Metro Atlanta cannot conserve its way out of the pending Lake Lanier disaster!!  Metro Atlanta could not have conserved its way out of the current Lake Lanier crisis if it had reduced its water consumption 20% for the past two years!!

Reducing the flow in the Apalachicola River by 3,000 cfs (1,935 million gallons per day) for one month would save as much water as metro Atlanta reducing its water consumption by 20% for 32 months. 

I think we all have to be concerned about threatened and endangered species, but we have to keep that concern in balance with the needs of man.  The current minimum flows established for the Apalachicola River were not based on science of what minimum flows are required to avoid elimination of the threatened and endangered species, but rather more based on what was last year judged by the Corps, with Fish and Wildlife Service agreement, to be flows they would live with at that time.

Lake Lanier is down and going down a lot faster than it did in past droughts because the Corps is releasing a lot more water from Buford Dam than was released during past droughts.  The large releases are said to be mainly for threatened and endangered species in the Apalachicola River.

When significant rains return to the Lake Lanier watershed the problem will be eased, but a dry winter is being forecast.  Until the abundant rains return we must focus on reducing the huge Buford Dam releases.