1071 Coalition

According to preliminary results of a Lake Lanier regional economic impact study commissioned by the 1071 Coalition, visitation to the area dropped by nearly 800,000 in-season visitors from 2007 to 2008. It was during this period when lake levels fell 17 feet below full pool, and the fiscal year (the 12-month period ending on September 30) - though hit by high gas prices - was largely unaffected by the recession, according to the study.

"Most of us were not surprised to hear about the 800,000 visitor drop, since we felt its impact with our declining businesses in 2008," said Alex Laidlaw, 1071 Coalition President and Vice President of Westrec Marinas. "However, we are still learning, and anxiously await more data coming from the study that will paint the picture of just what the visitor decline means in terms of not only the economy of our businesses around the lake, but the economy of the region as a whole."

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Long-term, work of the member-funded 1071 Coalition critical
Since the 1071 Coalition was launched just a year ago, we have made great strides in inserting our priorities of the health and prosperity of Lake Lanier into the dialogue of ongoing water issues that will have an impact for years to come. With the support of nearly 200 members, we have had presence in the news media and in the boardrooms where important policy discussions are being held. In all these discussions, we remain focused on our mission of advocating for science-based, updated management practices of Lake Lanier that are critical for the long-term, and we need your membership renewal to continue this critical work.

With the July 17 court decision ruling that water supply is an illegal use of the Lake Lanier, members of the 1071 Coalition have been in discussions with elected officials and other stakeholders regarding a resolution. The coalition is also represented on Governor Perdue's Water Contingency Task Force, a group developing recommendations on Georgia's water needs should the ruling go into effect. As former state Environmental Protection Division Director Harold Reheis told 1071 Coalition members at its annual meeting in October, the governor is pushing to have the task force plan in hand before the 2010 General Assembly convenes. (Click here to read more of Reheis' comments as covered by AccessNorthGa.com.)

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The 1071 Coalition needs your input as part of an economic impact study of Lake Lanier.  With its consultant firm, The Bleakly Group, the 1071 Coalition is conducting two surveys (businesses and residents). The information and data collected from the surveys will be critical to determine the economic impact of the lake and its changing levels on the region, which is the goal of the study. The surveys are funded by 1071 Coalition member donations including those contributed by area businesses and county governments.
Surveys will be accepted through November 20.  Please visit the coalition’s website and participate in these very important surveys.  The survey results will be reported publicly in the upcoming months.  Call Greater Hall Chamber President/CEO Kit Dunlap for more information, 770-532-6206.

Please visit www.1071Coalition.org to participate in the business or residential survey.

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Traveling for work this week so I wasn't able to make the 1071 Coalition meeting. I'll leave it the wonderfully named Buzz Brockway (sounds like a Toy Story character) to wrap it up over at Peach Pundit:

Last night I attended a meeting of the 1071 Coalition, a group interested in improving the management of Lake Lanier. Many of these folks live and own businesses on Lanier so they have a vested interest is seeing Lanier managed differently than it has been. The 1071 Coalition is conducting a study to determine the economic impact of low lake levels. Public input is requested, especially from those who live near the lake or do business related to the lake. Go to their website for information.

The featured speaker last night Harold Reheis, the former Director of the Georgia Environmental Protection Division. Reheis provided an overview, from his perspective, of Georgia’s response to Judge Magnuson’s ruling that the Army Corps of Engineers does not have the authority to use Lake Lanier to supply Atlanta’s water needs.

Governor Perdue has crafted a “Four Prong Approach” in response to the ruling. Prong 1 is to appeal the decision (which will be filed very soon), and 2 is to work with Georgia’s Congressional delegation to try to get Congressional approval for using Lanier’s water. The third prong is to get the three Governors back to the negotiating table and the fourth prong is to develop contingency plans in case the other three prongs are unsuccessful. Reheis is not optimistic that Congress will act mainly because there are a number of other lakes around the nation where the Corps is releasing water for various localities even though that was not the original intent of the lake. Many Congressmen may be unwilling to expose their own constituents to what Atlanta is now exposed to.

Reheis is one of the people involved in crafting the fourth prong of the plan. He and about eighty other experts are developing contingency plans to replace the 251 million gallons a day of water that could be lost should prongs 1-3 fall flat. Basically everything is on the table. From reservoirs to using the Savannah River and/or the Tennessee River to desalination and conservation, it’s all being considered. Reheis said the determining factor will be the cost per million gallons of each item they’re looking at. A plan of recommendations will be released before the end of the year so that the Legislature can deal with it come next January.

Reheis then took some questions. I asked him how long it normally takes to get a reservoir built from conception to use. He told us of a planned reservoir in northern Hall county that has only now been submitted for approval after three years of preparation. A modification to the proposal will add about a year and a half, assume a year for approval, three years or construction and another year and a half to full it and you’re looking at ten years from conception to the time it can be used. This reservoir is a little slower than normal but it’s safe to say we won’t have reservoirs in place in time to meet the court imposed deadline.

By the way, bad news for you folks who want to invade Tennessee and retake stolen land. Reheis thinks it’s a huge waste of time to pursue that avenue.

A second question asked Reheis if we finally have leadership in place to get this problem solved. Reheis said we’re not in this mess because of a lack of leadership on Georgia’s part but that perhaps we placed too much trust in the never ending negotiations between the three Governors. We were close to a resolution at one point when Alabama pulled out and he blamed most of this mess on politics. It’s popular, Reheis said, in Alabama and Florida to blame Georgia for their water woes rather than get the work done to solve the problem.

I agree with Reheis that Congress is unlikely to act. Their agendas are being driven by the Obama administration and it seems unlikely Georgia’s water problems will climb onto their radar screen in time. It also seems unlikely the three Governors will reach an agreement. They’re not even talking yet and they haven’t reached an agreement at any time during the last twenty years, so what makes us think they can in the next three? Not only that but Florida and Alabama are winning and have no incentive to cut any deals with us.

In my mind we have two legitimate options left to us: Getting the ruling overturned, and replacing Lanier’s water. The 11th Circuit could over turn Judge Magnuson’s ruling, but of course that will likely just kick the matter up to the Supreme Court and the process will drag on for years. The other option left to us is to implement the contingency plans developed by the Governor’s panel, which I think is the most promising long term solution to the crisis.

Legislators need to be prepared to deal with this issue early in the upcoming Session. We simply don’t have anymore time to waste.

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The 1071 has it's 2nd Annual Meeting on Tuesday October 27th.

So Carol Couch won't be there ... the head of Georgia's Environmental Protection Division has resigned. Its no secret why she had been the originally invited to speak -  until now she had led the state in negotiations with Florida and Alabama.

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On Oct. 27, the 1071 Coalition will hold its second annual meeting, open and free to the public. Harold Reheis, former EPD Director and Senior Vice President, Joe Tanner & Associates, will keynote the meeting. Reheis is expected to discuss Georgia's response to U.S. District Judge Paul Magnuson's decision that water supply is an illegal use of Lake Lanier. Meeting attendees will also hear about progress made by the 1071 Coalition since it launched just over a year ago.

"Thanks to the support of nearly 200 members including residents, businesses and government partners, the 1071 Coalition has held a seat at the table for every major discussion of water supply management over the last 12 months," said Alex Laidlaw, 1071 Coalition President and Vice President of Westrec Marinas. "Though the recent heavy rains brought Lake Lanier up to full pool, we need to address the need for improved long-term management. Hopefully a science-based update of the Corps' Water Control Manual will be one positive consequence of the pending resolution to the tri-state water wars," he said.

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SAVE THE DATE: 1071 Coalition Public Forum, Oct. 27
The 1071 Coalition is pleased to announce Dr. Carol Couch, Director of the Environmental Protection Division (EPD) of the Georgia Department of Natural Resources will be the featured speaker at our quarterly public forum on Tuesday, Oct. 27 from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. at the Legacy Lodge Conference Center on Lake Lanier Islands Resort. More details to follow. All members and nonmembers alike are welcome to attend.

More than enough rain??? With the deluge of rain in recent weeks - in some parts of metro Atlanta, in fact, a devastating deluge - many probably wonder if Lake Lanier is at full pool. As of September 23, Lake Lanier is still three feet below full at 1068 feet, which is actually normal for this time of year. Releases remain consistent for water quality, water supply and hydropower. However, we may see an increase in withdrawals by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in the coming weeks in order to maintain proper water quality during the flooding in the river basin.

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Coalition members working on resolution to recent Water Wars ruling
With the considerable amount of rain this past spring, Lake Lanier's residents, visitors and business owners have had a much more enjoyable summer than in 2008. But as the summer comes to a close, we must remember that the concern over Lake Lanier isn't just about rainfall and its affect on Lanier's levels; it is about long-term management that will ensure the lake's health into perpetuity. That's why the 1071 Coalition remains focused on our mission to advocate for appropriate water releases necessary to maintain optimal levels at Lake Lanier while meeting the needs of the entire ACF river basin.

Nothing makes the need for science-based, updated management practices of Lake Lanier more poignant than the July 17 court decision which ruled that water supply is an illegal use of the lake. U.S. District Judge Paul Magnuson gave the states involved in the ongoing water wars - Alabama, Florida and Georgia - three years to come to a resolution or risk drastic cuts to metro Atlanta's water supply.

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After our article earlier this week about national reaction to the Lake Lanier court case decision, the Gainesville Times has some feedback from local groups:

Jackie Joseph, president of Lake Lanier Association:

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The 1071 Coalition members has been over-hearing some very disturbing rumors:

"According to 1071 Coalition members, many lake residents have heard that the U. S. Army Corps of Engineers is going to drop the level of Lake Lanier by several feet in order to make repairs to Buford Dam. However, according to Alex Laidlaw, treasurer for the 1071 Coalition, he received confirmation from the Corps that "there is no merit to the claims."

What we do know is that the Corps received stimulus money for infrastructure repairs as part of The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. Though it is not known exactly when the work will take place, it is likely that it will be after the recreation season. Representatives of the 1071 Coalition are in touch with the Corps to ensure we receive plenty of notice of the repairs and correlating level drop and will keep members informed on this issue."

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