After much searching, mostly over the Internet, I discovered various bits of evidence pointing to what you have also now come upon, that the socalled “dead pool” is a pretty arbitrary designation, that the sluice gates at the lake bottom are the source of a part of the daily releases (though I was never able to come up with clear figures for how much is released there and how much through power generation). I also learned that cleaning and oxigenation of this “dead pool” water happened pretty much automatically as it flowed downstream. It’s great to see that you’ve been able to confirm what I had deduced reading various and sundry technical reports.

At the time I had largely discounted this web site because it repeated the same (mis)information as the local media. I see now I was mistaken, and should have shared what I was learning here. I will in the future.

In that spirit, let me suggest a couple of areas for further investigation. The norm in federal law seems to be that water resources are shared equally between the states, i.e., that without other overriding concerns, Georgia would be allowed to consume 1/3rd of the water flow in the Hootch.

I believe, especially under drought conditions, that level of consumption (withdrawing from the river and not putting it back) might force the closure of the Farley nuke and a number of coal-fired plants (which also use river water for cooling). Power generation doesn’t CONSUME huge amounts of wanter, but it USES huge amounts, both directly in the cooling towers and indirectly in the rest of the river water helping to cool the water that returns to the river, so that the plant does not fall afoul of environmental standards. Arguments that power generation doesn’t “consume” much water are wrong, for the water flow MUST be maintained or else the plant shuts down, and water that must flow downstream past the power plant, from the point of view of communities upstream, is water consumed by the plant.

Although it’s been widely reported that the tri-state water dispute was been in court for nearly two decades, I’ve not seen a clear description of who is suing whom; what the status of the case is; nor what rulings exist.

This leads me to harbor the suspicion that the Southern Company (which directly or through subsidiaries like Georgia Power owns most of the power plants hereabouts, and the others have to hook into the power grids it controls) is very much involved in all this either in its own name, that of subsidiaries or allies, or through the political influence it has over various levels of government.

Much has been said about mussels and other endangered species; however, at least until recently, no overall studies of the needed water flows in the A-C-T watershed (if I remember the corps of engineers acronym right) for this or other environmental purposes had been done. At least, this is what has been repeatedly reported, and precisely that lack of knowlege + the precautionary principle (”first, do no harm…”) has been the main argument against modifying the corps of engineers operating plan for Lake Lanier.

That is extremely odd, and it would be interesting to discover whether it is in fact true and if so, whether EPA funding bills over the years have ever suggested, mandated or … prohibited such studies.

Finally, this will perhaps be controversial here, but I will say it anyways for people to consider and keep in the backs of their minds as we go through this. A lot of Georgia politics revolves around the “rural Georgia” versus “Atlanta” divide, and within the Atlanta metro area, between the counties that are largely of comletely outside 285 and the two core counties of Fulton and DeKalb, or the City of Atlanta itself.

This is not just a question of geographic interests, or rural versus metro area, or suburban versus urban interests. It is a racial divide. Atlanta has long had a majority-Black administration, and both Fulton and Dekalb counties now have majority-Black governments, too.

Coming up with a real regional water plan and water authority, which is what is needed, and what study commissions have apparently called for several times, means giving decisive weight in those bodies to the urban core of the metro area. This is, I believe, one of the biggest obstacles to the rational handling of water resources (and not just water, but planning generally, transit and many other questions).

As a new active poster, I certainly don’t propose that we have a big discussion around that here now, but I felt I should raise it as something for people to keep in the back of their minds and consider.

* * *

Again, congratulations on a fine job of investigativer reporting … and apologies for not having pitched in. I’m using a “handle” here as I work in the mainstream media … not that any of you would recognize my name, but my bosses would … and quite likely they would not be pleased.

j.

Stacy,

As an AJC reporter, you may do well to review the atlantawatershortage blog as it not misleading in the least compared to statements forthcoming from the AJC. The AJC drought articles certainly omit key information, which lead these intelligent bloggers to try to reduce the incessant misreporting to a sensible core. As one who reads the mainstream paper, I am well aware that well intended efforts, such as yours do often promote
a reader’s misleading and erroneous outlooks (pumping dirty water 100 ft, etc). Now that I know what’s going on in the media, including yours, I am glad to have a few decent sincere bloggers to help me reason the mess.
At this point the drought reporting in the media is a political editor’s nightmarish boondoggle…and you know it.

Steve

—————————————-
Stacy, I don’t know how to make my previous email any clearer.
Many people including myself have been confused because there has been a great emphasis on the “magic” 1035 level, and we have been lead to believe that at the 1035 level, the water will stop flowing from the dam. There has been constant talk of a “dead pool” which implies water will not flow out of the dam. It also has been mentioned several times about using barges and pumps to get the water out and of extra water treatment.
I said in my earlier email that those facts IMPLY that “water will stop flowing when the level hits 1035 ASL and that there will be 100 feet of dirty water that will have to be pumped out by barges and then specially treated.”

Due to this confusion, I spoke with two people from the Corps, and when reported my findings back to the message board at atlantawatershortage.com, several regular readers said “ok, now i understand…the water will not run out at 1035 and they will not need pumps to release water from the dam…the media makes it sound like water will run dry at 1035 ASL”
In fact, this quote in today’s story implies that: “Complicating even the simple countdown clock is whether to predict days of readily available water left, or days of total water available including that at the bottom of the lake, which would be harder to access and probably more expensive to treat.”
For people drawing water FROM THE RIVER, all water is and will always be readily available and would not be harder to access. For people drawing water FROM THE LAKE, yes they would need barges and pumps etc..

You are using data that applies only to Cumming, Gainesville, and Gwinnett and applying it
to the majority of your millions of readers in the affected area: Fulton, Dekalb, Atlanta etc..

The AJC needs to clearly explain to readers:
“The deepest point of the lake is 911 above sea level. Water that comes FROM THE RIVER always comes from the valves at the very bottom of the lake at 919 above sea level. Technically, the lake can run totally dry without the use of any barges and pumps. The 1035 above sea level refers only to the point where the power generators will not work anymore due to less pressure. HOWEVER, water systems that get their water directly FROM THE LAKE such as Cumming, Gainesville and Gwinnett have been using pumps to access the water, and may have to use barges and pumps to access the deepest levels of water.

Thank You

CC: Senior Editing Manager - James Mallory

—————————————————————-
Stacy Shelton wrote:

Thank you for writing.
It is our intent to clear up any confusing and misleading information, which is why we felt it important to explain the “days left” computations. We also strive to accurately simplify what can be complicated information. The reason we say that the water would be harder to access is not only because intake pipes in the lake have to be moved (as Cumming is currently doing) as the water level drops, but also because there will be an accompanying drop in pressure affecting how much water can be pushed through the dam. I have talked at length with corps and state officials about this to ensure we get it right.
Can you let me know where you read this: “water will stop flowing when the level hits 1035 ASL and that there will be 100 feet of dirty water that will have to be pumped out by barges and then specially treated”?
The AJC does not publish atlantawatershortage.com. I do not know who is responsible for that Web site.
Again, thank you for writing and please let us know how we are doing in the future.

STACY SHELTON
Staff Writer/Environment
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
72 Marietta Street, 8th Floor
Atlanta, GA 30303
404-526-5363 (office)
404-849-0299 (cell)

———————————————————————

j d
12/07/07 09:40 AM To sshelton@ajc.com
cc insideajc@ajc.com
Subject More misleading drought info. from AJC

Dear Stacy Shelton/AJC,

Your 12/07/07 article regarding Lake Lanier contains some misleading information.

“Complicating even the simple countdown clock is whether to predict days of readily available water left, or days of total water available including that at the bottom of the lake, which would be harder to access and probably more expensive to treat.”

Your statement is true for people who get their water from the lake above the dam such as Gwinnett, Cumming, and Gainesville but not for the majority of your readers who get their water from the river. You need to make this distinction in your coverage.

FACT: Water for Atlanta and Dekalb that comes from the river always comes from the very bottom of the lake at the only release valves at 919 above sea level. Technically, the lake can run totally dry without the use of any “barges and pumps.” The water that Atlanta people drink everyday comes from the very bottom of the lake at 919 ASL. Furthermore, the term “dead pool” only refers to water below 1035 that will not generate power because there is not enough pressure. Several people have verified this with two different people at the Corps Buford office.

Your paper has everyone mislead by continously implying that “water will stop flowing when the level hits 1035 ASL and that there will be 100 feet of dirty water that will have to be pumped out by barges and then specially treated.”

I strongly urge you to put a permanent link on your drought coverage that explains the above information and lists some basic well-known public facts about lake elevations and locations of water release valves. I would even run a front page story just to clear up all the confusion you guys have created.

I write you only because many people including myself have been totally confused by your coverage and I assume there are a million people who think the faucets will run dry when the water level hits 1035…this is far from the truth.

Thank You

PS: I wrote the following email to your public editor yesterday:

Dear Atlanta Journal,

I am a regular reader of atlantawatershortage.com and many people agree that there appears to be a great deal of confusing and misleading information about the lake lanier water levels.

The Army Corps of Engineers imply the following statements:
Water is always released from the dam at an elevation of 919 feet above sea level (ASL) which is also the level of the river as it leaves the dam. The deepest point of the lake is the old river bed at the base of the dam which has an elevation of 911 ASL. Technically, the lake can be drained totally dry without the use of any pumps or barges. Also, the water that atlanta drinks everyday comes from the bottom of the lake.

The Atlanta Journal imply the following statements:
When the lake level reaches 1035 ASL the faucets will run dry unless they use barges and pumps, and that the 100 feet of water below 1035 level will be very dirty and require special treatment.

I am not asking you and the ACE to agree on opinions on when the water will run out, but I am asking you and the ACE to agree on known public facts such as:
“What is the deepest part of the lake”
“Where are the deepest water release valves located”
“At what elevation is water always released from”
“How many feet of water is there between the deepest lake level and the deepest water release valves”
“Is your definiton of dead pool water “water that can’t be used for power generation” or “water that can not be released from the dam without special pumps and barges”

AJC, please clear up the myths and provide your readers with basic known facts and then we can make our own assumptions about the water situation. Your information is very confusing compared to the information I have gotten from the Army Corps.

Thank You

CC: Michael Lapina, Army Corps of Engineers

Your 12/07/07 article regarding Lake Lanier contains some misleading information.

“Complicating even the simple countdown clock is whether to predict days of readily available water left, or days of total water available including that at the bottom of the lake, which would be harder to access and probably more expensive to treat.”

Your statement is true for people who get their water from the lake above the dam such as Gwinnett, Cumming, and Gainesville but not for the majority of your readers who get their water from the river. You need to make this distinction in your coverage.

FACT: Water for Atlanta and Dekalb that comes from the river always comes from the very bottom of the lake at the only release valves at 919 above sea level. Technically, the lake can run totally dry without the use of any “barges and pumps.” The water that Atlanta people drink everyday comes from the very bottom of the lake at 919 ASL. Furthermore, the term “dead pool” only refers to water below 1035 that will not generate power because there is not enough pressure. Several people have verified this with two different people at the Corps Buford office.

Your paper has everyone mislead by continously implying that “water will stop flowing when the level hits 1035 ASL and that there will be 100 feet of dirty water that will have to be pumped out by barges and then specially treated.”

I strongly urge you to put a permanent link on your drought coverage that explains the above information and lists some basic well-known public facts about lake elevations and locations of water release valves. I would even run a front page story just to clear up all the confusion you guys have created.

I write you only because many people including myself have been totally confused by your coverage and I assume there are a million people who think the faucets will run dry when the water level hits 1035…this is far from the truth.

Thank You

PS: I wrote the following email to your public editor yesterday:

Dear Atlanta Journal,

I am a regular reader of atlantawatershortage.com and many people agree that there appears to be a great deal of confusing and misleading information about the lake lanier water levels.

The Army Corps of Engineers imply the following statements:
Water is always released from the dam at an elevation of 919 feet above sea level (ASL) which is also the level of the river as it leaves the dam. The deepest point of the lake is the old river bed at the base of the dam which has an elevation of 911 ASL. Technically, the lake can be drained totally dry without the use of any pumps or barges. Also, the water that atlanta drinks everyday comes from the bottom of the lake.

The Atlanta Journal imply the following statements:
When the lake level reaches 1035 ASL the faucets will run dry unless they use barges and pumps, and that the 100 feet of water below 1035 level will be very dirty and require special treatment.

I am not asking you and the ACE to agree on opinions on when the water will run out, but I am asking you and the ACE to agree on known public facts such as:
“What is the deepest part of the lake”
“Where are the deepest water release valves located”
“At what elevation is water always released from”
“How many feet of water is there between the deepest lake level and the deepest water release valves”
“Is your definiton of dead pool water “water that can’t be used for power generation” or “water that can not be released from the dam without special pumps and barges”

AJC, please clear up the myths and provide your readers with basic known facts and then we can make our own assumptions about the water situation. Your information is very confusing compared to the information I have gotten from the Army Corps.

Thank You

CC: Michael Lapina, Army Corps of Engineers