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[email protected] LoogyPicker@gmail.com is offline
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First recorded activity by BoatBanter: Oct 2007
Posts: 7,892
Default Lake Lanier drying up?

On Oct 15, 6:41 pm, HK wrote:
Jack Redington wrote:
HK wrote:
CNN had a feature on Lake Lanier this morning. Apparently water levels
are way, way down, and if there isn't some serious protracted rain soon,
a goodly portion of Georgia will be facing drought.


Meanwhile, the video showed the shorelines of the lake line with dead
shellfish and fish, left behind as the water receded.


What's the impact on boating?


While I no longer boat on Lanier, from the news many ramps are closed.
At the present time that lake is about 12 below full pool. At least that
was the last time I checked. Projections do not look good.


Georgia has been in drought conditions all of this year. Spring rains
were slight and every month has been a short. So it is not really news
anymore. Lanier has several problems when rain is short. For one the
drainage basin is small for a lake it's size. And about 6 million people
in the Atlanta area depend on it. There is also the fact this this lake
is under the Army Corps managment. At present they are letting out about
twice the amount of water that is coming in. This has alot to do with
the tri-state water war that has been going on since I have been here
(about 10 years)


The Corps has stated that they are keeping the discharge rate as it is
to protect some shellfish that need it in in Florida. That being where
the water hit the ocean. Alabama also uses/needs this water. Thus the
tri-state angle on the water resources war.


As far as impact on boating - Some ramps are closed and there are
hazzards to navigation that would not normally exist. But that is what
happens when water gets lower them normal.


If you are really interested:


http://lanier.sam.usace.army.mil/Pre...07_BoatersCaut...


Capt Jack R..


I was looking earlier for a current aerial or low satellite photo of the
lake, but then I was distracted by work. With all the dead marine life
now on the edges of the lake, there must be an insect and rat problem.

I don't pay attention to Atlanta weather patterns. Is there a winter
rainy season? If not, then the city may be reduced to Homeland Security
bringing in water trucks.- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -


Harry, there is a winter rainy season, but being a La Nina year, they
are predicting below average precip, plus the lake is SO low that it
would take exceptional rainfall to make up the defecit. Add to that
the Governor is trying to get the army corp to quit releasing so much
water to support some fresh water mussel in FL and a small coal fired
power plant. The total release is 600 to 900 million gallons per day.
The sad part is that the downstream reservoirs are used Alabama, and
they have no rationing!