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The Bear Creek Counties should have started conservation measures earlier last year than late September. With proper planning and conservation, we could have avoided depleting the lake so quickly. What the area needs is Leadership rather than control........
AVOC
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April 3, 2008
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Oconee & Area News on the Water Front
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By Wendell Dawson, Editor, AVOC, Inc
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Rain this winter has given some relief from the drought. However, the experts say this summer will be a challenge. Various communities are approaching it in similar and in different ways.
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Athens-Clarke County is going to a tiered pricing formula. Some on the commission dissented because the base is the average during winter months of last year. Commissioner Carl Jordan has pointed out that the weakness in that formula is the fact that it tends to penalize folks who were already conserving water. It seems a simpler approach would have been to set the same price for everyone. Establish a reasonable minimum and then the price goes up with use.
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Oconee was the first to loosen outdoor watering rules. The UOBWA voted to request that all four counties, Athens-Clarke, Barrow, Jackson and Oconee, be exempted from drought status. Not all of the counties are planning to loosen the restrictions too much in anticipation of a long, dry summer. Walton County, Oconee’s partner in Hard Labor Creek, is tightening its restrictions.
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The Upper Oconee Basin Water Authority has voted to charge extra for Counties that exceed their share in the Water Treatment Plant. Jackson County has contended for sometime that Oconee was using Jackson County’s water and not paying for it. That has been corrected and Oconee will now be paying more.
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Water issues need regional approaches not individual and unilateral action. Senator Cowsert is correct when he says, "Our water systems are regional in nature, and we need a comprehensive plan to deal with it." SEE AB-H 4-4-08 (Locals slam water bill)
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The Bear Creek Counties should have started conservation measures earlier last year than late September. With proper planning and conservation, we could have avoided depleting the lake so quickly. What the area needs is Leadership rather than control.
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4-3-08 Oconee will pay more for exceeding share of treated water at Bear Creek Reservoir
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The Jackson Herald
http://www.mainstreetnews.com/2008/04:02:08/J0402D.html
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April 3, 2008
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(Jackson) County to be paid for Oconee water use
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Jackson County may finally begin receiving payment when Oconee County uses more Bear Creek water than it owns.
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Addressing a long-standing Jackson County complaint — at least partially — the Upper Oconee Basin Water Authority approved a new cost allocation formula by which members will be reimbursed when one county dips into the water or treatment capacity of the other counties.
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Which is exactly what Oconee County has been doing for months, according to Jackson County officials.
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Oconee County owns 20.7 percent of the 21-million-gallons-per-day (mgd) treatment plant at the reservoir, but it has frequently used more than its ownership share of 4 mgd. Jackson County officials have long argued that Oconee is using Jackson County treatment capacity without (a) permission and (b) paying for it.
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Under the proposal approved last Wednesday, a county that goes over its share would pay $.60 per 1,000 gallons to the authority, which would credit that amount toward the county or counties who own the remaining production capacity.
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That cost is just for treatment of the water. Jackson, Barrow and Oconee counties all, own much more water than they have capacity to treat at present.
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The action also requires that the offending county, should its usage result in a fine by the EPD, also be responsible for paying the fine. The change became effective April 1.
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Jackson County officials would like to have the meters for the various counties read daily so officials could keep a closer watch for such encroachments, but basin authority officials say they cannot read the meters daily.
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It is conceivable that a county could use more than its allocated share several times a month, but never pay a penalty if its monthly average was not above its share.
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“What this says to me is whoever gets to the water first gets it,” complained Pat Bell, chairman of the Jackson County Board of Commissioners…………………..
4-2-08 Walton looks to toughen water rules
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The Walton Tribune
http://www.waltontribune.com/story.lasso?ewcd=1a0942f063c02b18
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April 2, 2008
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Walton looks to toughen water rules
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By Robbie Schwartz
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WALTON COUNTY — While some neighboring North Georgia counties are lobbying the state to lessen current water restrictions, Walton County is still considering ways to toughen theirs.
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Last week, the Walton County Water and Sewerage Authority reviewed and discussed preliminary surcharge rate structure options for its customers — both residential and commercial — in an effort to promote additional water conservation..
Though no formal action was taken, based on the discussions, a final rate structure and formal policy is expected at the authority’s meeting at the end of the month.
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This is the next step in the process of the water authority continuing to work toward meeting the state’s mandated 10 percent reduction in water usage.
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“The surcharge policy should help curtail water usage during the peak summer months and assist in preserving critical water supplies,” said WCWSA General Manager Wendell Geiger, adding the measure must still be approved by the WCWSA and the Walton County Board of Commissioners. “On April 1, the state adjusted the mandatory water use reductions based on summer averages, which will increase the WCWSA’s goal usage rate from 3.36 million gallons per day to 5.1. We should be able to comply with the new regulations during April and May.”
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“The enforcement of outdoor watering restrictions will become more critical as we enter the summer months,” Geiger said………………………………………………..
4-2-08 Bear Creek counties seek drought reprieve
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The Barrow County News
http://www.barrowcountynews.com/news/stories/20080402/localnews/218508.shtml
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April 2, 2008
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Bear Creek counties seek drought reprieve
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The counties of the Upper Oconee Basin Water Authority are hopeful a letter requesting to be removed from the 61-county Level Four Drought Response area will be favorably met.
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An answer is promised by April 15.
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The lines for the 61-county Level Four Drought Response area were arbitrarily drawn based on NORAD maps, said Gary Dodd, head of the authority's Operations Committee, who presented his committee's recommendation to pursue an exit from 61 counties.
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Bill Martello of the consulting firm of Jordan, Jones & Goulding prepared the letter which was to go to Kevin Ferrell of the Environmental Protection Division (EPD) requesting Barrow, Jackson, Oconee and Athens-Clarke be removed from the Level Four Drought Response mandate which had been in place since last September.
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While the outdoor watering restrictions for the Level Four Drought designation have been eased somewhat, the UOBWA counties seek to be freed from the list, citing the authority's Drought Management Plan which Dodd said he considers to be better than the state's, the previously-reached reduction targets and the availability of water.
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A modified Level 3 is already into practice in some of the communities which will seek permission for the move.
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A March 25 meeting of area water providers with EPD representatives yielded good comments which will be taken back to Atlanta. Giving consideration for growth impacts was one of the major points of discussion related to the basis for determining required usage reductions.
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Jackson County Commission Chairman Pat Bell said Barrow and Jackson should certainly have growth considered as her county moved from 32nd to 10th fast-growing in the nation and finds itself in the third spot in the state in front of Barrow.
"It blows my mind," said Bell. ………………………..
4-4-08 Area Leaders want more local control over water
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The Athens Banner-Herald
http://onlineathens.com/stories/040408/news_2008040400315.shtml
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April 4, 2008
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Locals slam water bill
Limits on use would require state approval
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By Blake Aued
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If a proposed law was in effect last year, limiting when local officials can declare new watering restrictions, Northeast Georgians would have been left high and dry.
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"We'd have run out of water," Oconee County Commission Chairman Melvin Davis said.
House Bill 1281 passed the state Senate 39-13 Tuesday, and revisions the Senate made passed the House of Representatives 145-15 Wednesday.
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The bill would require the state Environmental Protection Division to sign off on outdoor watering bans passed by local governments. Locals are now allowed to have more restrictive rules than the state.
"Water planning should not be done on a local level," said Sen. Bill Cowsert, R-Athens. "Our water systems are regional in nature, and we need a comprehensive plan to deal with it."
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Communities along the same river or in the same watershed should not have differing rules, Cowsert said………………………
3-9-08 Drought is not over yet
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The Gainesville Times
http://www.gainesvilletimes.com/news/article/4048/
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March 9, 2008
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Drought isn't gone yet
Recent rains offer only temporary relief
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By Debbie Gilbert
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Heavy rains in Northeast Georgia last week pushed Lake Lanier's level above 1,054 feet for the first time since November. But weather officials say the improvement is only temporary.
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"Don't get too excited," said state climatologist David Stooksbury at the University of Georgia. "The outlook for March, April and May is still a high probability for below-normal rainfall and above-normal temperatures."
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Lake Lanier's normal full pool is 1,071 feet above sea level. On Dec. 26, the lake reached the lowest point in its history, 1,050.79 feet. It has been creeping back up slowly since then, but it needs to rise a lot faster in order to avoid a disastrous summer.
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"There's roughly an eight-week period, in March and April, when we get recharge," said John Feldt, a hydrologist with the Southeast River Forecast Center. "It's critical to get rain before the vegetation starts to green up (and pulls moisture out of the soil)."…………………………..
3-13-08 Clarke and UOBWA loosens outdoor watering restrictions
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The Athens Banner-Herald
http://www.onlineathens.com/stories/031308/news_2008031300353.shtml
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March 13, 2008
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Some drought measures loosened
Some watering OK
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By Blake Aued
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Just in time for St. Patrick's Day, Athens lawns and gardens will turn green again - at least for now.
Athens-Clarke Mayor Heidi Davison announced Wednesday that she would lift a six-month ban on virtually all outdoor watering beginning Sunday.
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The new rules allow residents to water by hand with a spray nozzle for 25 minutes per day between midnight and 10 a.m. three days a week. People living at odd-numbered addresses will be able to water Sundays, Tuesdays and Thursdays, and those at even-numbered addresses on Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays………………………
3-23-08 More hurdles for Hard Labor Creek Reservoir
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The Walton Tribune
http://www.waltontribune.com/story.lasso?ewcd=8c7b1eded54c32ce
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March 23, 2008
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HLC reservoir project faces new hurdles
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By Robbie Schwartz
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WALTON COUNTY — The Hard Labor Creek Reservoir project is still on a holding pattern as it hopes to receive some sort of funding from the state but is taking quick action as no agreement could be struck with the City of Winder for the much-needed mitigation sites.
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“(Georgia Environmental Facilities Authority) is fielding calls from the municipalities and members of the professional engineering community with projects that will have a regional impact on water systems,” said Greg Mason, chief operating officer of GEFA, said in a March 13 e-mail. “We are simply keeping a list of communities like yours that have worthy projects so that we can demonstrate the needs for ready projects.”…………………………
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Also at this week’s meeting, the project management board hit a bump in the road when the City of Winder determined not to enter into an intergovernmental agreement which would have provided stream bank mitigation easements necessary for the reservoir project. Reservoir management representatives have been negotiating with Winder officials for several months for easements on two properties owned by the city in exchange for the purchase of surplus treated water once the reservoir is online.
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Winder initially offered the property back in 2002 while it was a prospective partner in the project and while the city is no longer seeking a partnership, it was still interested in being a wholesale purchaser of water.
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The deal-breaker was Winder wanted a guaranteed capacity of 5 million gallons per day. While Oconee and Walton officials were amicable to selling surplus water, they were not ready to concede to the guaranteed capacity because of capital investment required and projected future growth within the two counties. As a result, the management board authorized the environmental firm Register-Nelson to evaluate other potential mitigation sites, including greenspace buffers in both Walton and Oconee counties………………………….
1-27-08 Water pricing as conservation measure
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The Athens Banner-Herald
http://onlineathens.com/stories/012708/news_20080127086.shtml
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January 27, 2008
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Forcing conservation: Use more, pay a higher rate
Area reservoirs refill, but the battle's not over on the water front
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By Lee Shearer
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Buying in bulk may help reduce family grocery prices, but it won't help cut your water bill.
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As a prolonged drought makes local water suppliers consider how to get people to use less, some are beginning to demand more from customers who take a bigger share of the dwindling resource.
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At least two local water suppliers have adopted tiered water prices, in which large consumers pay higher rates.
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More water system managers are pondering whether to adopt use-more, pay-more rates, including Athens-Clarke County, as water suppliers use a temporary reprieve from last year's severe drought to plan for next summer, when meteorologists predict reservoirs again could begin to run dry.
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Reservoirs like the one on Bear Creek, which serves Clarke, Oconee, Jackson and Barrow counties, are full again after dropping to critical levels last autumn. But the Oconee River and other North Georgia streams remain at record low flows…………………
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