Westmoreland, Corps meet over water issues

Dried-up boat dock at West Point Lake. (Dave Bender)

Congressman Lynne Westmoreland (R) met with US Army Corps of Engineers officials at the LaGrange City Hall Friday morning to discuss the drought's damage to West Point Lake, and the local economy.

Westmoreland met with Col. Byron Jorns, commander of the Corps Mobile District, and Steven Logan, operations manager of the West Point Project.

Westmoreland gave the Corps a letter requesting an immediate update, and details of any further talks between the Corps and the Department of Fish and Wildlife Service about water usage plans for the area, according to Chip Lake, Westmoreland's Chief of Staff.

After the meeting, Westmoreland, who represents the Third Congressional District, toured the lake on a pontoon boat in order to personally gauge the extent of the damage, Press Secretary Brian Robinson said.

Westmoreland later met with Lagrange and Troup Co. officials and local business leaders, specifically in the marine sport and hotel trades, to assess the extent of the economic damage to the area.

Westmoreland is interested in a longer-term solution to the dilemma of sharing water resources and conflicting needs between Georgia, Alabama and Florida, Robinson said.

Click here for more GPB News coverage of the drought.

Chattahoochee Trace vying as nat'l site

Click on the map for more
information on each county.

The Historic Chattahoochee Commission is trying to convince Congress to declare the Chattahoochee Trace a national heritage site.

"There's no doubt in my mind that we will qualify," said Doug Purcell, executive director of the group, which formed in 1970:

"Our region fits (the program) to a tee."

Georgia and Alabama lawmakers are reportedly supportive of the commission's goals, according to an Associated Press report. The bill passed a Senate committee last month. Sen. Jeff Sessions said after the committee passed the measure:

"The region is rich in history and culture and deserves
recognition..."

The Bush administration also has expressed support for the effort.

Georgia counties along the Chattahoochee Trace are: Chattahoochee, Clay, Decatur, Early, Harris, Muscogee, Quitman, Randolph, Seminole, Stewart and Troup.

The National Park Service is putting a $200,000 to $300,000 tab on the cost of the study to determine whether the Chattahoochee Trace meets the program's criteria.

More information on the Chattahoochee Trace is here.