps of Engineers of illegally holding-back water they need from a Georgia lake. The Corps has fired back, saying its actions are valid.

This latest flare-up in the decades-long water wars involves Lake Allatoona in northwest Georgia. Alabama Governor Bob Riley this week sent a letter to the Army Secretary, saying the Corps has been "obsessed" with keeping Allatoona levels high. Riley says the Corps has held-back 18-billion gallons of water from his drought-stricken state.

Corps of Engineers spokesman Rob Holland says they have a tough job trying to manage water. He says there is no specific requirement that water from Allatoona be released to Alabama.

"That particular river valley, the Alabama-Coosa valley has one of the worst segments of this drought, and we understand they're hurting and need water...but we have to manage it as a system and have to take into account a lot of different factors".

In 2006, Georgia sued the Corps of Engineers for releasing water from Lake Lanier to Florida. A faulty gauge led to an over-release of 22 billion gallons.

Alabama wants more water from Georgia lake

Alabama is in need of drought relief, and its Governor is asking the Army Corps of Engineers for more water from Georgia to help. Alabama Governor Bob Riley has requested water be released from Lake Allatoona. In a letter to the Army secretary, Riley says the Corps is not following its own reservoir manual for operation of the lake. Because of that he says, his state has been short about 18-billion gallons of water.
Riley charges that the Corps has met the minimum water release amounts only 6-percent of the days since the start of February. He says the Corps failure to follow its own procedures quote “shocking”.

UGA footballer charged with assault

A University of Georgia football player is in trouble with the law. 20-year-old Paul Taylor is charged with assault for attacking two teenagers near Lake Allatoona in May. Another college football player was also arrested – 19-year-old Shane McClesky who plays for Murray State University in Kentucky. Both players are from Woodstock, Georgia.

Drought affecting power supplies

Drought conditions across the state are affecting everyone from farmers to homeowners trying to keep a green lawn. Now Alabama Power says that the drought will prevent the company from generating enough power unless more water is released from into the Coosa River basin so it can maintain its generating capability at several dams.

The Coosa River starts in Rome and flows through Alabama, where it joins with the Tallapoosa River to form the Alabama River. The three rivers are a main source of power in that state.

The power company has asked the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to release water from Lake Allatoona to raise water levels west of the dam near Cartersville.

The company also wants water released from Carters Lake in north Georgia, which also feeds the Coosa River.

Officials in Rome say that the higher water levels could help with wastewater treatment.

The Corps of Engineers is taking public comment from all interested parties until Friday.