Current drought conditions projected to worsen

By Shomial Ahmad

Atlanta, GA –

Exceptional Drought conditions 2007

Extreme Drought conditions 2011

The U.S. Drought Monitor is a partnership between the National Drought Mitigation Center, United States Department of Agriculture, and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Map courtesy of NDMC-UNL.

It's the kind of drought, experts say, only happens once in 50 years.

North Georgia water providers were charged with reducing winter usage by 10 percent. Local governments put in place tougher watering restrictions than what the state required. And Governor Perdue prayed for rain.

"I'm here today to appeal to you and to all Georgians, and all people who believe in the power of prayer to ask God to shower our state, our region, our nation with the blessings of water."

Back then in November 2007, Lake Lanier was about 18 feet below full pool. And the lake isn't that low right now.

But by the first of December, it'll probably be 15 feet below full pool.

"If there's no rain events between now and then, that's predicted to happen."

That's according to U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Spokesperson Lisa Coghlan. The corps manages the lake. Coghlan, who worked for the Corps during the past drought, says both droughts are pretty much comparable.

Right now most of the state is in extreme drought, which is one level better than 2007's drought. But Coghlan says the reservoirs-- Lanier, Walter F. George and West Point-- are close to their worst operational category.

"Zone 4 is the beginning of drought operations, and we need rain."

In Zone 4, the Corps will only release the minimum amount of water needed to meet supply downstream and to keep the water clean and safe. Coghlan wishes more conservation measures are in place.

"Well, I mean, yes, we would love to see that, but that's a state's-rights issue. We can not enforce that."

But state officials aren't so sure that more conservation measures are needed right now. A 2010 state law restricts outdoor watering between 4pm and 10am. But if local governments want stricter rules, they can ask the state. And Linda MacGregor with the Georgia Environmental Protection Division says only 6 of the 2500 municipalities have asked.

"That confirms for us that even though there's a climactic drought indicators, the water systems are okay at the moment."

The water systems may be okay at the moment. But since the beginning of this summer, rain levels in Metro Atlanta have been well below average. And the next couple months look like they'll be drier than usual, according to Deputy State Climatologist Nyasha Dunkley.

"Which does not bode well for our drought conditions. It does not look like our drought will improve over the next month or two, through January at least."

The state is in non-drought response mode right now, but officials say, they are monitoring levels.

Shomial Ahmad, WABE News.