U.S. Geological Survey
U.S. Department of the Interior
News Release
Date: June 1, 2007
Contact: Mark Landers 770-903-9152 landers@xxxxxxxx
____________________________________________________________________________
Record Low Water Levels in May
for Georgia Rivers
Editors Note: Maps and graphs
illustrating this information are at:
http://ga.water.usgs.gov/drought/may2007.html.
May was a dry month in Georgia
bringing many of the state’s rivers and streams to their lowest levels
ever recorded for the month.
The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS)
has been monitoring and recording stream flow for more than 100 years at
many locations throughout the state. The lowest May streamflow on
record was recorded for 34 monitoring stations with at least 30 years of
record in Georgia with many other rivers approaching record lows.
Rivers across the state are experiencing
moderate to severe hydrologic drought. This was the lowest May streamflow
recorded in 115 years for the Oostanaula River at the Resaca gage; 110
years for the Oconee River at the Milledgeville gage, and 98 years for
the Flint River at the Albany gage. Streamflow was the lowest recorded
for 50 years for any month for the Suwannee River at Fargo.
“Little if any widespread, sustained
relief from the drought is anticipated. The long-term outlook suggests
the drought will continue to intensify,” said Georgia State Climatologist
David Stooksbury.
Normally the lowest streamflows
of the year occur in late summer, when water use demands are highest, and
fall. If below average rainfall continues through the summer and fall,
new record low flows are likely to occur in Georgia’s rivers. With the
conditions so dry this early in the year, it could create significant impacts
to water supplies, ecological habitats, and recreational uses. Already
the agricultural industry has been heavily impacted by the drought.
“Extreme drought now covers most
agricultural areas, delaying peanut and cotton planting and raising concerns
for the crops this year,” said Brad Haire of University of Georgia.
“It is difficult to compare previous
droughts with the ongoing drought while it is developing. During the previous
century, hydrologic droughts have affected large portions of Georgia numerous
times, with the most recent event from 1999-2002. Hydrologic droughts typically
last for one or more years and may not have obvious beginning and ending
times,” explained Mark Landers, a USGS hydrologist.
Groundwater levels also are declining
across Georgia, although the effects depend on the hydrogeology and pumping
characteristics of specific aquifers. Many wells are approaching their
average annual minimum water level, which normally occurs in late summer
or early fall.
The USGS and its federal, state,
and local cooperators maintain 233 streamgaging stations and 209 monitoring
wells throughout Georgia.
Real-time river and ground water
levels are available at: http://ga.water.usgs.gov/
Additional Georgia drought information
is online at www.georgiadrought.org
USGS provides science for a changing
world. For more information, visit www.usgs.gov.
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Diane Noserale
Media Relations, Eastern Region
U.S. Geological Survey
150 National Center
Reston, VA 20192
phone: 703-648-4333
fax: 703-648-4588
