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Water Crisis Update

By Hank Johnson

FRIENDS: Georgia is in the midst of a historic drought that some call the worst in recorded history.

Lakes Lanier and Allatoona, the primary reservoirs for the Atlanta area, are at historically low levels yet the Army Corps of Engineers continue to release a minimum of 5,000 cubic feet per second of water from the lakes. This release of water is many times more than what is coming into the lakes and therefore contributing significantly to the severe depletion of the reservoirs. The Corps of Engineers is required to release that minimum amount of water to sustain several endangered species downriver from the lakes in Florida as well as power generation downriver. If current drought and water release conditions continue, it is estimated that there is between 80 and 120 days of water remaining. This is a serious situation and I as well as the entire Georgia Congressional Delegation are committed to ensuring adequate water supply for Georgians.

Clearly, something has to change. If the reservoirs run dry, there will be no water for the endangered species or for millions of Georgians. The Georgia Congressional Delegation is actively working with the Secretary of the Army and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to develop a revised plan that will slow the water releases from the lakes to a more sustainable level.

The Georgia Congressional Delegation has cosponsored a bill that would give the Secretary of the Army or the Governor the authority they would need to take drastic action in a severe drought. While this bill works its way through Congress, I am hopeful that ongoing negotiations with the Corps will soon result in reduced water releases from our dwindling reservoirs. Yesterday the Corps took a positive step in agreeing to begin the process of updating the water control manuals for the ACT river basin. Though this action by the Corps will not bring relief in the immediate crisis, it is a step in the right direction and shows that the Corps is beginning to respond to the concerns of Georgians.

This week, the Georgia Congressional Delegation sent the attached letters to the Fish and Wildlife Service and the Corps of Engineers asking them to work quickly and to work together to allow a reduction in flow out of the reservoirs. It is in the best interest of everyone involved to reduce the flows now so that we can sustain a water supply for Atlanta. The state of Georgia would like to see outflows reduced to equal the amount coming in.

As I and the rest of the Congressional Delegation work to alleviate this crisis, I strongly advise ALL Georgians to make every effort to conserve water.

--Hank

 

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Full post as published by Hank Johnson's Blog on October 19, 2007 (boomark / email).