The GREAT Drought...

[Reef]

I rarely listen to the radio, but this morning I heard some pretty disturbing information. Now I know the media loves to gossip, so I take it with a grain of salt.

They were saying residents in Douglas County should expect brown water because of the low water levels. Anyone need some extra iron in their diet? They also said if we don't see any measureable rain before the end of the year that Lanier would be dry. The crew here that dives this area is it that bad?

My wife and I finish our OW in a few weeks. Lanier was on the list to head too. I live right beside Juliette, and the levels have gotten extremely low. This is somewhat concerning just because a nuclear power plant sits at the lake. Water is a must obviously. Are these conditions typical for this area? We are new to Georgia.

 

[The Kraken]

Julliette isn't a nuclear facility.
Those are just water cooling towers you see.

Anyway, I would imagine if there isn't a sufficient amount of water to process through the cooling system it could have some effect upon power/wattage output.

the K

 

[Reef]

Julliette isn't a nuclear facility.
Those are just water cooling towers you see.

Anyway, I would imagine if there isn't a sufficient amount of water to process through the cooling system it could have some effect upon power/wattage output.

the K

I stand corrected. It's a coal firing plant.

 

[Flightlead]

The lake is low that is true, I have never seen it this low. I have only lived here since 2001 however, so the sample set is pretty small.

How is it impacting our diving? The place where we normally do our safety stop when shore diving is at the surface. No big deal there, we just stop somewhere else. Objects we visit are a bit shallower, again not a huge deal. I think the biggest issue I've experienced is having to walk through mud. Now they are closing boat ramps, boat diving will become difficult. As we head into fall and winter the visibility will pick up, shore diving will again become a reasonable option, I don't see a big impact.

 

[GA Under Water]

It keeps getting lower and Mike will have to post someone out there to keep an eye out for his Camera. They'll find it on dry land.

 

[Rick Murchison]

Are these conditions typical for this area? We are new to Georgia.

No.
Last drought of this magnitude in our area was 1941.
Rick

 

[diveprof]

Clark Hill, AKA Lake Thurmond near Augusta is also very low 10.5' below full pool. Our recently purchased boat ramps (for mega $$$) for the bass tourneys are now out of the water. If things don't change,for our most popular lake dive (the airplane), we will be giving the altitude rather than depth for this popular dive site.

 

[mikerault]

The projections I saw said 9 more feet. Blame Florida, they sued us to make sure adequate flow for 2 near extinct species of muscles and one fish. My question is, if the dam wasn't here where would these critters get their water from?

Mike

 

[Flightlead]

they would be getting their water from the rivers and streams that fill the lake just the same, however it wouldn't be a steady trickle all the time. sometimes it would be dry, sometimes it would be a deluge. the lake was built for flood control. it is now being used for other things.

 

[Flightlead]

Clark Hill, AKA Lake Thurmond near Augusta is also very low 10.5' below full pool. Our recently purchased boat ramps (for mega $$$) for the bass tourneys are now out of the water. If things don't change,for our most popular lake dive (the airplane), we will be giving the altitude rather than depth for this popular dive site.

dp, I keep reading your great dive reports. one of these days I'm gonna have to load up the truck and come dive with y'all.

in the meantime, I'm going to have to make up some great names for the same ol' lanier spots - hmmmm, where is our kelp forest? we have a mud forest!