Jim, your argument is completely false. Forsyth County, for instance, uses approx. 28 million gallons of water per month (city included). Even multiplying that number by 10 to encompass the Metro water needs, and you still get less than 10% of the total amount of water the Corps is releasing through the dam every month to support mussels and sturgeon.

We are (pun intended) a drop in the bucket compared to the ridiculous rules of the ESA.

Dave, let's see if your argument is completely accurate: if we have 150,000 people here in Forsyth (to use a round number for the sake of example), and you multiply that by 10, you get 1.5 million people. Last I heard, metro Atlanta has FOUR-FIVE million people, and growing. But what's a few million people among friends?

(a lot more water consumption, traffic, sprawl, crime, overcrowded schools, and overburdened infrastructure, among other things)

Anyway, if you will re-read my comments, I said that yes, the Corps/FWS "should be forced to release scientific bases for their outflows, update their calculations (considering droughts), justify apparent disparities, and spread pain equally" among GA, FL, and AL.

I also said that "ESA has provisions for suspending its requirements when necessary" and that our leaders should "demand that be done IMMEDIATELY". I added that "our politicians’ failure to do so, long before we reached this point, is one reason for this crisis."

Blaming ESA for this crisis (and weakening or dismantling it) is like shooting the messenger who brings bad news; it might feel good, but it doesn't solve the REAL problems.

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.

Jim, 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.

Dave, let's see if your argument is completely accurate: if we have 150,000 people here in Forsyth (to use a round number for the sake of example), and you multiply that by 10, you get 1.5 million people. Last I heard, metro Atlanta has FOUR-FIVE million people, and growing. But what's a few million people among friends?

(a lot more water consumption, traffic, sprawl, crime, overcrowded schools, and overburdened infrastructure, among other things)

Anyway, if you will re-read my comments, I said that yes, the Corps/FWS "should be forced to release scientific bases for their outflows, update their calculations (considering droughts), justify apparent disparities, and spread pain equally" among GA, FL, and AL.

I also said that "ESA has provisions for suspending its requirements when necessary" and that our leaders should "demand that be done IMMEDIATELY". I added that "our politicians’ failure to do so, long before we reached this point, is one reason for this crisis."

Blaming ESA for this crisis (and weakening or dismantling it) is like shooting the messenger who brings bad news; it might feel good, but it doesn't solve the REAL problems.

Ron, I don't think anybody (including me) has said that "Metro Atlanta (can) conserve its way out of the pending Lake Lanier disaster". However, effective conservation AND reasonable limits on growth are tools we should use to prevent future crises like this one, especially during droughts. Your other points are well taken: it's not the ESA itself (or the infamous mussels) that are to blame here. In fact, thank you for acknowledging that "we all have to be concerned about threatened and endangered species". If indeed, the Corps'/FWS' calculations for releases are arbitrary, unscientific and unnecessary for species' survival, they should be challenged and changed. I heard the FWS representative on WSB's special last night say that mussels begin dying at less than 5,000 cfs releases -- but they should be required to prove those numbers, and to reveal whether OUR wildlife will die because of these releases. If so, our wildlife also deserve protection. The special also revealed that it's not a question of mussels vs. people. There are people in AL and FL who need our water, too (including my sister and brother-in-law), for jobs, electricity and other requirements. In fact, part of the Corps' plan for releases is based on usage by a power plant there. So one could say that people here are more important than people there (paraphrasing the mussels argument), I suppose; but I'm not sure any of us want to argue that one, either.

Jim, I will let my prior statement stand on its own merits. I hope you are not attributing to me the additional negatives in your response.

No negatives intended toward you (or anybody else), Ron. As always, I respect all points of view; especially from someone as experienced as you. Just stating mine. My view of democracy is that reasoned, respectful discussion of many points of view can lead to the best possible solutions.