Meteorologists say North Georgia, including metro Atlanta, is experiencing “moderate” drought conditions. State officials will be keeping an eye on rainfall, lake levels, soil moisture and other factors to determine if — and when — to issue a drought declaration.
Here’s what you need to know.
Drought or no drought, Georgians may only water their landscape between 4 p.m. and 10 a.m. That rule has been in effect since 2010.
If the state declares a drought, additional restrictions will kick in, based on the severity of conditions.
- A Level One drought would require public water systems to conduct a public information campaign to educate customers about drought conditions and encourage conservation.
- A Level Two drought would limit outdoor watering to two days a week on an odd-even schedule. Even numbered addresses may irrigate on Wednesday and Saturday from 4 p.m. to 10 a.m. and odd numbered addresses would be able to water on Thursday and Sunday. Using water for outdoor fountains, washing cars, and power washing your home would be prohibited.
- A Level Three drought would prohibit outdoor irrigation of landscapes. Food gardens could be watered between 4 p.m. and 10 a.m., unless irrigated with a soaker hose or drip irrigation, which could be used any time. Hand watering would be allowed during designated hours. In addition, golf course irrigation would be limited.
North Georgia, including all of metro Atlanta, is in a “moderate” drought, weather and water experts declared Wednesday, with a hot, dry summer looming.
Water levels at Lake Lanier, the region’s main water source, are dropping. Utilities are dusting off drought-management manuals. And a major shift in weather patterns has meteorologists worried that, by fall, too little rain and too much heat could exacerbate dry, but still manageable conditions.
While it’s too early to replace grass with cactus, or prohibit restaurants from serving water, planners are reminding the public that lawns may be green today, but brown in the future as the summer turns torpid.
“I am definitely paying attention even though it’s hard to predict whether it will be a one-month event or a multi-year drought,” said Katherine Zitsch, director of the Metropolitan North Georgia Water Planning District. “We are simply notifying (Atlantans) about dry conditions across the region so we can be pro-active.”
Georgia succumbed to two nasty droughts the last decade and memories remain seared by dried-up streams and dirt-encrusted cars. For much of 2007-08, Lake Lanier resembled a half-filled bathtub with boaters swerving around newly exposed tree tops. Then-Gov. Sonny Perdue declared a drought emergency, imposed strict restrictions on lawn-watering and publicly prayed for rain.
Four years later, more than half of the state suffered an extreme, or “exceptional,” drought as crops withered in south Georgia and Florida fumed over low Chattahoochee River flows at the border.
This year’s drought came up quick. Over the last six months, for example, Atlanta received 163 percent of its normal rainfall amount, according to the National Weather Service. A wet winter and early spring, though, gave way to a dryer-than-usual April and May. The region has received only 68 percent of normal rainfall — 5 inches - the last two months. Typically, it gets 7.4 inches.
The region’s lakes suffer. The water level at Lake Lanier, metro Atlanta’s main water source, stood at 1075.48 feet at the end of last year. It was at 1069.02 feet two days ago.
Lake West Point, 100 miles from Lanier, stood at 631.22 feet two days ago — nearly four feet below full pool. West Point is the canary in North Georgia’s climatological coal mine. If levels are too low there, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers will send water downstream from Lanier to raise it back up. Recreation-loving Atlantans could suffer the consequences.
Last week, the U.S. Drought Monitor placed most of the northern half of Georgia into its “moderate” drought category. (A swath of the state from Columbus to Augusta is listed as “abnormally dry,” a bit more temperate than moderate.)
The feds consider precipitation, stream flows, groundwater and lake levels, soil moisture and short-term climate predictions in making their designation. Jac Capp, chief of watershed protection in Georgia, said Wednesday the monitor’s designation “can be considered early warnings” and may trigger the state into action at a later date. He added, though, that local water systems remain amply stocked and the state’s drought-management plan has not been activated.
Drought or no drought, Georgians may only water outdoors between 4 p.m. and 10 a.m.
Meteorologist Matt Sena, with the National Weather Service in Peachtree City, expects above-normal temperatures over the next month with normal precipitation. The weather then gets dicey as the El Nino climate pattern is replaced by La Nina.
“In general, for wintertime, we’re looking at above normal temperatures with below normal precipitation,” Sena said. “But there’s no guarantee.”
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