……… a saying by former Watkinsville Mayor, Gip Lord. Mr. Gip was known for his wit and would state in an ‘authoritative and solemn’’ manner, - “It’s gonna rain at the end of this ‘dry spell’”. Since then I have thought of that statement often and its real meaning. There are cycles and seasons in life, weather and economic matters. Knowledge of history can give hope and guidance.

AVOC

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April 10, 2009

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Oconee County – Drought - “It’s gonna rain at the end of this ‘dry spell’”

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By Wendell Dawson, Editor, AVOC, Inc

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DROUGHT 0f 1980’s

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We went through a drought in the mid-late 80’s (and there were previous droughts).   In the 80’s drought, as a younger man, I was dragging soaker hoses all over my yard trying to grow trees.   The recent drought in Oconee County and Northeast GA reminds me of a saying by former Watkinsville Mayor, Gip Lord.    Mr. Gip was known for his wit and would state in an ‘authoritative and solemn’’ manner, - “It’s gonna rain at the end of this ‘dry spell’”.    Since then I have thought of that statement often and its real meaning.   There are cycles and seasons in life, weather and economic matters.   Knowledge of history can give hope and guidance.

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Mayor W G ‘Gip’ Lord was Mayor of Watkinsville, GA in early and mid-1970’s                                                      

Dairy Queen Groundbreaking Ca 1974

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Rain has come and alleviated the Drought problems.  However, in future years, we will experience more droughts.   The latest one should have demonstrated that unlimited population growth is not sustainable in North Georgia.    Water sources are scarce.   Reservoirs help but wide-open building and population growth will require reservoirs to be built on a regular basis.    There is no “magic solution”.    Conservation and a more moderate rate of growth are needed for long term solutions.

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WATER REVENUES DOWN FOR AREA UTILITIES

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Water Revenue has been down for sometime because of drought restrictions on water use.   Some area counties want to start watering again- motivated much, I suspect, by need for the revenue.  SEE: Counties want water rules eased - Outdoor restrictions at issue in EPD request - Athens B-H – 4-9-09:

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“…. It also led officials in Jackson and Oconee counties to agitate for allowing more watering to satisfy residents and bolster flagging revenue from water sales. Athens-Clarke and Barrow officials, though, argued that easing restrictions too much would confuse people and leave the region unprepared if the drought returns and water supplies began to dwindle…”

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ALSO: Wising up to Georgia's water woes- Athens B-H – 11-17-07

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Oconee County committed to a big bond debt for Hard Labor Creek Project based on continuing growth and water use.   Revenues since have fell below expectations.

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8-24-08 Oconee Taxpayers need to be alert to Hard Labor Creek Project with slowdown in Financial Markets and Revenues

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Oconee County added some customers and revenue by taking on customers in subdivisions formerly served by private systems:   Northwest Woods has approximately 127 customers that started hooking on in January 2008; Birchmore Hills has approximately 40 customers that started hooking on in January 2007.

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RESERVOIRS & Regional Cooperation Suffering

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In my opinion, we have made mistakes on our water use in recent years.   The Bear Creek Reservoir, a source of pride and hope, has suffered a public relations downside.   Jackson County is suing the authority alleging that the Reservoir only has half the capacity as originally projected.   Jackson County wants a reallocation of the capacity.This seems to be a reasonable position.  

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However, Oconee has opposed reallocation (development growth has demanded it) because recent Oconee Leadership has wanted all the water it can get.    The Authority should have faced this issue head on and in public.    I suspect that the current Authority Chairman, Melvin Davis, knows there may be validity to Jackson County’s claim.   Rather than deal with it and pull everyone together to deal with more capacity, the Authority has drifted into lawsuits and each ‘partner’ going off on its own.

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Jackson County and Barrow are looking at more reservoirs.   With an existing treatment plant, water transmission mains and a working intergovernmental agreement, expansion of Bear Creek or another reservoir in Jackson County has a lot of merit.   That opportunity is now damaged because of the current relations in the four counties making up the Upper Oconee Basin Water Authority.

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JURY IS STILL OUT ON WISDOM OF HARD LABOR CREEK RESERVOIR

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Rather than showing leadership and teamwork, Oconee has gone to another reservoir project (Hard Labor Creek in Walton County, 18 miles from High Shoals and the Apalachee) with the attendant costs and issues of regional cooperation.   Many Walton and Oconee residents are still skeptical about the costs and water capacity of the Hard Labor Creek Project.   It is not getting much attention but the debt service down the road contemplates continuing growth in populations and water customers.  

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While officials who voted for the Hard Labor Creek Project will be gone when the downside becomes evident to citizens, future issues will involve: Costs and paying for it; working together on future decisions of operation and construction; and eventual capacity.    Capacity should be examined closely.  

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WATER GURU TOMMY CRAIG GOT PERMITS FOR BEAR CREEK AND HLC

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Water legal expert, Attorney Tommy Craig of Covington, was the prime mover in obtaining the Corps 404 permits for Bear Creek in Jackson County and for Hard Labor Creek in Walton County.   Mr. Craig has been very successful in obtaining permits.    However, his staying power and projections of projects have not always been good.   He makes a lot of money on the permits.  Check Dahlonega, Rockdale County, Bear Creek, Tired Creek in Grady County, etc.    There is a lot of money in pursuing such permits.  

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The real challenge is making the reservoir work.  It is a continuing challenge.   It takes cooperation, leadership, teamwork, money and patience.   

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4-2-09 Lawsuit by Jackson County against Upper Oconee Basin Water Authority

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The Commerce News

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April 2, 2009                 OPINION

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By Mark Beardsley, Editor

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I seldom sit in on trials or hearings, but a couple of weeks ago I watched the attorney for the Upper Oconee Basin Water Authority attempt to get Judge Joe Booth to throw out Jackson County’s suit against the authority.

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Here’s the issue. All four member counties’ water contracts and plans are based on a calculation that the Bear Creek Reservoir can provide 58 million gallons of water per day (mgd) for 180 days during a drought. That calculation, done by the authority’s engineering firm and stamped “approved” by the EPD is the basis for deciding how much water each owner gets.
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Jackson County has data indicating that number is wrong. Badly wrong, more in the neighborhood of 24 mgd.
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The other three parties in the case — Athens-Clarke, Barrow and Oconee counties — don’t want another calculation.
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Why? Here’s the only possible answer; they fear Jackson County may be right, and the economic consequences of finding out they’ve got only 41 percent of the water they thought they bought are devastating……………………..
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If Jackson’s numbers are accurate, Athens-Clarke and Oconee counties used a lot of Jackson County’s water during the last drought without paying for it. Strangely, Jackson County doesn’t appreciate that.
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If Jackson’s numbers are accurate, all of the counties’ allocations will be trimmed, and some will have to cut back their withdrawals, find alternate sources or pay Jackson County for using its water. They’ll also have to change plans and contracts based on 58 mgd.
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Those counties fear the truth if it differs from the status quo.
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I think Judge Joe Booth will let the suit progress and ultimately the authority will be forced to redo the calculations because knowing the true capacity of the reservoir is too important.
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Jackson has Mike Bowers in its corner. Bowers loves a court fight, he’s got good data on his side, and the other counties have yet to produce a good reason why the recalculation should not be done other than they don’t want it done.
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Mark Beardsley is editor of The Commerce News. He lives in Commerce.

3-21-09 Jackson County searching for Reservoir Sites – After Bear Creek Reservoir

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The Commerce News

http://www.commercenewstoday.com/archives/2035-Access-to-reservoir-sites-remains-a-problem.html

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March 20, 2009

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Access to reservoir sites remains a problem

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Friday, March 20. 2009

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The engineering firm conducting a reservoir site selection process for Jackson County will forge ahead in spite of public opposition that prevents access to 58 percent of the property being considered.
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While the authority’s “town hall meeting” with the owners of land adjoining three proposed sites drew more than 100 people and was well received, it resulted in virtually no more access to the 134 parcels that could be affected than the authority already had.

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Thomasville Times-Enterprise

http://www.timesenterprise.com/local/local_story_285234813.html

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October 12, 2007

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Tommy Craig on Tired Creek Project

Consultant furnishes board with update on Tired Creek

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The Grady County Board of Commissioners heard from Tired Creek consultant Tommy Craig on Wednesday for an update on the dam permit application process for the proposed 960-acre fishing lake from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Savannah District……….

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Commissioner Bobby Burns voiced his displeasure in the prolonged permit process.

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“I don’t know if you’re not getting stuff to them in a timely manner or what, but five or six years have gone by without the county getting an answer,” he said. “We depended on you to guide us through this.”………

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3-11-05 Reservoirs, Consultants, Cost Overruns, Governors, and Attorney Tommy Craig

3-31-05 Walton & Oconee Need to Talk With Dahlonega-Lumpkin about Reservoir

3-16-05 Water Authorities, Newton & Walton Counties & Attorney Tommy Craig

6-22-05 Financial Strain for Lumpkin County Yahoola Creek Reservoir