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DEL.ICIO.USHow the mussels must see us
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Apparently, the view of Georgia’s elected officials is less flattering downriver.
Georgia officials are showing unusual unity to voters by publicly, and loudly, fighting for a solution to the state’s unprecedented drought. In Alabama and Florida - the two states at war with Georgia over the water in Lake Lanier - the Georgians look more like the snake oil salesmen of yore.
Consider these claims:
Georgia officials said the metro area has less than 90 days of water left. The other states say it’s closer to 260 days, and that’s if it never rains. The 90-day level is the “conservation level” for the reservoir, not the end of the supply.
Georgians said Lake Lanier’s water should go to the people of Atlanta, not to preserve endangered mussels downstream. One Alabaman put it this way: “Sturgeon and mussels are not the only thing downstream.” Turns out there’s a nuclear reactor and whole bunch of jobs.
Georgians claim that a two-decade effort to rewrite the rules for water use have never been completed because Alabama and Florida refuse to cooperate. The others noted that Georgians walked out of a mediation session in September - as they have from numerous other meetings over the past 20 years.
Georgians said they’re willing to work with the two other states. Sen. Richard Shelby (R-Ala.) once sent invitations to three other senators and both governors from Georgia and Alabama to talk. He never heard back from Gov. Sonny Perdue.
Well, that last one we can explain. The guy was in Asia. For Pete’s sake, give him time to get through all that back mail.
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Comments
By robert v sobczak
October 29, 2007 4:30 PM | Link to this
Lake Okeechobee is also at a record low. The difference is that Fall is traditionally Lake O’s high time of the year — Fall is presumably the traditional low-water season for Lake Lanier. Lake O is at its lowest October level ever, with 6 months of dry season on the horizon.
Interestingly, Lake Lanier — with an only 59 square mile surface area can store more water than Lake O — which has a 730 square mile area — 6 million acre-ft compared to Lake O’s 4 MAF — due to Lake Lanier’s deeper average depth (160 ft). The Lake is only 9 ft deep on average.
To find out more about Lake O’s water levels and flow rates — past and present — tune into South Florida’s Watershed Journal. http://sfwj.blogspot.com