Georgia County Government - February 2008 - (Page 25)

County’s Chattahoochee River headwaters, with a recorded high of 3,000 cubic inches per minute, fell in recent months to a record low of 80 cubic inches per minute, and officials from the Georgia Environmental Protection Agency (EPD) have held meetings with the county and others in the region concerning contingency plans in case stream flows fall to 50 cubic inches per minute or less. In such an instance, emergency management agencies would have to begin notifying residents that water will be unavailable within hours or days, and they will have to resort to stocking up on water in containers to meet emergency needs only. It is a dire prospect, but officials are determined to find solutions. In addition to the questions of offsetting future drought, water and sewer infrastructure will be key to supporting growth throughout the mountain counties, and officials are deeply involved in water planning initiatives. “Water and sewer infrastructure in the Georgia Mountains region is not where we want it to be yet. We’re aggressively pursuing all means to ensure water for residents for the next 50 years, however,” Lewis notes. “Five years ago, our major challenge in this region was transportation. Now, our transportation goals are moving along quite well, but water and sewer infrastructure is our next big challenge. We now have to put this on the front burner. “I think in this region, and throughout the state, we’ll see water supply reservoirs fast-tracked,” Lewis asserts. “One hundred percent of the water supplying metropolitan Gainesville is withdrawn from Lake Lanier. We need additional water-supply reservoirs.” Hazell agrees, adding, “To accommodate Georgia’s anticipated population of 12 million in the next 15 to 20 years, water-supply reservoirs will be required.” There are five water basins in the area, and a divide in North Georgia separates the Chattahoochee River Basin from the Savannah River Basin. Stephens and Rabun counties draw significant portions of their water supply from the Savannah River Basin. Habersham also accesses the Chattahoochee River Basin, and the county has also just been permitted to draw water for its northeastern corner from the Savannah River Basin. A potential plan is to draw water as well out of the Tennessee River, but first, Georgia laws must address inter-basin water transfers, a hot-button issue currently before the General Assembly. In Habersham County, Chairman Butterworth believes dredging current reservoirs to hold more of the rainfall in the county poses a solution. Others are looking more intently at the potential of inter-basin water transfers, but this remains a controversial subject. Habersham County hired a private consultant in the last year to perform an extensive water-supply study throughout the region, including a hard look at water storage, sources and water-supply outlook, Butterworth says. The resulting Comprehensive Water Program for the county indicates that areas proximal enough should tie into the City of Toccoa water system, and ductile water lines are now under way to connect to Toccoa’s system. Over the short term, the NORTHEAST GEORGIA continued on page 26 360867_Precision.indd 1 FEBRUARY 2008 www.accg.org PM 12/17/07 10:48:12 25 http://www.precisionplanning.com http://www.accg.org

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Georgia County Government - February 2008

Georgia County Government - February 2008 Contents President's Message County Matters Regional Focus on the Georgia Mountains: Rabun, Habersham and Stephens Counties DNR Commissioner Noel Holcomb Solid Waste Management in Georgia: New Challenges Ahead Essential Elements of Negotiating Professional Service Firm Contracts The Walker County Courthouse at LaFayette Extension News: Partnerships are Key to Conservation Education Research Corner: Interns: An Asset to Every County NACo News: Counties and Climate Change FAQs Georgia Flag to Travel to All 159 Georgia Counties State Announces Regional Recycling Hub Grant Awards Abraham Joins ACCG Support Staff County Parade ACCG Launches e-Magazine Index of Advertisers

Georgia County Government - February 2008

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