Raleigh only has 109 days of water left
As reported by Water Crunch, it appears that Raleigh, North Carolina is down to about 108 days worth of water (with no future rainfall factored in).
While I’m quite concerned about this, I wonder how accurate the number is. As we’ve seen before, those kinds of estimates can vary wildly from source to source. If nothing else, it appears they have about 87 days worth of water left after the “regular supply” runs out, bringing their total to about 195 days. Even with low rainfall totals, that should stretch out a few months beyond that. Still, it’s not looking good.
Hopefully the next few months bring much needed rain to all of us.
February 2nd, 2008 at 4:08 am
The center-core of the drought is North Georgia mountains stretching into North Carolina mountains. The drought seems to be easing south of Atlanta and most of Alabama. Still looks very bad for watershed of Lake Lanier.
February 2nd, 2008 at 5:52 pm
Not sure where Rileigh gets their water. I have been swimming in Falls lake and it’s hard to imagine such a big lake could go dry.
Atlanta, Charlotte, and Rileigh have all experienced booming fast growth. I always thought all cities like that planned their water supply much better.
Build now and worry about water later.
It’s kind of strange that the drought is so isolated to the mountains and midlands and not the coast, which means it could get much worse if the entire area gets hit with a drought.
I thought El Nina was supposed to be less rain on the coast? I think there has been quite a bit.
February 4th, 2008 at 9:13 am
Well, I was glad to see my building (2 buildings at 16 floors each) install low flow water taps in the bathrooms.
“Build now and worry about water later.” Yeah - scary, huh?
February 4th, 2008 at 11:44 am
Sorry, I know this is OT, but I’m sure you all have noticed that Lanier has been having gains in water level for the last six days. The last time the water level was this high was the last week in November. For most of January is was hanging around where it was at the first week in December. Here’s hoping it stays cloudy and rainy all week.
February 5th, 2008 at 7:35 am
This too, is OT, and posted below.
ome friends and I were discussing the drought and Atlanta, and one, who is a plumbing engineer, asked, “What’s Atlanta’s net impact on water flow?”,
That is, We know how much water is taken from Lake Lanier, and how much flows from West Point Lake. Is the water Atlanta takes (and is it at Morgan Falls?) a net loss for the Chattahoochee system? OR does sewer outflow and runoff make up the impact?
I’m betting not, but I’d like to hear what you guys think.
PS I live in trendy Blue Ridge, which is on the Toccoa-Ocoee river, part of the Tennessee basin. but Atlanta is gettin’ closer all the time.
February 5th, 2008 at 8:08 am
MR.Bill,
Atlanta’s water comes from the Chattahoochee south of Morgan Falls. Some is pumped to Hemphill Reservoir before being treated. Some is treated at Peachtree Creek. Still more comes from the Atlanta-Fulton County plant on the Chattahoochee. See http://apps.atlantaga.gov/citydir/water/WQR2003.pdf
I don’t think we know exactly what the net loss is. This has been discussed here before. Some water is lost. Maybe 70 to 90 percent is returned.
February 5th, 2008 at 12:36 pm
Does anyone know where Lanier should be at this time of the year? And how much it usually goes up during the winter?
As in — this its refilling time correct? And while it’s great that it isn’t going down much — it isn’t going up much either - kinda hovering. I’d like to know how much it usually gains, and how far off that we currently are.
February 5th, 2008 at 1:03 pm
codymc - This should help:
http://www.atlantawatershortage.com/20080111/how-much-should-lanier-rise-this-winter/
February 6th, 2008 at 8:28 am
Why are public officials allowed to make such irresponsible comments?
When was the last time it went 109 days without raining?
Raleigh has received at least one drenching rain in the past week with another due today.
Nothing to see here, move along.
If anybody has 109 days left, it’s Britney Spears.