Since a judge concluded that the Army Corps of Engineers' policy of providing water from Lake Lanier to metro Atlanta was illegal, laws governing other corps lakes are being re-examined.
"It was a question that was being asked right away," said corps spokesman Billy Birdwell of the Savannah District, which includes Lakes Thurmond, Russell and Hartwell, above Augusta.
According to corps records, all three lakes are authorized to provide municipalities with drinking water, though such uses are minimal and nowhere near the volume pumped from Lanier to accommodate 4 million residents.
The 97-page ruling by U.S. District Judge Paul Magnuson declared Atlanta's withdrawals from Lake Lanier illegal because the lake was never authorized by Congress for water supply.
"As you can imagine, given the ruling, we're in re-evaluation mode to find out what is authorized and what is not authorized," said Rob Holland, a spokesman for the corps' South Atlantic Division office.
According to a report from the corps' Hydrologic Engineering Center , the Savannah lakes all cite the 1958 Rivers & Harbors Act as the legal authority to provide water to cities, if called on to do so.
Lake Lanier cites the 1946 Rivers & Harbors Act.
"Three things that were in that authorizing legislation were navigation, hydropower and flood control," Mr. Holland said. "Those are the only three, and there are those who have argued they are the only legitimate ones. There were, however, subsequent laws passed that
seemed, to those of us interpreting them, to give us authority to certain other things."
That subsequent law, he said, was the Water Supply Act, which the corps contended would allow Lanier's use as Atlanta's water source.
Judge Magnuson disagreed, saying that unless Georgia can obtain congressional approval for continued withdrawals, they must cease within three years.
The lakes along the Savannah River should remain free from legal challenges to their uses because virtually all of them have the requisite congressional authorization, Mr. Birdwell said.
Thurmond, for example, was already authorized for uses including flood control, hydropower and navigation. Purposes added later were recreation (1986), water quality (1972), water supply (1958)
and fish and wildlife management (1986).
Reach Rob Pavey at (706) 868-1222, ext. 119, or rob.pavey@augustachronicle.com.
The Augusta Chronicle ©2010 Morris Communications, LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Well lets just let 4 millions people go with out water, stupid government.
Grasshoppper, so true. Keeping Atlanta from using Lake Lanier in 3 years is as likely as the Savannah River flowing south to north.
Well, It appears to me, from what Birdwell is telling us, that the savannah basin lakes ARE available to Georgia Lawmakers as a water supply, IF they decide to enact legislation to use them for supplying Atlanta with water. If this is the case, then AC, the ruling on Lanier would have a grave impact on "area lakes" if Georgia can't get congressional approval to use Lanier as a water supply for Atlanta within the next three years. This revelation also means that the legislature could tap the savannah river basin to provide water for Atlanta at any point in time in the future.
Riverman, what two rivers do run south to north. Don't cheat, ha.
This Magnuson character has mush for brains. I'll bet that if you dig deep enough you'll find a connection between him and some of the people involved
Justthefacts, I do know that. One not too far from here that most of us have probably driven over. The other one across the pond. I'll leave the names out for others to think about.
Justthefacts, I figured there were more and I DID look this up. There are many. http://www.worldatlas.com/aatlas/infopage/riversno.htm
Well heck, another fact negated. I wonder why it is so often noted that only two do.
Actually Riverman if Fla and Ala have their way, the savannah may flow mostly west.
jtf, I remember hearing that when I was younger, those outdated facts just date us. Remember, it's Al Gore's fault, he invented the internet.
jtf, were the two you heard the monongahela and the nile?
St Johns/Nile.
Tujeez is right about the Savannah flowing west. One of Sonny's parting gifts will be the gift of Savannah River water to the people of Atlanta. You know they will not take the water out of Clarks Hill. Take a look at a Georgia map and you see they will take the water out of lake Yonah in Habersham County. It's the cheapest way to pump it. Taking the water so far north will really make those Lincoln County lakefront owners enjoy their red clay shorelines.
The Chattahoochee River basin and the Savannah River basin are only 11 miles apart up there.
I like shrimp. Never had a shrimp dish I didn't like. Oysters, though, not so much.
The flow of fresh water down the Savannah must be kept adequate for the coastal regions of SC and GA. The harbor, shellfish industry and prevention of salt water incursion all require fresh water from the river. Coastal GA and SC will fight vigorously attempts to divert part of the river flow to Atlanta. Congress will pass a bill allowing Atlanta to use Lake Lanier.