If the state officially declares a drought, these restrictions kick in:
Level One drought: Requires public water systems to educate customers about conditions and encourage conservation.
Level Two drought: Limits outdoor watering to two days a week on a schedule based on address numbers. Even-numbered addresses may water Wednesdays and Saturdays (4 p.m. to 10 a.m.); odd-numbered addresses may water Thursdays and Sundays (4 p.m. to 10 a.m.). No water can be used for outdoor fountains, car washes or power washing of homes.
Level Three drought: Prohibits all outdoor landscape irrigation. Food gardens may be watered between 4 p.m. and 10 a.m. (Soaker hoses and drip irrigation may be used any time.) Hand watering and golf course irrigation are limited.
I’m sure you, and definitely your hair, have noticed the added rain lately.
Well, it turns out that more rainfall has had little effect on drought conditions in metro Atlanta.
Metro areas have seen more than four times more rainfall in seven days than it had a week earlier. Last week's rainfall was less than an inch, but Atlanta got close to 2 inches of rain seven days later, according to the National Weather Service.
Extreme drought conditions, however, have lingered in metro counties and even extended to Troup County, located along the western edge of Georgia.
That means most of the state is still experiencing abnormally dry conditions at best, and an extreme drought at worst, according to the U.S. Drought Monitor.
“We may have moistened up the surface some, but given the rate at which rain evaporates and is used this time of year, and the fact that it really wasn’t markedly above normal, there’s been little change in the long view of the situation at this point,” National Weather Service meteorologist Rich Tinker said.
When Lake Lanier, metro Atlanta's main water source, is full, the water stands at 1,071 feet. Water stood at 1066.58 feet Friday, according to the National Weather Service. That's about the same level as it was last week (1,066.51 feet).
Rainfall last seven days: 1.78
Rainfall this month: 2.29
Rainfall deficit since June: 7.21
Rainfall deficit for the year: 4.09
(Note: Values in inches as of end of the day Thursday.)
