'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.

Water Levels Rising in Georgia

The water levels of Lake Hartwell and Lake Thurmond are rising. The Army Corps of Engineers reopened the boat ramps for these Georgia lakes because of improvements seen over the last month. But the lakes are still below average levels. The Corps is continuing with measures designed to boost lake levels such as reduced flows from the Thurmond Dam and no flow from Lake Hartwell. Today, the average elevation for Hartwell Lake is 655 feet. That's up from a record low of 637 feet in December.

(AP)

Good news for Lake Hartwell

Rains in December were a big bonus to Lake Hartwell in east Georgia. Its level is up nearly four feet from the recent low. Because of that, the Army Corps of Engineers says it probably won’t have to release any water from Hartwell for at least three weeks to help feed downstream needs. And more good news is ahead--forecasters say at least two storms could positively affect the area around the lake in the next week. Lake Hartwell is shared by both Georgia and South Carolina.

Lake reaches record low

As Georgia struggles through drought, an east Georgia lake has hit an all-time low. Lake Hartwell is at 642 feet above sea level. That beats the previous record low set in 1981. The Greenville News of neighboring South Carolina reports the lake is more than 17 feet below full pool.

(Associated Press)