By STACY SHELTON

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Thursday, April 23, 2009

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers on Thursday denied metro Atlanta’s request to further raise Lake Lanier by minimizing water releases for another month.

The corps cited the drought’s abatement as the reason.


Georgia Environmental Protection Division Director Carol Couch, who previously requested the reduced releases, declined to make the request this time. She determined sending less water down the Chattahoochee River in May could harm the trout population. As temperatures warm, water quality declines.

The corps’ decision was announced in a regularly scheduled conference call with Georgia, Florida and Alabama. The states have been fighting over Lanier’s water since 1990.

Florida and Alabama opposed the corps’ decision last year to reduce releases from November through April 30, a conservation measure that raised the lake about one foot.

Winter rains raised Lanier far more. Since late December, the lake has risen nearly 13 feet and stands about 7 feet below full, higher than it has been since August 2007.

What do they have, about 4 or 5 people calling the shot's for Lake Lanier. I bet I could whip all of them!!

I'll help. man it won't take but a dry May, June, July & August to put us right back where we were in November. What the.......

Here is the deal guys, we as smart understanding fisherman have more common sense then all the politicians combined.

You must understand the S heads think with there a$$ and not with there head. So it seems so easy and foreign to us, but really after it is all said and done.

Politicians like Nacy P and harry Reed "If brains were gas they woudn't have enough to power and ants motorcycle around a BBeee"

Well said D...

I found this in the Gainesville Times:

Corps to release more water from Lake Lanier



RELATED CONTENT
U.S. drought monitor From staff reports

POSTED April 23, 2009 11 p.m.


The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers will release additional water down the Chattahoochee River, as a rainy winter has raised Lake Lanier to its highest level since August 2007.

Lanier was at a level of 1,063.59 feet above sea level as of 7:15 p.m., according to the U.S. Geological Survey’s Web site. That puts Lanier about 7.5 feet below full pool of 1,071 feet.

The frequent rains the area has received during the past two months have raised Lanier nearly 7 feet since Feb. 22 and more than 10 feet since Jan. 1. In early December, Lanier came perilously close to breaking its all-time record low of 1,050.79 feet above sea level.

Gainesville has received above-normal rainfall so far this year, according to AccuWeather Inc.

Though normal annual rainfall through April 22 is 20.36 inches, Gainesville got 21.23 inches in that time period. April has been wetter than normal, too, with 4.85 inches recorded through Wednesday. The normal monthly rainfall through April 22 is 3.17 inches.

Last month, Georgia’s Environmental Protection Division eased water restrictions as drought conditions lessened. The EPD instituted an outdoor watering ban in fall 2007. Lanier’s level at that time was about what it is now and drought conditions gripped much of the state.

Since December, the severity of the drought in the Lake Lanier basin has improved from "exceptional," the worst category, to "moderate." The lowest category of drought is "abnormally dry," and state Climatologist David Stooksbury said at the end of March that several more weeks of rain could improve the Lanier basin to that level. The Lanier basin remained in the "moderate" drought range as of Tuesday, according to the U.S. Drought Monitor.

The National Weather Service’s three-month drought forecast predicts further easing of drought conditions in Northeast Georgia through July.

Though rainfall has resulted in an easing of the outdoor watering ban, restrictions remain in place.

"We’re happy it’s raining, don’t misunderstand," said Kevin Chambers, spokesman for the Georgia Environmental Protection Division, said in late March. "But we need four consecutive months of improvement to convene the state drought response committee (to consider changing the rules)."

According to the corps’ boat ramp elevation calculator, 1,068 is the point at which all existing boat ramps on Lanier are usable; most are accessible at 1,065.

The lake supplies much of the Atlanta area’s drinking water.

Florida and Alabama opposed the corps’ decision last year to reduce releases from November through April 30.

EPD Director Carol Couch, who previously requested the reduced releases, did not make such a request this time. She said sending less water down the river in May as the weather gets warmer could harm the trout population.

The Associated Press contributed to this story.

Thanks guys. Bill, Thanks for taking time to share that. Did you type all that?
I was rambling away on the report page about this. then I saw your posts.
What does the EPA say about lowering lake levels effect on spawning fish that are in the shallow waters on lanier?
Bill,you must be pretty smart to type all that. Can we send her an email or letter? I hear you Dan, but what can us regular guys do about it? I live on and love this lake. Big D