AP NewsBreak: Georgia fears lake levels to reach all-time lows

<p>Georgia claims the federal government is draining too much water from the major reservoirs along the Chattahoochee River to protect endangered species downstream in Florida, and if changes aren't made soon lake levels will reach all-time lows this summer, leading to water shortages and other problems, according to government documents obtained by The Associated Press.</p><p>Because of drought conditions, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has been releasing more water than normal from Lake Lanier, West Point Lake, Walter F. George Reservoir and Lake Seminole to maintain stream levels in Florida's Apalachicola River for endangered mussels and the Gulf sturgeon. Georgia's Chattahoochee River becomes the Apalachicola at the Florida border, and Lake Lanier, near Gainesville, Ga., supplies water for the metro Atlanta area.</p><p>Gov. Sonny Perdue sent a letter to Army Secretary Francis J. Harvey on Friday, claiming that unless the Corps of Engineers scales back the releases of water, those lakes "will be drawn down to their lowest level in recorded history."</p><p>The AP obtained the letter Wednesday through a public records request.</p><p>However, Corps officials argue Georgia is using incorrect modeling to predict how low the reservoirs will run. Pat Robbins, spokesman for the Corps of Engineers' Mobile District, said the agency's simulations show the reservoirs affected will not drain any lower than they did during the state's heavy drought in 2000.</p><p>Perdue said Wednesday that "well-intentioned federal legislation is being used to take hostage the water needs of Georgia and Alabama." He declined to predict how bad things could get if changes are not made.</p><p>"I'm concerned about sturgeons and I'm concerned about mussels but I'm more concerned about 9 million people in Georgia having adequate drinking water," Perdue said. "The Endangered Species Act is certainly an important piece of federal legislation. But I don't think Congress or the public intended increasing the sturgeon population by seven in the Apalachicola Bay should trump the drinking water needs of an entire metro population."</p><p>A dry spring set the stage for the dispute between Georgia and the federal agency responsible for maintaining reservoir levels and water storage. A lack of rain in the region meant levels in the Apalachicola River have been about 45 percent lower than normal.</p><p>The federal Endangered Species act requires water levels in that river to be sufficient for the Gulf sturgeon's spawning season between March and May. In addition, there must be enough water in the river to provide a proper year-round habitat for mussels.</p><p>"Based on the best scientific data available, we, in consultation with the Fish and Wildlife Service, agreed on a necessary flow amount in that river to protect the spawning of the species," Robbins said.</p><p>He added that his agency is working with Fish and Wildlife officials to gather updated data on how much water is needed for the sturgeon, but existing data will be used to calculate the river's water needs in the meantime.</p><p>As a result, the Corps has been following a policy established for dry weather conditions in which water collected in Georgia lakes and reservoirs that feed the Apalachicola River is passed downstream.</p><p>Also obtained was a report from Carol Couch, director of Georgia's Environmental Protection Division, predicting that all stored water in the four major reservoirs along the Chattahoochee will be drained if dry conditions persist.</p><p>"This would result in lake levels not seen since the 1950s with devastating consequences to water supply, water quality, lakeside homes and businesses," Couch said in supporting documents obtained by AP.</p><p>State officials also said low water levels in Walter F. George Reservoir, about 40 miles south of Columbus, Ga., have already disrupted the local boating and bass fishing industry.</p><p>____</p><p>Associated Press writer Shannon McCaffrey at the Georgia Capitol contributed to this article.</p>

http://accesswdun.com/article/2006/6/122834