State Water Planning Takes Shape

State environmental officials are underway with development of water planning in Georgia. Eleven experts have been selected to serve on the state’s water planning advisory panel. They include scientists from the University of Georgia, Georgia Tech, Georgia State, among others. They are joined by geological and environmental researchers. The group aims to help Georgia deal with a wide array of challenges with water, including the growing metro Atlanta region, plans to build new reservoirs, and how restrictions help deal with times of drought.

UGA Study Shows Drought-Tornado Link

A University of Georgia researcher says there’s a surprising connection between periods of drought and the number of tornadoes that strike the Southeast.

The past two springs have produced numerous and damaging twisters. Several hit north, central and south Georgia this February through April. And it was the destructive March 2008 Atlanta tornado that spurred Marshall Shepherd to launch a study--is it rare to see such activity, coming out of drought conditions of the previous fall and winter seasons?

The associate professor with UGA’s Atmospheric Sciences Department went back through decades of records, finding this result 93-percent of the time in the southeast:

"The strongest statistical result that is related to the fact that when there’s drought there’s below normal activity. We haven’t been able to establish a strong link that suggests when the fall and winter is wetter, that you have even more tornadoes the following spring."

Shepherd says he wants to compare this research with that from the tornado-alleys of the Midwest. He says further study could lead forecasters to better predict seasonal tornado-activity…much like hurricane predictions made annually.

Water Restrictions May Get Rollback

Top state environmental officials may decide later today to rollback water restrictions in north Georgia. The state Enviromental Protection Division has called a meeting for this morning-at issue, whether the recent months of steady to heavy rainfall has been enough to allow a lifting of restrictions. It was only a year ago that more than 40 percent of the region was firmly mired in drought. But since the recent rain, climatologists lifted drought-designations for the state. Only a small pocket in northeast Georgia remains "abnormally dry".

Drought Decision Wednesday

Encouraged by the replenishing rains, state environmental officials are set to decide Wednesday whether to relax water restrictions that banned most outdoor water use across north Georgia.

Just a year ago, about 60 percent of the state was locked in some sort of drought.

Federal forecasters now say the state has completely emerged from the drought, and that only a small pocket in northeast Georgia remains "abnormally dry."

Still, conservationists are concerned that if the state Drought Response Committee decides to ease or lift restrictions it will send the wrong message to water-conscious residents.

As the drought spread in late 2007, state environmental officials banned virtually all outdoor watering in the northern part of the state and ordered utilities in the area to reduce water use by 10 percent.

The requirements for the utilities were lifted as the drought began to ease, and state officials agreed to allow some counties that do not rely on Lake Lanier to get exemptions from some of the restrictions.

Georgia environmental officials have since allowed residents to fill outdoor swimming pools, hand-water plants for 25 minutes three days a week and use drip irrigation and soaker houses to maintain their yards.

Yet an order that bans most other outdoor watering across north Georgia and limits outdoor watering to three days a week throughout the rest of the state are still in place.

Dock Permits Open on Lake Lanier

The Army Corps of Engineers is lifting a ban on new dock permits on north Georgia's Lake Lanier in another sign that the epic drought that once gripped north Georgia is fast becoming a thing of the past. The Corps issued the moratorium in April 2007 as the drought sent levels at the massive reservoir plunging. As the drought grew worse, the lake's levels dropped more than 18 feet below full pool. But rainy weather has helped north Georgia emerge from the worst drought conditions, and Lanier is now only about four feet below full pool. Corps spokesman E. Patrick Robbins said that helped federal engineers feel confident enough to begin accepting new boat dock permits.

(Associated Press)

Interior Secretary To Tour Lanier With Governor

The reservoir at the center of a decades-long battle between Georgia and neighboring states will get a first-hand look by the Secretary of the Interior this morning. Ken Salazar will be joined by Governor Sonny Perdue in taking a helicopter tour of Lake Lanier and areas previously under drought. Despite above-normal rainfall in north Georgia in recent months, Lanier is still more than five-feet below full pool. The 20-year fight between Georgia, Alabama and Florida over water from the Chattahoochee River remains mired in court. Georgia wants policies to keep more water in the reservoir, which supplies water to metro Atlanta. The other states want more water released downstream during times of drought.

'09 Rainfall Continues To Raise Reservoir Levels

The bountiful rainfall of late winter and early spring in Georgia continues to erase effects of the drought. The state’s climatologist says the Lake Lanier and Lake Hartwell basins have improved enough to be raised to a category of mild drought--up from a moderate drought designation. Meanwhile, the rest of the state is drought-free. Soil moisture conditions for most of the state are now above normal, except for some of the mountain counties in Georgia. And there’s more rain on the way--much of the state today can expect showers and thunderstorms, with some possibly severe.

Major Flooding Concern For Parts Of South Georgia

Several days of heavy rains have brought bad--and good news--to Georgia. Parts of the state, especially to the south, have received well over a foot of rain--a good bit of that over the past 36 hours.

And the immediate concern for those residents today is flooding. At least two sections of major rivers in the region are forecast to reach major flood stage. The Satilla River near Waycross had already hit the 20-foot "major flood" mark by early afternoon. To the west, in Lowndes County near the state line, the Withlacoochee River is also expected to reach "major flood status"—near 25 feet.

Paige Dukes is with Lowndes County:

"Right now I’m sort of right in the middle of the city, and I grew up just a couple of blocks from where we have some of the most significant flooding and it’s been common for the water to come up over a bridge in the area several times over probably the last 20 or 30 years. But, we have a lot of long time residents in the area and everyone’s saying they’ve never seen the water get this high."

Many roads in south Georgia are closed to traffic due to flooding, and about two dozen school systems were closed today.

Meanwhile, the massive rainfall has now busted the drought for most of Georgia. State climatologist David Stooksbury says the southern two-thirds of the state Georgia have now stepped-out out of drought. Earlier this week, Stooksbury removed the drought designation from most of north Georgia. The only exceptions remain the Lake Lanier and Lake Hartwell basins, which are still classified as in moderate drought.

Heavy Rains Lift Most Of Georgia Out Of Drought

Most of Georgia is now out of drought--that word comes from the state’s climatologist. David Stooksbury says several days of heavy rain over the past week have now elevated the southern two-thirds of Georgia out of drought conditions. That follows the word from Stooksbury earlier this week that most of north Georgia had also stepped-out of drought. The only exeptions remain the Lake Lanier and Lake Hartwell basins, which are still classified as in moderate drought.

Wet March Rolls Back Some Drought In State

A series of rainy days in March has brought the state enough widespread relief to significantly ease drought conditions in Georgia.

State climatologist David Stooksbury says because of an unusually wet month, north Georgia has seen the most benefit, and he’s reclassified conditions in the region:

"Either totally out of the drought, or abnormally dry. The exeption is the Hartwell and Lanier basins in north and east Georgia. Both of those basins are classified as being in moderate drought."

And still, Lanier has rebounded well in only a few months time. From a level of 20 feet below full pool in early-December, the north Georgia reservoir is now only 10 feet under full pool.

Stooksbury says much of south Georgia remains in moderate drought. But, the region within the last week got a heavy dose of rain--the southwest corner especially with 5-7 inches.

As for rivers and streams in Georgia, some flood warnings remain in place, such as for the Ocmulgee, Flint, and Oconee.

And there is more rain forecast for the state starting on Tuesday night.

Lake Lanier at Highest Level Since '07

Three consecutive days of rain have added 6 inches to the level of Lake Lanier, its highest since late 2007.

Georgia Environmental Protection Division Director Carol Couch said Monday the level is still off what she had hoped it would be.

Three months ago, Lanier was 20 feet below full pool. Now it's more than 11 feet below. The decrease stems from winter rains and less water being released form the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, which operates the federal reservoir.

The Corps predicts the level will remain near 1,058.8 feet above sea level - its level on Tuesday - through April.

(AP)

Recent Rain A Bonus To Georgia

Widespread, soaking rains in two of the past three weekends this month have given the state a much-needed boost in combating the drought.

It could be called a good start. State climatologists are cautiously optimistic that drought-ravaged Georgia has received some bonus rain as spring and consistently warmer temperatures arrive soon.

More of the weekend’s widespread rain fell in north Georgia, where the drought’s effects have been most severe.

Assistant state climatologist Pam Knox says all this rain has been very beneficial for the state’s short-term needs:

"We’re going to see that all of the precipitation that falls from the end of March on, is going to be used immediately either by the plants or taken away by evaporation. So the last couple weeks is really critical for building up a bank account if you will of soil moisture."

The state’s reservoirs have seen the benefit. Lake Lanier in particular is at its highest level since October of 2007--more than 1,058 feet. Still, the north Georgia reservoir is around 11 feet below full pool.

Knox says Georgia still needs months of above-normal rainfall to make a big dent in ground water levels.

North Georgia Water Restrictions Get Slight Alteration

Partial relief has arrived for north Georgia residents under tough outdoor watering restrictions. Drip irrigation and soaker hoses are now OK to use for up to one hour--three days a week before 10am. However, the state’s top environmental official says nothing else has changed. State Enviromental Protection Division head Carol Couch says the 55-county north Georgia region remains in a record-setting drought, now moving into a fourth year.

Couch says the increase in north Georgia water use would be in a range she sees as acceptable. However, with an unreasonable rise in water use or worsening drought, the loosened restrictions could again be tightened in the future.

Drought is Back

Georgia ended 2008 nearly out of drought, but officials say it's back. Rainfall in January and February has been abnormally light. Over the past 30 days, almost the entire state has received less than half of normal rainfall. 102 counties are in moderate drought and parts of northeast Georgia are mired in "severe" and "extreme" drought conditions. State climatologist David Stooksbury, says "This is just not the scenario we want to be seeing and could be really priming us for a major drought, particularly water resource issues, for this summer." Stooksbury's biggest concern is northeast Georgia reservoirs, particularly along the Savannah River Basin, which are already extremely low. The only exception to the drought is Georgia's extreme northwest corner. Meanwhile, meteorologists forecasts heavy rains for today and tomorrow.

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Climatologist: Ga. Drought Conditions Are Back

Drought conditions have returned to much of Georgia, and the state's climatologist is warning it could get worse.

State climatologist David Stooksbury said Wednesday that drought has returned to many parts of the state that had emerged from dry conditions last year, including swaths of south Georgia. Some 102 counties are in moderate drought, and parts of northeast Georgia are still mired in "severe" and "extreme" conditions.

Stooksbury says most of the state has received less than half of normal rain over the last 30 days. He says that unless the state receives significant rain through April the state "is primed for another year of drought."

(AP)

Organization wants lower flows to Augusta Canal

As the region endures an ongoing drought, an organization wants to hold back water flowing from the Savannah River into the Augusta Canal.

The Friends of the Savannah River Basin say reducing flows to the Augusta Canal would keep more water in reservoirs upstream from Augusta, according to the Augusta Chronicle. The canal is used for hydroelectric power generation and drinking water in for people in the Augusta-area.

The group wants less water flowing into the canal, so more water is available for the Augusta Shoals downstream. Insufficient flows threaten endangered fish and the endangered spider lily.

Critics of the idea, though, say lower flows would potentially mean that limits on allowable wastewater discharges would be reduced, requiring big changes for industries and municipalities.

Keeping more water in the reservoirs could also benefit tourism. Tourists often find lower lake levels to be unattractive. The lower levels also makes water recreation more difficult and even potentially dangerous.

Georgia Drought Not a Priority for Lawmakers

Lake Lanier is still around 14 feet under normal level- and environmental groups are fearing that the debate has been lost in the Georgia Legislature.

Last year legislators were saying they were going to be tackling the water issue. One of their first votes was to embrace a statewide water plan. And powerful lawmakers soon backed a bid to claim water from the Tennessee River.

But still the drought grips parts of north Georgia.

A half dozen or more proposals have been introduced by lawmakers that would spur conservation and crack down on pollution. But chamber leaders have not publicly made any of them a priority.

(AP)

Lanier Gets Return of Some Fishing Tournaments

For the first time in awhile, The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is accepting applications for fishing tournaments at Lake Lanier. It’s a sign that the north Georgia reservoir is rebounding from historic low water levels.

Lanier has risen more than five feet since early December. So now the Corps is issuing permits for daytime fishing tournaments, 90 days or less in the future.

The return of at least a partial schedule of tournaments is a relief for nearby fishing equipment and bait shop owners. Candy Hammond runs Hammond’s Bait and Tackle in Cumming. She says that while her business has weathered the drought and economic downturn relatively well, others around her have not been so lucky.

"There’s some places that have closed the doors, there’s some people that are trying to hang-on. It’s just here and there, it just depends on where they are in proximity to different ramps."

Now, she says renewed optimism is taking hold for businesses nearby Lanier.

Fishing in Georgia is typically a nearly $2-billion economic engine for the state. And state officials late last year announced a national tournament to be held at Lanier in 2010--expected to spark $20-million in financial impact for Georgia.

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.