Coalition Forming To Help Lake Lanier Drought-Stricken

LAKE LANIER ISLANDS, Ga. -- While every storm helps, it's going to take a lot more than that to fill Lake Lanier. Now a group of business owners residents and politicians are vowing to do what they can to stem the flow of water still being released.

A situation so dire that it can no longer be ignored -- Lake Lanier is just one foot above the lowest it has ever been.

"Depending on how much rain we get tomorrow, we may fall to the all-time low next week," said Sam Olens, chairman of the Atlanta Regional Commission.

It's a situation so dire that homeowners, businesses and others with interests around the lake have formed the 1071 Coalition. That's the number that signifies full pool at Lanier, something folks there do not believe they will see again, unless policies in Washington change.

"And when you can start to see the water intakes from where the water is being pumped for drinking water and water you take a shower with, it's bad," said Tony Canale of Canale Marine.

The coalition blames both the drought and the US Army Corps of Engineers for routine massive water releases downstream. They say the lake is being emptied faster than it can fill up.

"Not only have we not had the chance to catch up, but amazingly, lakes south of us continue to fill up," Olens said. "Where we literally gave them water for no good reason other than a water control manual that was last reviewed when I was about 2 (years old)."

The fear is that without a newer, better water plan, millions of dollars worth of recreation and business will do what the water levels have been doing -- continue to drop.

"This year, I've probably been about 50 percent off the mark of last year," said Chris Garrison of CG Marine. "What I've heard from everybody is that they're going to West Point (Lake), they're going to the Tennessee River, or they're not even going to de-winterize their boat and use it."

Well over 300 people were in attendance at Tuesday night's meeting, including some heavy hitters -- politicians and business owners from all over the area, including some of the marina owners who are suffering.