Snow Far, Snow Good At Stone Mountain

Slip sliding away on the tubing run at Snow Mountain Park. (Photo: Dave Bender)

Residents of Atlanta are not accustomed to snowy winters. But now anybody in the area who wants a day of snow play can head to Stone Mountain Park.

The park has opened its first "Snow Mountain Park," with three football fields of snow, a 400-foot hill with 11 tubing runs and a 30,0000-square-foot play area.

The attraction uses water from Stone Mountain Lake that is filtered and then turned into snow using the same types of snowmaking machines that ski resorts use. As the snow melts, it drains back to Stone Mountain Lake.

The snow park opened Dec. 31 and is scheduled to remain open weekends through March 1.

The controversial attraction was canceled last year when critics balked at the event in the midst of a crushing drought in the state.

The Park had begun making the artificial snow mountain on the same day Governor Sonny Perdue urged Georgians to take “shorter showers” to conserve water.

(AP)

Lanier at record lowest seasonal level

Lake Lanier. Click on the map for a full-sized image. (Courtesy U.S. Army Corps of Engineers)

Hurricane Ike and other recent storms that've swept the region didn't leave as much water behind in Lake Lanier as water officials had hoped. In fact, it's the lowest Lanier has even been for this time of year.

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers officials says that while tropical storm Fay did bring up the level to just over 1055 feet, that's still 17 feet below normal full pool - 1,071 feet.

In addition, officials say they’re expecting a dry winter.

Click here for more GPB News ongoing drought coverage.

State officials consider water restriction rollback

Lieutenant Governor Casey Cagle and some other state officials are considering a plan that would ease outdoor watering restrictions in Georgia.

The proposal would allow homeowners to water their lawns and gardens at certain times, after successful completion of a short online water conservation course. Landscape professionals could also take a similar course, which could lead to limited irrigation.

But the state’s climatologist in his latest drought update says officials might need to consider even tougher restrictions as summer approaches, not a rollback. David Stooksbury says an "exceptional" designation remains for areas west and north of the Chattahoochee River.

Since late September, 61 north Georgia counties have been under an outdoor watering ban. It prohibits all outdoor water use, including filling swimming pools and washing cars. Lake Lanier, which feeds drinking water to more than three million people in the region, has hit record-low levels since November.