Governor Presents Solution to Corps on Excess Water Releases

Governor Presents Solution to Corps on Excess Water Releases

ATLANTA – Governor Sonny Perdue announced today that he has directed the Georgia Environmental Protection Division (EPD) to provide a letter outlining a solution to the Army Corps of Engineers regarding the excess release of water from ACF reservoirs.

Governor Perdue has requested the immediate alteration of all ACF reservoir releases, so that releases from Woodruff Dam at Lake Seminole are only equivalent to inflows, up to 5,000 cubic feet per second (CFS).  Governor Perdue stipulates that if inflows are greater, releases should only equal 5,000 CFS and all additional inflows will be stored.  In order to make an immediate short-term impact on Georgia’s water supply, Governor Perdue requested this action be taken at once, and kept in place until March 1, 2008.

“Today we are handing the Army Corps of Engineers a solution to an ongoing problem that has contributed to the most severe drought in Georgia history,” said Governor Sonny Perdue.  “This is a unifying document that will help citizens that live upstream, midstream and downstream of Georgia’s reservoirs, as well as citizens in Alabama and Florida.  I am extremely grateful for the united support of Georgia’s state leaders such as the Lieutenant Governor Casey Cagle and Speaker Glenn Richardson, as well as our Congressional delegation including Senators Saxby Chambliss and Johnny Isakson.”

Governor Perdue set a deadline for a response from the Corps by of close of business Wednesday, October 17, 2007.  If a favorable response is not rendered by this time, Governor Perdue will pursue all options, including legal measures if necessary.