Lake Lanier, already low due to lack of rain, will get even lower, say officials with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
The lake, which provides drinking water to much of the Atlanta area, is currently at 1063.9 feet above sea level, about 7 feet below full pool.
For the next few weeks, engineers will be opening the gates at Buford Dam to send more water downstream, which will further drop the lake level.
"Due to the declining inflows and increased lake evaporation, augmentation from the lakes will be required to maintain minimum flows in the Chattahoochee and Apalachicola Rivers unless weather conditions change," said the Corps' E. Patrick Robbins in a press release.
“We expect, if there are no changes in weather patterns, to see a decline in reservoir levels at Lake Lanier, West Point Lake and Lake Walter F. George over the next [few] weeks,” said Lisa Coghlan, Deputy Public Affairs Officer. “There just isn’t enough inflow into the system to maintain required downstream flow levels,” said Robbins.
Robbins warned swimmers and boaters to be extra cautious when using the lake as lower water levels bring potential hazards closer to the surface.
Some boat ramps are closed or partially closed due to low water -- Bald Ridge Marine right lane, Lanier Point, Long Hollow left lane, and River Forks.
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