Ga. Fears Water Shortages at Reservoirs

[Judi Lynn]

Ga. Fears Water Shortages at Reservoirs
By DANIEL YEE
Associated Press Writer

June 7, 2006, 2:55 PM EDT


ATLANTA -- Georgia claims the federal government is draining too much water from major reservoirs along the Chattahoochee River to protect endangered species in Florida, and it fears the use will cause water shortages this year, according to documents obtained by The Associated Press.

Because of drought conditions, the 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 for endangered mussels and the Gulf sturgeon.

Lake Lanier supplies water for the Atlanta metropolitan area.

Gov. Sonny Perdue sent a letter to Army Secretary Francis J. Harvey on Friday, claiming that unless the Corps of Engineers scales back the water releases, those lakes "will be drawn down to their lowest level in recorded history."
(snip/...)

http://www.newsday.com/news/nationworld/wire/sns-ap-water-shortage,0,5294038.story?coll=sns-ap-nationworld-headlines