U.S. Geological Survey
U.S. Department of the Interior
News Release
Date: August 31, 2007
Contact: Mark Landers, 770-903-9152 office, 404-625-6106 cell, landers@xxxxxxxx
____________________________________________________________________________
Lowest Streamflows in More Than
60 Years for Some Georgia Rivers as Drought Worsens
Editors Note: Maps and graphs
illustrating this information are at:
http://ga.water.usgs.gov/drought/August2007.html.
August was a dry month in Georgia
bringing many of the State’s rivers and streams to levels below extreme
low flow thresholds.
The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS)
has been monitoring and recording streamflow for more than 100 years at
many locations throughout the State. Rivers across the state are
experiencing moderate to severe hydrologic drought. August saw new record
low daily streamflows at 13 stations with 20 or more years of record in
Georgia. This was the lowest daily streamflow in 110 years at Oconee River
at Dublin; 69 years at Conasauga River at Tilton; 67 years at Coosawattee
River near Ellijay; and 56 years at Coosa River near Rome.
In addition to these record low-flows,
many streams across Georgia dropped below extreme low flow thresholds.
River levels were below the minimum week-long flow expected to occur only
once every 10 years at 58 monitoring stations with 20 or more years of
record.
Groundwater levels also are declining
across Georgia, although the effects depend on the hydrogeology and pumping
characteristics of specific aquifers. A new 27-year record low was set
in August for a well in the crystalline rock aquifer in the metropolitan
Atlanta area.
“We began the summer in
extremely dry conditions with the lowest May streamflows ever observed
for many streams. June and July rainfalls did not replenish the rainfall
deficit, and August has been extremely dry. At a few sites, streamflows
are even lower than during the droughts of the 1950s, 1980s, and 1998-2002,”
said Mark Landers, a USGS hydrologist.
“Because severe droughts of this
nature may occur only once in 100 years, the USGS hopes to use the new
information about extreme low flows measurements to develop a large-scale
study. A state-wide comprehensive project could provide crucial information
for future understanding of limited water resources,” commented Landers.
“Drought conditions across Georgia
have worsened dramatically since the beginning of August. Widespread triple-digit
high temperatures and very little rain have caused soil moisture levels
to plummet, stream flows to approach record lows and groundwater and lake
levels to drop sharply.” said Georgia State Climatologist David Stooksbury.
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.
Subscribe to USGS News Releases
via our electronic
mailing list or RSS
feed.
***www.usgs.gov***
___________________
A.B. Wade
USGS Eastern Region Chief of Communications
703-648-4483
abwade@xxxxxxxx
