Staff photo - LeAnne Akin Water levels are low in the cove visible on Old Savage Road; the lowering reservoir levels pushed the authority to order a total outdoor water ban for its member counties since without significant rain, there is less than a 55-day supply of water Staff photo - LeAnne Akin

With no end in sight to the drought gripping Georgia, the Upper Oconee Basin Water Authority Operations Committee voted Thursday to issue a total ban on outdoor watering in all four of its member counties effective Monday, Sept. 17.

Citizens in Athens-Clarke County, Barrow County, Jackson County, and Oconee County are being restricted from outdoor watering because of increasingly lower water levels in the 505-acre Bear Creek Reservoir that serves those communities.

The reservoir level is currently at 683.9 feet, and without significant rainfall combined with stringent conservation measures, the level of the reservoir may be so low by Nov. 10 that water will no longer be of suitable quality for treatment at the water plant. Charts indicate inside of 55 days, the reservoir may not be a water resource.

The plant provides treated water for Barrow, Oconee and Jackson counties while Athens-Clarke pulls raw water from the reservoir for treatment at its own plant. Jackson County is currently selling some of its Bear Creek water to the City of Jefferson which shut down its treatment plant because of a lack of raw water.

While a look from the bridge over the Middle Oconee River from which water is pumped into the reservoir appears to be sufficient, 7Q10, the streamflow occurring over 7 consecutive days with a 10-year recurrence interval period, shows prevalent drought conditions, so withdrawal is currently prohibited.

At Thursday's meeting, a look at rainfall averages from the airport in Athens show the below-average precipitation during eight months of 2006, five months in 2005 and nine months in 2004. For 2007, rainfall is already 20 inches below normal.

For Barrow County Water & Sewerage Authority Director Myron Garrett, the trend is alarming.

Enforcement of Level IV has been in place in Barrow County, with the exception of Statham, since Aug. 17. Cooperation from City of Winder water customers has made a difference, says Angela Page, who handles public relations for the utilities department.

The City of Winder, which has the largest water service area in Barrow County, has been able to rebound back from the dire water supply situations earlier this summer thanks to cooperation of water users. Winder has been able to cut back its use of Bear Creek water to 1.9 million gallons a day.

"We are holding steady," reports Page. "Everyone is being very cooperative. Thank goodness, that lets us concentrate on our normal daily activities. We are still staying in level 4, to be sure we sustain and even possibly get ahead a little."

Page does note that some warnings have been required for violators, but most are cooperative.

Barrow County Water & Sewerage Authority customers who continue to violate the outdoor watering ban, especially in light of the dropping Bear Creek reservoir levels can expect stricter enforcement. Warning letters have gone out this week, and violators can expect fines and service interruptions.

The Barrow authority sold 25,771,000 gallons of water Sept. 6-13 and Garrett is monitoring customer usage and sales.

The Northeast Georgia Regional Development Center, which assists the authority with its administrative operations, issued an advisory after Thursday's meeting. Mott Beck serves as administrative assistant for the authority.

"These restrictions do not include commercial and industrial use critical to the conduct of businesses such as commercial car washes, tree farms, and garden supply nurseries," according to an advisory. Additional exemptions may be granted by individual jurisdictions, but contact your water provider for information as some water users have abused the privilege.

Drought conditions across Georgia have worsened dramatically since the beginning of August, according to state climatologist David Stooksbury. Widespread triple-digit high temperatures and very little rain are cited as causing soil moisture levels to plummet, stream flows to approach record lows, and groundwater and lake levels to drop sharply.

Indicators for the coming months are no better. Earlier this week, a La NiŅa watch was issued by the Southeast Climate Consortium and state climatologists in three states, including Georgia. La NiŅa conditions usually bring a warmer and drier cool season (October through March) to much of the Southeast. (See more on Page 3A.) State climatologists say this means there is a good chance that drought conditions, currently ranging from exceptional across much of Alabama and Georgia to moderate in south Florida, will continue and possibly worsen throughout the winter and into next spring.

"The authority issued the total ban on outdoor watering in an effort to preserve supplies that will be needed for public health and safety uses as the drought continues," said Beck's advisory.

For ideas on how to conserve water at home and in the workplace, visit the State of Georgia's website at www.conservewatergeorgia.net.

For specific information concerning individual counties outdoor water restrictions and more more local information on conservation measures such as free indoor and outdoor home water conservation kits, contact your local water department.

Originally published Sunday, September 16, 2007