Corps of Engineers to Increase Water Flows Out of Lake Lanier

Representatives from Georgia, Florida and Alabama regularly get to together on a conference call with the Corps of Engineers to discuss water issues. Thursday's call produced bad news for Georgia and Lake Lanier.

The Corps of Engineers denied metro Atlanta’s request to minimize water releases from Lake Lanier for another month. It was good news for Florida and Alabama who opposed the corps' decision last year to reduce releases from November through April 30.

The Corps' Reasons

Two explanations were given for decision:

• The drought has lessened as water levels in Lanier have risen recently.
• Georgia Environmental Protection Division 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.

Not surprisingly, the new produced a strong reaction from both the Lake Lanier Association and the 1071 Coalition which are groups advocating for higher lake levels. Visit here to read their reponses.