Drought Threatens Local Businesses

When it comes to running a business there are a lot of things that can threaten success. But right now in Metro Atlanta, the number one threat is the drought, according to the president of the Metro Atlanta Chamber of Commerce.

Without major changes business leaders are saying the water crisis could become an everyday problem.

Near the Little River Bridge, it is easy to see that Allatoona Lake is shrinking. Some businesses in the area have said their profits are shrinking as well. If they survive the drought, it may only be the beginning.

When you run a lakeside business, it helps if the lake remains by your side.

"We have no lake traffic whatsoever, the docks are in the mud," said Little River Bar and Grill owner J.P. Ridley.

The lake keeps sinking further and further away from the Little River Bar and Grill, costing the owner a quarter of his customers. As a result, he was forced to layoff four employees on Monday -- and that may not be the end.

"We're trying to hold on to everybody we can," said Ridley. "But you can only pay payroll for so long and continue to operate. So I guess there will be more layoffs down the road."

The Metro Atlanta Chamber of Commerce said the drought is the number one threat to businesses, and is calling for major changes in the way officials manage the water supply.

"If we don't implement these extremely improvements, this is going to be an everyday event in 12 years," said Chamber President Sam Williams.

Williams is calling for state lawmakers to support and fund a statewide water plan, and said part of that plan should include funding for new reservoirs, so that Metro Atlanta is not dependent on Allatoona and Lake Lanier for drinking water. The Chamber also said the US Army Corps of Engineers is taking excessive amounts of water from Lake Lanier -- taking it from drought-stricken Georgia to send downstream to Alabama and Florida. The Chamber said the Corps is taking out five times the amount of water going into the lake, and has asked the Corps to cut back.

A spokesperson for the Corps said they are considering a similar request from Georgia's governor.

"We don't want another Katrina situation here," Williams said. "We need the Corps to be responsible."

At Little River Bar and Grill, Ridley said he doesn't expect all the customers to come back until Allatoona Lake does.

The statewide water plan will be one of the first things that state lawmakers will address when they reconvene in January.