October 17, 200718 yr http://www.kentucky.com/513/story/203681.html Tall measuring sticks once covered by a dozen feet of water stand bone dry. "No Diving" signs rise from rocks 25 feet from the water. Crowds of boaters have been replaced by men with metal detectors searching the arid lake bed for lost treasure. "This lake is a survivor," Jeff "Buddha" Powell told a worried customer at his bait shop along the barren banks. "If you panic, you don't help Mother Nature," he added. "It's going to rain when it rains." But little rain is in the forecast, and without it climatologists say the water source for more than 3 million people could run dry in just 90 days. That dire prediction has some towns considering more drastic measures than mere lawn-watering bans, including mandatory rationing that would penalize homeowners and businesses if they don't reduce water usage. "We're way beyond limiting outdoor water use. We're talking about indoor water use," said Jeff Knight, an environmental engineer for the college town of Athens, 60 miles northeast of Atlanta, which is preparing a last-ditch rationing program as its reservoir dries up. "There has to be limits to where government intrudes on someone's life, but we have to impose a penalty on some people," he added. "The problem is how much and who. That gets political. But it's going to hurt everyone. We're all going to share the pain." "We have an ongoing water crisis in metro Atlanta. And it is the biggest and most imminent economic threat to our region," said Sam Williams, the chamber's president.
October 17, 200718 yr Author In another article in the Enquirer but I cannot find online, it says Atlanta is fining people for watering their lawns. They are getting 400 tips a day on people violating the watering your lawn ban. 61 of 159 counties in Georgia have outdoor watering bans. First time offenders face a $150 fine. And risk having their water turned off if they continue. IN Charlotte NC, 1,161 violators have been cited. $100-$500 fine with some having their water turned off.
October 17, 200718 yr As of Oct 9, 99.53% of Kentucky was under extreme to exceptional drought conditiions. Only Tennesse and Alabama could be considered worse with over half of those two states under exceptional drought conditions.
October 17, 200718 yr I knew the drought was bad, but I didn't expect it to be this bad! WOW :eek: Without water what can Atlanta do? I would think it would be too hard to pipe enough water into Atlanta...that it needs to function.
October 17, 200718 yr The drought is a problem as of now but the long term effect will be much greater beginning next Spring and Summer. Hopefully, "Mother Nature" will come through in the clutch.
October 17, 200718 yr We need heavy, heavy snows. Forget the effect of snow on our lives for a few weeks. We need the snow to refill the aquafiers.
October 17, 200718 yr We need heavy, heavy snows. Forget the effect of snow on our lives for a few weeks. We need the snow to refill the aquafiers. I'd be more than happy for some heavy snows. Refilling the aquifers plus some days off of school PLUS all the fun one can have in the snow... it'd be great!
October 17, 200718 yr Author We need heavy, heavy snows. Forget the effect of snow on our lives for a few weeks. We need the snow to refill the aquafiers. Question on the heavy snows. Everyone's yard is probably like mine, no grass. If we do get a lot of heavy snows with the melting, my yard is going to be a mudpit. Do I need to reseed some grass and put down straw before the winter hits? If we get a lot of heavy snows and my yard becomes a mudpit, will the grass return or will it be just whatever weed gets seeded there?
October 17, 200718 yr Question on the heavy snows. Everyone's yard is probably like mine, no grass. If we do get a lot of heavy snows with the melting, my yard is going to be a mudpit. Do I need to reseed some grass and put down straw before the winter hits? If we get a lot of heavy snows and my yard becomes a mudpit, will the grass return or will it be just whatever weed gets seeded there? Aerate and reseed. It's the best you can really do under these conditions, and the snow, no matter the amount, will only help.
October 17, 200718 yr It's going to come to that here if it doesn't rain a lot more. Thankfully us and Cincy have the river to draw from.
October 18, 200718 yr I'd be more than happy for some heavy snows. Refilling the aquifers plus some days off of school PLUS all the fun one can have in the snow... it'd be great! I agree. I have been planning on a nice cold snowy winter. NO ICE, but plenty of snow for the area.
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