Lake Lanier water level & Corp of Engineers

[gramps]

We have had an enormous amount of rain this year and yet the Army Corp of Engineers keeps the lake down over 8ft. I have tried to e-mail them twice and my e-mails get rejected.
I have written our Gov office and they can't do squat and Chambliss won't even write or call back

The Crap of Eng. should be abolished, they destroyed New Orleans and now are hurting all the businesses and people who live on Lanier by keeping the water level so low. I can't remember when we had so much rain and there's no excuse for the Crap of Eng. to keep it so low.

Over the last 2 years we were at full pool and we didn't have nearly the amount of rain then, I just don't understand it.
I just wanted to vent about the Crap of Eng. Sorry!

[GregF]

I imagine they are placating the interests down stream. Aren't you guys in a drought up there?

[dockholiday]

Think Greg is probably right. Glad Oconee is a Ga Power lake. Couldn't imagine my waterfront getting washed away and they won't allow rip rap or sea walls. Oh and better not touch a tree on their right of way. Ga Power is the same about trees but they are not unreasonable an will let you cut one long as you replace with anykind of tree. Had a friend that was on Lanier and you couldn't even see the water from the house. Told him he needs to import some beavers. Anyway I like the Power lakes better. Think Ga Power is more conscious of the recreational factor, amazing how quick they drop the lake after a holiday is over near the end of the day.
doc

[Bamaman]

Gramps: Lake Lanier is a premier mountain lake, and is one of the most visited U.S. Government properties. Unfortunately, Atlanta doesn't have sufficient water sources to sustain 4.5 million people. People continue to move to the area for a high quality of life and relatively low cost of living. (I left Lawrenceville 10 years ago because of the horrendous traffic.)

I think you're lucky to have as much water in Lanier as you do. With factories in South Alabama requiring water and suffering oysters down in Appalachacola Bay--the Federal lawsuits over water rights/flows from 20 years ago remain unsettled. They just get pushed off on governor after governor of Georgia, Alabama and Florida. And Gwinnett County keeps sucking Lanier dry.

It's not clear where you live in the region, but there are many other lakes around that have water in the Summer. You have Lake Alatoona to to the northwest. In North GA, you have Blue Ridge Lake, Nottley Lake and Lake Chatuge--all TVA lakes with full pools in Summer. Lakes northeast of Atlanat are Lake Burton and Lake Hartwell 90 minutes away. East, you have Lake Oconee and Lake Sinclair.

If you lived in Marietta or northwest end of Atlanta, getting to the Tennessee River in Chattanooga is a straight shot, and their water is very stable.

While Lanier may be a little low, there are many other places within 90 minutes that are great lakes for recreation. Count your blessings.

[dockholiday]

don't forget lake jackson.........such that it is.........although sure it has been cleaned up from the past years........not a big lake but it will float your boat.........
doc

[russelljackson]

I've been out on most all those lakes mentioned at one time or another since moving near Atlanta in 2000, and I wish someone could tell me one thing.... Why is the water in Lanier so much clearer and prettier than anywhere else? Sometimes when I'm out there with my neighbor, it's almost like being in the islands, so blue green and pretty. I've heard some people say it's because it's mountain fed and so much water goes in and out every day, others say it has to do with the bottom. Always wondered...

[GregF]

We have much the same thing going on in Lake O.
There is always too much water or not enough for all of the players from the middle of the state to the people on the coasts.
The policy seems to be that if nobody is really happy, they must be doing it right.

[gramps]

Greg, We don't have any drought, we have had plenty of rain.

We also keep our boat in a Marina and I have plenty of water beneath me, it's a lot of other people that I feel sorry for.
The Corp has kept the lake at full pool in other years and yet with all the rain this year they are letting it drain down, They suck!!

[Bamaman]

You're obviously dealing with politics--State and Federal.

Unfortunately, lower water levels mean less people coming to Lake Lanier Islands' incredible hotel/golf/marina/campground facilities.

We're not like all those guys with those 80' to 100' aluminum barge/mobile home houseboats. We don't want to sit in the marina every weekend smoozing with friends.

Just keep an eye on your depth finder.

[ROLAND]

I havent been boating 'long enough" to fully understand the terms used by the corp of engineers. I think I know but am unsure. For example we use Caddo lake here in NW Louisiana... I googled lake levels for Caddo and got the following

full pool = 168.50

lake level = 168.27

ok, first off, I understand that according to the numbers above, our lake is currently .23 below full pool.... but how many feet " down " is that from full pool, and secondly, how do they determine what " full pool " is... and again, at full pool, is there a designation as to how deep the lake is at it's deepest point... there was also a graph showing that earlier this past spring the lake level was up to 170.00 that would be 1.5 "over" pool... does that mean lake levels over flowed their banks and flooded......

[gramps]

I havent been boating 'long enough" to fully understand the terms used by the corp of engineers. I think I know but am unsure. For example we use Caddo lake here in NW Louisiana... I googled lake levels for Caddo and got the following

full pool = 168.50

lake level = 168.27

ok, first off, I understand that according to the numbers above, our lake is currently .23 below full pool.... but how many feet " down " is that from full pool, and secondly, how do they determine what " full pool " is... and again, at full pool, is there a designation as to how deep the lake is at it's deepest point... there was also a graph showing that earlier this past spring the lake level was up to 170.00 that would be 1.5 "over" pool... does that mean lake levels over flowed their banks and flooded......

If you go over it doesn't necessarily mean that the lake will flood. The Corp determines what full pool is, they are another govt. agency with to much power.

[GregF]

They determine "full pool" based on the desired lake level that takes into account where they want it compared to the dikes, along with dams and weirs. In the case of a big lake like Okeechobee they also have to worry about winds. During Wilma there was a 12 foot difference between the level in the north and south bank of the lake. It was very close to going over the Hoover dike and pouring into Clewiston. Once you go over the top of an earthen dike, it usually will not last long.
In a tropical storm event 15 or 20 inches of rain in a day is not unusual. By the time you funnel in all the rivers, creeks and drainage canals, you can fill a lake up pretty fast