Stooksbury: 'Mild drought' in north Georgia

ATHENS - The state Climatologist says "mild agricultural drought conditions" have returned to much of north Georgia where the rainfall deficit in Gainesville for the year has reached more than 12.5 inches. Central Georgia is in much the same state, but the remainder of Georgia, David Stooksbury says, is abnormally dry.

"Mild drought conditions exist primarily south of a Polk County to Stephens County line and north of a Quitman to Lincoln County line," Stooksbury said. "Most of the remainder of the state is quickly approaching mild agricultural drought conditions. Soil moisture levels in southeast Georgia are near normal for mid-June."

Stooksbury added that high plant water use and high evaporation rates associated with
temperatures in the middle to upper 90s, have caused soils across the state are become very dry.

The immediate agricultural concerns are with corn and pasture conditions. Corn has started to pollinate across the state. Hot and dry conditions during pollination cause major reductions in corn yields. Pasture production is also being negatively impacted. This, he says, will have a negative impact on livestock and dairy operations. This impact could linger into the winter.

Rainfall during the cool season, October through March, was low across most of the state. "Because of the dry cool season, the soil moisture was not adequately recharged to provide a buffer for a period of little rain and high temperatures," Stooksbury said.

During the past 30 days, the following University of Georgia automated weather stations have received less than one-inch of rain: Alpharetta, Arlington, Bledsoe Experiment Farm, Brunswick, Byromville, Byron, Pine Mountain, Camilla, Cordele, Covington, Dallas, Dawson, Dempsey, Dixie, Duluth, Dunwoody, Eatonton, Fort Valley, Gainesville, Griffin, Jacksonville, Newton, Sasser, Snead, Statesboro, Valdosta, Vidalia, and Watkinsville.

U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) stream gauges are showing low flows across the entire state. Many streams are near the 10th percentile for the date. At the 10th percentile, we expect the stream flow to be greater than the current value 90 years out of 100 for the current date.

Based on USGS data, groundwater levels were showing good recharge in November and December 2005. However, with abnormal dryness during the late winter and early spring, groundwater levels were beginning to drop by mid-April. By June groundwater levels were below normal statewide were continuing to drop.

The normal recharge season for groundwater is over. So groundwater levels are expected to keep dropping through summer into fall. The state's major reservoirs are currently in good shape. However, water levels are starting to drop. Farm ponds are showing the impacts of the dry, hot weather.

Georgia is now under the normal odd-even outdoor water use schedule. Odd-numbered addresses may water only on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays. Even-numbered and unnumbered addresses may water only on Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays. There are no hour limits.

Local governments and water providers are authorized to implement more stringent outdoor water use schedules within their jurisdictions. Some water providers, especially around Atlanta are starting to implement more stringent outdoor water use requirements, including Forsyth County. (See separate story.)

Tropical weather system Alberto may bring some moisture relief to south Georgia. Until the final track and timing of Alberto is known, the impact on moisture supply in Georgia will not be known.

The rainfall deficit in GAinesville has increased by about 2.5 inches in the past three weeks. It rained in Gainesville Monday for the first time in more than a week. Less than two inches had fallen as of Monday morning since May first - and its been five years since the level of Lake Lanier was as low as it is now for this time of the year.