Ga. Fears Water Shortages at Reservoirs

[jpak]

http://www.lasvegassun.com/sunbin/stories/nat-gen/2006/jun/07/060705370.html

ATLANTA (AP) - Georgia claims the federal government is draining too much water from major reservoirs along the Chattahoochee River to protect endangered species in Florida, and it fears the use will cause water shortages this year, according to documents obtained by The Associated Press.

Because of drought conditions, the Army Corps of Engineers has been releasing more water than normal from Lake Lanier, West Point Lake, Walter F. George Reservoir and Lake Seminole to maintain stream levels for endangered mussels and the Gulf sturgeon.

Lake Lanier supplies water for the Atlanta metropolitan area.

Gov. Sonny Perdue sent a letter to Army Secretary Francis J. Harvey on Friday, claiming that unless the Corps of Engineers scales back the water releases, those lakes "will be drawn down to their lowest level in recorded history."

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[CottonBear]

1. Wouldn't be a problem if we conserved water & controlled sprawl.

The GA gov't has been taken over by greedy, corporate GOP bastards who do not care about water conservation, water quality, wildlife, endangered species much less the people of GA (they do care about the super wealthy).

[gademocrat7]

2. You are absolutely right.

Our state has gone to hell in a handbasket.

[CottonBear]

3. I miss the likes of Sam Nunn, Jimmy Carter, Wyche Fowler & Max Cleland.

I also miss Tom Murphy. Hell, I even sort of miss the "old" Zell Miller (governor.) :(

[The Deacon]

5. As A New Resident Of Georgia

I have to say - in Kansas we have a name for kind of drought the state is suffering: "wet weather." Was trying to explain to my dad how we can have a drought when we have green grass & leaves: "Well, Pop, I've just discovered that green is the natural color of grass & trees. Brown isn't. Know what else? These folks in Georgia have rivers and creeks and they actually store their water in them! You ever hear of such craziness?" Me, I'd always thought "river" was a Kiowa word for "dusty place where fish go to die."

[CottonBear]

8. LOL! Georgia is a very verdant state as you have discovered.

If all humans disappeared one day, the state would be mostly overgrown with vegetation within a year and even the asphalt roads would be overtaken by vegetation. Just think about what our Kudzu and privet (both non-native scourges) could do in one un-checked growing season!

Welcome to GA and to DU! :hi: :)

edit: I visited Topeka, Kansas once many years ago. Lovely town. I sem to remeber trees there but the rest of Kansas was quite flat and open. I love going out west but I always am glad to be home back in the Southeast with green trees and flowing water.

[jpak]

4. The late Eugene Odum predicted that water would ultimately limit growth

in the Atlanta area.

Looks like he was right.

[CottonBear]

9. I was lucky enough to meet him! I have his classic text on ecology.

I am a UGA grad. Dr. Odum founded the Institute of Ecology at UGA. He was the father of ecology. Great man. Miss him. We need another Eugene Odum now more than ever.

[jpak]

11. He was on my Master's committee

and I have an autographed copy of Principles of Ecology too.

:)

[CottonBear]

13. Wow! You are very fortunate. Are you a UGA grad as well?

The Institute of Ecology is an amazing asset to UGA, Georgia and the world. :)

[jpak]

15. Yup

How 'bout them Dawgs

Go You Silver Britches

etc...

:evilgrin:

[one_true_leroy]

6. just take a drive through the mcmansion hell

of gwinnet, cobb, etc., counties... clear cut the native trees, slap up some plastic houses with landscaping,' and run the water full tilt to cultivate non-native drought-wary lawns. disgusting!!

Of course, those lawns get first dibs on the water, leaving the 'hooch to trickle dregs down through the farmlands of middle and south GA.

[nealmhughes]

7. I'm waiting on them to try to get water from the Tennessee.

I wouldn't be at all surprised, and with the present TVA admin, would not be surprised. A great pipeline from Chattanooga straight downhill towards Dalton, then Rome, to Drylanta...

[CottonBear]

10. Shhh! Don't give them any ideas.

:( I grew up in Chattanooga. The TVA lake (Lake Chickamauga) there is huge!

[nealmhughes]

12. Go downstream!

you can't even see across Lake Wilson or Guntersville in places.

[amandabeech]

14. How long will the drought have to last before the municipal

wastewater treatment plants and water companies stop authorizing more sewer/water hookups in the 'burbs. This is already a problem in Milwaukee and Chicago in areas that are unwilling to pump in Lake Michigan water and pump it back in clean form when the local ground water mining gets too great.