Q: How many people have drowned in Lake Lanier? How did the piranhas get into Lake Lanier, and how long have they been there?
-- David Moulder, Cumming
A: There have been 69 drowning deaths -- including eight this year (through Aug. 15) -- at Lake Lanier since 1999, according to numbers from the Georgia Department of Natural Resources. Neither the DNR nor the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has statistics for drowning deaths prior to that year. In addition, there have been 34 fatalities from boating accidents, dating to 1994. DNR spokeswoman Melissa Cummings told Q&A on the News the agency classifies drowning deaths as those that occur when people drown while swimming from the bank or docks. If people drown while swimming or falling from boats, those deaths are classified as boating deaths. There have been 12 total deaths at Lake Lanier in 2011 (through Aug. 15), the deadliest year since 1999, when 19 people died there. Lake Lanier began filling with water after Buford Dam was completed in 1956. Cummings also said there are no piranhas in Lake Lanier, but a similar fish called a pacu, which also is not native to the United States, has been introduced illegally to the lake. Pacus don't have the pronounced underbite of piranhas and their teeth are more dull -- not razor sharp and triangular, like the piranha.
Lori Johnston wrote this column. Do you have a question about the news? We’ll try to get the answer. Call 404-222-2002 or e-mail q&a@ajc.com (include name, phone and city).
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