Volatile spring weather whips Georgia crops

Torrential rains have flooded fields and freezing temperatures have shocked plants, turning spring into a roller-coaster weather ride for Georgia farmers.

Over the past month, areas in south Georgia have received as much as 18 inches of rain, coupled with cold fronts dropping spring temperatures to below freezing.

The cold, wet weather delayed or postponed the planting of this year’s watermelon crop. Only 60 percent to 70 percent has been planted, according to a Georgia Agricultural Statistics Service survey of University of Georgia Cooperative Extension agents last week. A quarter of what has been planted is in poor condition.

If the rain stops and things dry up, farmers around Cordele, Ga. -- the hub of Georgia watermelon production – should have plenty of melons in time for the mother of all watermelon holidays: the Fourth of July, said Tucker Price, UGA Extension agent in Crisp County. Farmers there will plant 3,000 acres.

“Rain has stopped everything in watermelons. You just can't get out there. Some fields had been planted before the rain came while others were in the middle of planting and others had just applied fertilizers and laid plastic (into which the crop is planted in fields),” he said.

Blueberry farmers have also dealt with the weather.

Farmers in south Georgia plant two types of blueberries: highbush and rabbiteye. Highbush accounts for as much as 10 percent of the 15,000 acres in the area. The freezing spring temperatures zapped about half of that crop, said Danny Stanaland, blueberry expert and UGA Extension agent in Bacon County.

Highbush were damaged, but the rabbiteye variety, which is the most planted, is on track to make an excellent crop due to good pollination. Last year, farmers produced 34 million pounds. This year, Stanaland said, they could produce 15 percent more. Blueberry harvest for early-maturing varieties will start in the next two weeks.

Aside from some pocketed hail damage and some minor cold injury, Georgia’s Vidalia Onion crop is looking good, said Reid Torrance, UGA Extension onion expert in Tattnall County, where more than half of that crop is planted.

“Onion maturity has slowed considerably in the past two weeks and farmers are afraid the crop is not going to size adequately,” he said. “I think the warmer weather this week will make the crop progress in a more normal fashion. We are a just a bit delayed regarding maturity. I think growers are antsy about getting more onions harvested to meet market demand, but they are not yet mature enough or big enough.”

Three-quarters of Georgia’s expected 350,000 acres of corn has been planted. Of that, a quarter is in poor to very poor condition, according to the GASS report.

“As you can imagine, it has been rough for corn producers. The cold, wet conditions have delayed planting and growth of that which has been planted,” said Dewey Lee, UGA Extension small grains specialist. “We have maybe two weeks of good planting window before we begin to see daily yield losses due to time.”

Due to the wet, cloudy weather, Lee said, wheat yields could be less this year. But most of the expected 340,000 acres is in OK condition.

According to the report, 86 percent of Georgia’s peaches are in good shape. The remainder is in poor condition.

The wet weather slowed land preparation for peanuts and cotton, which farmers will begin to plant next month. Farmers are expected to plant 500,000 acres of peanuts, or 28 percent less than last year due to the current large surplus. Cotton acreage is expected to be 940,000 acres, unchanged from last year.

By Brad Haire
University of Georgia

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March rain soaks Georgia’s drought

While temperatures were near normal for March in Georgia, rainfall was well above normal, according to data collected by the National Weather Service. Precipitation was below normal only along the state’s northern and southern borders and east-central area.

During the month, Atlanta received 7.13 inches (1.75 inch above normal), Athens 7.05 (2.06 inches above normal), Columbus 12.70 inches (6.95 inches above normal), Macon 7.78 inches (2.88 inches above normal), Savannah 2.84 inches (1.16 inches below normal), Alma 8.20 inches (3.40 inches above normal), Brunswick 3.61 inches (0.32 inches below normal) and Augusta 4.38 inches (0.23 inches below normal).

Georgia volunteer observers with the national Community Collaborative Rain, Hail and Snow Network reported that the largest one-day rain amount was 7.15 inches on March 29 in Miller County in southwest Georgia. Other observers in the region reported 6 inches on that date in Albany and Tifton.

Observers reported snow early in the month as a low pressure area moved through southern Georgia, bringing wintry conditions to the northern part of the state. A band of snow fell along a line from Columbus to Toccoa with the heaviest amounts, over 8 inches, falling northeast of Athens.

Several temperature records were tied during the month. Athens tied a record high of 84 degrees Fahrenheit on March 9. Savannah tied its record of 26 F on March 4 and 5.

Most NWS stations reported mean temperatures a half of a degree above normal for the month. Macon reported the highest above-normal departure at 1 F. Alma reported the lowest below-normal departure at 1.6 F.

Severe weather hit the state several times in March. On March 15, a weak tornado was reported near Putnam in Marion County.

On March 26 and 27, scattered fallen trees, small hail and building damage occurred while a stationary front was located over central Georgia.

On March 28, widespread severe weather occurred in southern and central Georgia. Weak tornadoes were seen in Miller and Dooly counties, along with hail up to 1.25 inches in diameter and scattered wind damage. Heavy rains contributed to local flooding.

Due to the heavy rainfall across most of Georgia, drought levels in many parts of the state were reduced or eliminated. The exceptions to this reduction were the Lake Lanier and Lake Hartwell watersheds and parts of southeastern Georgia, where rainfall in March was below normal.

By Pam Knox
University of Georgia

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Georgia drought free except Lanier, Hartwell basins

All of Georgia except the Lanier and Hartwell basins are now out of drought. Several days of heavy rain across the southern two-thirds of the state have alleviated the remaining drought conditions in south Georgia.

The Lake Lanier and Lake Hartwell basins remain in moderate drought. Lake Lanier is a major source of water for much of metropolitan Atlanta. On the Savannah River, Lakes Russell and Clarks Hill remain abnormally low for early April.

Soil moisture statewide is near normal for early April. In scattered areas across south Georgia, soil moisture is currently above normal.

Stream flows across the southern two-thirds of Georgia are well above normal. Daily record-high flows are being set on many rivers and creeks in southwest and south central Georgia. The National Weather Service is issuing flood warnings for many rivers in the state. Updated river stage information from the NWS is available at http://www.srh.noaa.gov/alr/index.shtml.

Drowning is a major cause of weather-related deaths in the U.S. Most of drowning deaths result from people driving vehicles into flooded roadways.

When a roadway is covered with water, it is virtually impossible to know the true depth of the water. It only takes a few inches of water to float a car and lead to disaster.

Additionally, when a road is covered with water it is very difficult to tell if the road has been washed away or the bridge has been undermined. The safest rule is if the road is covered with water, all drivers should “turn around, don’t drown,” as directed by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's safety campaign.

Additional weather and climate information can be found at www.georgiaweather.net and www.georgiadrought.org.

Agricultural climatology information can be found at www.agroclimate.org.

Coastal climate information can be found at www.coastalclimate.org.

Daily rainfall data is at www.cocorahs.org.

U.S. Geological Survey data is at ga.water.usgs.gov.

By David Emory Stooksbury
University of Georgia

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Atlanta Dept. of Watershed Management Response to H.B. 406

On Tuesday the Senate Rules Committee passed onto the floor a special interest bill that works against the common interests of all Georgians. It undermines investment in drinking water projects, including new reservoirs. It does this by jeopardizing infrastructure revenue bonds for the entire state of Georgia.

"House Bill 406 turns upside down the progress Georgia has made in water resource planning. It allows special interest projects to bypass the tried and true processes for project permitting and service delivery," says DWM Commissioner Robert Hunter.

H.B. 406 is designed to allow a local pump-storage reservoir in South Fulton County to avoid state requirements that have been in place for decades. The reservoir would constitute a new water withdrawal from the Chattahoochee River. One consequence of the statewide legislation would be to fundamentally change the process to decide which utility provides services within any given area. This change would make Georgia law and regulation significantly different from that of other States and would also significantly increase the risk to Georgia revenue bonds. Published reports by bond rating agencies verify that the stability of service areas is an important rating factor for revenue bonds.

"The national bond market is very unstable at the moment and even more so in Georgia where we have seen water system revenues drop by as much as 20 percent due to the drought. This is absolutely the wrong time to increase the risk to our infrastructure bonds by increasing the uncertainty of service areas and the revenues needed to pay the bond debt," says Hunter.
H.B. 406 will not increase investment in drinking water infrastructure or reservoir development. "It will, in fact, harm future reservoir development," says Hunter.
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Georgia Citizens in Storm Affected Area Water Alert

Public Water and Wastewater Systems located in the potential impact area of Severe Weather
For Citizens in the Storm-Affected Areas:

The possibility of severe weather that includes heavy rains, large hail, gusty winds and isolated tornados threatens the majority of Georgia. Numerous portions of southwest and south-central Georgia have experienced heavy soaking rains over the past several days. This has caused minor to moderate flooding in numerous southwest Georgia counties. A large frontal system remains over the majority of Georgia. This front will sweep through Georgia tonight and the impact of these storms may cause problems with the supply of drinking water to citizens. The heavy rains have also overwhelmed several wastewater treatment plants causing them to by-pass water. The high winds or flooding may result in a loss of electrical power, flooding or damage to drinking water and wastewater facilities. A possible health hazard could then exist from the introduction of water of unknown quality into the water distribution system, storage tanks and sources of water supply.

If citizens experience a water supply outage or low water pressure, the Environmental Protection Division advises that all water be “boiled” prior to use for drinking, cooking, or preparing baby food in order to protect themselves from a potential health hazard. The water should be boiled for at least one minute after reaching a rolling boil, let it cool, and store it in clean containers with covers. Citizens should continue to boil their water before use until they are notified by their drinking water utility that the water system has been restored to full operation, and that the microbiological quality of the water in the distribution system is safe for human consumption. Unopened bottled water does not need to be boiled.

If boiling water is not feasible or bottled water is unavailable, then emergency disinfection of drinking water should be considered. Water disinfection procedures can be found on the United States Environmental Protection Agency website at http://www.epa.gov/safewater/faq/emerg.html. It is recommended that the instructions be printed and saved for use later if needed.

For additional information, please visit the Environmental Protection Division's website, www.gaepd.org. For specific questions please contact EPD's Drinking Water Program at 404-656-2750.
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New Water Policy Institute White Paper Offers Blueprint for Resolving Southeastern Water Wars

/PRNewswire/ -- The Water Policy Institute, a non-partisan consortium dedicated to developing innovative, sustainable solutions for water supply, quality and use issues, announces the release of a white paper that examines the water consumption issues driving many water disputes and provides a blueprint for resolution.

"Water Wars: Conflicts Over Shared Waters," the first white paper produced by the Institute, focuses on the long-running war over water among Georgia, Florida and Alabama in the wake of the Southeast drought and the challenges resulting from a growing water footprint and increased consumption, both in the U.S. and worldwide.

"The water war in the Southeastern U.S. serves as a microcosm of water disputes occurring in the U.S. and throughout the world," said Kathy Robb, founder and director of the Water Policy Institute, and a partner at the law firm Hunton & Williams LLP. "This dispute has been made much worse in recent years by growing demand for the limited amount of water available."

The Southeast dispute shares many similarities with water conflicts worldwide, including competition for drinking water in an area of growth and development; increased agricultural needs; endangered and imperiled species protection; navigation, hydropower, fishing and other commercial disputes; and conflict between upstream and downstream users.

"Water supply, quality, and use issues pose major challenges for governments at every level, both in the U.S. and globally," said former EPA Administrator and New Jersey Governor, Christine Todd Whitman, president of the Whitman Strategy Group and chair of the Water Policy Institute. "The Water Policy Institute will continue to publish white papers that examine timely subjects and offer new ideas and potential solutions."

The Institute's white paper provides a guide for looking at and resolving the issues at the core of the Georgia, Florida and Alabama dispute and, by extension, other water wars. Among its proposals: that states hold off on pending litigation while President Obama appoints a federal moderator to facilitate an interstate compact, and that various studies be completed to explore how conservation, reclamation and reuse tools can lead to greater water efficiency.

"Our aim was to explore the root causes of water disputes and provide a suggested path for their resolution," added Robb.

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March rain relieves Georgia drought

An unusually wet March has brought major drought relief to north Georgia. Only the Lake Lanier and Lake Hartwell basins are now in drought. The remainder of north Georgia is drought-free.

Abnormally dry to moderate drought conditions continue across south Georgia, however.

Though relief has come, long-term rainfall deficits are still a concern. Small and medium reservoirs are full. The major exceptions are Lake Lanier and the Savannah River Valley reservoirs Hartwell, Russell and Clarks Hill.

Rain across the piedmont and mountains have resulted in the soil moisture being near normal for the end of March. However, soils across south Georgia remain abnormally dry.

The counties in north Georgia classified as being in moderate drought are Union, Towns, Rabun, Lumpkin, White, Habersham, Hall and Stephens. With the exception of northwest Georgia, which has normal moisture conditions for late March, the rest of north Geogia is classified as abnormally dry because of long-term rain deficits.

Coastal plain counties in south Georgia are classified as being abnormally dry or in moderate drought. Abnormally dry counties are south and west of Muscogee, Chattahoochee, Marion, Schley, Sumter, Lee, Worth, Colquitt and Brooks. The remaining coastal plain counties are classified as being in moderate drought.

Currently the climate pattern is a weak La Niña pattern tending toward a neutral pattern. A typical weak La Niña spring brings wet weather across the northern piedmont into the mountains, just like north Georgia experienced in March.

However, across the coastal plain and southern piedmont, a weak La Niña spring is usually warm and dry. Outside the series of storms that crossed the coastal plain over the last several days, the expected La Niña pattern has occurred.

Moisture conditions are in good shape across most of the state’s northern half, but the typical moisture recharge period will be ending soon. By the middle of April, plants are in full spring growth and using tremendous amounts of water.

By the middle of April we can expect the soils to begin to dry because of increased plant water use. Additionally, by the middle of April, temperatures are routinely in the 70s to low 80s. This means that evaporation will increase. This late spring and summer drying is normal.

The outlook is for a few more weeks of recharge followed by the normal drying of the soils due to plant water use and evaporation. May is usually a dry month. Little recharge is expected from May through October, but this is typical for Georgia.

The big unknown is what the tropics will bring Georgia this summer and winter. Much of the state’s late summer and fall rain comes from tropical disturbances. Without moisture from the tropics, August through October can be very dry. At this time there are no clear indications of how much rainfall the summer will bring.

By David Stooksbury
University of Georgia

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Georgia Water Coalition Airs TV Ads to Raise Awareness of Threats to Well Water

On Monday, the Georgia Water Coalition (GWC) began airing television commercials in Middle Georgia informing citizens about proposals to pump chemically treated sewage and river water into our groundwater. This practice (known as aquifer storage and recovery or ASR) can contaminate vital drinking water sources for many Georgians, an issue the GWC wants Georgians to be sure to know about.

The GWC is comprised of 174 groups, ranging from hunting and fishing groups, to religious organizations, environmental groups, and businesses, all working together to aggressively ensure enough clean water for current and future generations. “We are vigorously defending clean water in Georgia and making sure citizens know about the threats our water faces,” said Chandra Brown, the Ogeechee Canoochee Riverkeeper, which is a member of the Georgia Water Coalition.

Chemically treated water injected into groundwater is a threat to drinking water and poses a significant health risk to hundreds of thousands of Georgians who rely on groundwater to drink. The General Assembly twice passed a moratorium on aquifer storage and recovery to protect drinking water, which is scheduled to sunset in 2009. The Senate is now considering HB 155 which would extend the moratorium 5 more years.

The ads encourage viewers to contact Senator Ross Tolleson, from Perry, who is the Chairman of the Senate Natural Resources Committee, who will first consider the bill in the Senate.

“Senator Tolleson has the opportunity to be a real champion for protecting clean water for current and future generations. He has stepped up to the plate before, and we are counting on him now,” said Gordon Rogers, the Satilla Riverkeeper from Waynesville, GA.

Earlier this year, the GWC released poll results showing that ensuring enough clean water continues to top Georgians’ environmental concerns. Of those surveyed, 73 percent supported extending a ban on aquifer storage and recovery.

Recently, ASR has been proposed as an alternative to dispose of chemically treated sewage in Liberty County. Among the concerns are contamination by pharmaceuticals and personal care products, which are actively present in all treated sewage discharges.

“These issues are too often decided without the public knowing about it or getting involved” said April Ingle, Executive Director of the Georgia River Network. “We’re changing that.”

In response to this legislative proposal, 4 local governments on the coast have passed resolutions supporting the ban on the practice. The reasoning offered in the resolutions includes protecting their primary source of drinking water and concerns about injecting lower quality water into their high quality aquifer. The resolutions cite concerns that these risks could result in damage to the aquifer and drinking water supply with severe negative consequences for coastal Georgia's economy and environment.

The National Research Council found in 2001 that a proposal for ASR in south Florida posed significant risks to groundwater, including potentially increasing heavy metal concentrations, such as mercury. This report also found that the chemically treated surface water could contain bacteria and pathogens and contaminate groundwater. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers found levels of arsenic that exceeded safe drinking water levels in areas using ASR in South Florida.

Analysis of a project in South Carolina by the U.S. Geological Survey found that less than 25% of the water pumped into an aquifer would be available to reuse. This study also found that injecting water into aquifers did not help increase groundwater levels in wells near the injection site.

These studies indicate that the use of ASR may risk contaminating drinking water with very little recovery. The Georgia Water Coalition will continue to work w/ the Georgia Legislature throughout their 2009 Legislative Session to ban pumping chemically treated water into the groundwater and keep citizens informed and engaged on the issue.

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Severe Weather Outbreaks Unusual for February

Temperatures were slightly above normal and rainfall was below normal for most of Georgia in February, according to data collected by the Georgia Automated Environmental Monitoring Network and the National Weather Service.

There were no temperature records broken or tied during the month. Most stations reported mean temperatures of 1 degree Fahrenheit above normal for the month. Athens reported the highest above-normal departure at 1.5 F. Savannah reported the lowest below-normal departure at 2.1 F.

The swings in temperature seen in January continued in February as a series of fronts moved through the region, bringing Arctic and Gulf of Mexico air by turns through Georgia. This is expected during the neutral El Niño-Southern Oscillation phase, whose effects linger, though a weak La Niña has developed in the Pacific.

Severe weather hit the state three times in February. On Feb.11, high winds were reported in far north Georgia with the development of a strong low-pressure system in the Ohio River valley.

On Feb. 18, the state experienced an unusual widespread outbreak of severe weather ahead of a low-pressure area that developed near the Gulf of Mexico and moved northeast along a cold front. Numerous reports of tornadoes and large hail along with high winds were reported in many parts of the state, causing an estimated $25 million.

One person was killed in Hancock County when a mobile home rolled over, and 22 injuries were reported across the state.

A hailstone estimated at 4.25 inches was reported in Coweta County, the largest hailstone ever officially reported in February in Georgia.

On Feb. 28, a strong weather system brought high winds and hail to Georgia. Numerous trees were downed and hail was reported in Bibb and Chatham counties.

Heavy rains fell across much of Georgia, including rainfalls of more than 3 inches along the north Georgia-Alabama border. Some localized flooding was reported by the NWS.

Despite the rainfall, drought conditions expanded slightly in east Georgia and along the coast. The entire state is considered in abnormally dry conditions, with moderate drought or higher covering over 75 percent of the state.

During the month, Atlanta received 3.70 inches (or 0.98 inches below normal), Athens 3.67 inches (0.72 inches below normal), Columbus 5.44 inches (0.96 inches above normal), Macon 2.32 inches (2.23 inches below normal), Savannah 1.33 inches (1.59 inches below normal), Alma 1.47 inches (3.36 inches below normal), Brunswick 1.83 inches (2.03 inches below normal) and Augusta 3.21 inches (0.90 inches below normal).

Only two small regions of Georgia received above normal rainfall: a narrow band stretching west to east near Augusta and a small swath northeast of Valdosta. Columbus reported a new daily record of 2.75 inches of precipitation on Feb. 28.

Dry, cool conditions delayed small grain growth and suppressed winter grazing for cattle. Due to temperatures below 20 F in southeast Georgia, blueberries farmers there lost as much as 65 percent of their Southern highbush blueberries, with scattered damage to their early rabbiteye blueberries.

By Pam Knox
University of Georgia

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Registered Georgians Can Water New Outdoor Plantings Longer

Georgians are taking water conservation seriously, saving up to 180 million gallons per day in counties under the level 4 drought category. And many of these people still give their plants the water they need to grow.

Between June 2007 and June 2008, water use was down 20 percent in 55 north Georgia counties. Helping in that reduction were Georgians who pledged to reduce their outdoor water use by 10 percent through the Outdoor Water Use Registration Program (outdoorwateruse.com). The program was developed by the University of Georgia Center for Urban Agriculture, along with the Environmental Protection Division and the Urban Ag Council.

As of February 2009, 22,200 people had completed the program either through local UGA Cooperative Extension Service offices or online.

They’re reducing, not eliminating, water use.

“The long and short of it is, the governor wanted reassurance that citizens would use water in the most efficient way possible and recognize that landscapes are essential,” said Todd Hurt, a UGA Extension water specialist. “We need to water a little bit so all our soil doesn’t wind up in lakes and rivers.”

Soil erosion is the No. 1 pollutant in rivers, he said. Plants hold the soil in place and help it absorb water after a rain.

In Oct. 2007, a complete outdoor watering ban was issued in many parts of Georgia. The state soon learned that when outdoor spigots turn off plants die, soil washes away and Georgia’s $8 billion plant industry shrivels.

The plant, or green, industry lost an estimated $230 million a month and 35,000 jobs during that drought. Cities and counties that sell water through local utilities lost revenue.

The UGA Center for Urban Agriculture created the program to help soothe some of the problems watering bans create. The program went live in Feb. 2008 when Gov. Sonny Perdue signed an order allowing limited outdoor watering.

The program, Hurt said, allows landscapes that have been in the ground less than 30 days to be watered longer than 25 minutes at a time. Only property owners in areas under level 4, level 4A or level 4B droughts need to complete the program and become certified. Level 4C allows for watering three days a week, therefore the certificate would not be a benefit.

People certified through the program can use their irrigation systems if they pledge to use less water than they did before the drought.

“You would take your certificate and post it in your landscape,” Hurt said, “and that would allow you to water on the odd-even system from midnight to 10 a.m. for 10 weeks.”

Some local water providers ask for the certificate before issuing a local watering permit, he said.

The program is composed of a 40-slide presentation and certification quiz. It covers topics such as Georgia’s water basins, where water originates, water use, landscape value, how to water efficiently, where to put plants, mulch and how to find alternative water sources.

It’s hard to teach water conservation in a state that receives as much as 50 inches of rain a year, Hurt said. Some states get less than 5 inches.

“We have to find ways to capture (water) and reuse it in a wise fashion,” he said. “We can’t give up our landscapes. We can’t plant cactus. It’s going to rot when the rain comes back.”

Hurt is revamping the program to focus more on sustainable landscapes and less on drought.

Georgia’s plant industry hasn’t recovered, yet, he said. The number of new landscapes being installed is still greatly reduced. The program has helped, though.

For more information or to complete the certification, call 1-800-ASK-UGA1 to schedule an appointment at your local UGA Extension office. Or, complete it online for $4.95 at outdoorwateruse.com.

By Stephanie Schupska
University of Georgia

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Study suggests Surface Water Contaminated with Salmonella More Common than ThoughtS

A new University of Georgia study suggests that health agencies investigating Salmonella illnesses should consider untreated surface water as a possible source of contamination.

Researchers, whose results appear in the March issue of the journal Applied and Environmental Microbiology, tested water over a one-year period in rivers and streams in a region of south Georgia known for its high rate of sporadic salmonella cases. The team found Salmonella in 79 percent of water samples, with the highest concentrations and the greatest diversity of strains in the summer and after rainfall.

“Streams are not routinely tested for Salmonella, and our finding is an indication that many more could be contaminated than people realize,” said Erin Lipp, associate professor in the UGA College of Public Health. “We found our highest numbers in the summer months, and this is also the time when most people get sick.”

Lipp, who co-authored the study with former UGA graduate student Bradd Haley and Dana Cole in the Georgia Division of Public Health, said that although contaminated water used to irrigate or wash produce has been linked to several well-publicized outbreaks of salmonellosis in recent years, the environmental factors that influence Salmonella levels in natural waters are not well understood. She said understanding how Salmonella levels change in response to variables such as temperature and rainfall are critical to predicting—and ultimately preventing—the waterborne transmission of the bacteria.

The team studied streams in the upper reaches of the Suwannee River Basin, which begins in south Georgia and flows into central Florida. The study area contains a mix of forested lands, row crops, pasturelands, wetlands and small cities. The researchers chose sampling sites near a variety of those environments but found little variation in Salmonella concentrations by location. The diversity of Salmonella strains, however, was highest near a farm containing cattle and a pivot irrigation system, suggesting that close proximity to livestock and agriculture increase the risk of contamination. The researchers also found a strong and direct correlation between rainfall for the two days preceding sample collection and the concentration of Salmonella, suggesting that runoff contributes to the contamination.

Salmonella can be found in the intestinal tracts of several species of animals and in humans. The bacteria are shed in feces, but Lipp said recent data suggest that they can persist and possibly grow in water if given the right conditions. Her study found that the diversity and concentration of Salmonella increased as temperatures increased. The highest concentrations and greatest diversity of strains were found in August, the warmest month of the year. Lipp adds that her study, which was funded by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Joint Program on Climate Variability and Human Health, lends support to the idea that Salmonella illnesses could increase as a result of global warming.

Lipp notes that her study area had 58 cases of Salmonella illness per 100,000 people in 2007, the last year for which figures are available, compared to a state average of 22 cases per 100,000 people and a national average of 15 cases per 100,000 people. She said the exact mechanisms by which people in her study area are being exposed to environmental Salmonella are unclear, but the most commonly detected strain in the studied streams was among the top ten associated with human infections in the health district. The porous nature of the soil in the study area means that surface water and groundwater are prone to mixing, especially after rainfalls, and Lipp said that poorly sited wells might be a factor in many illnesses. Another possibility, especially common among children, is so called incidental exposure by which people become infected with the bacteria when playing in or near contaminated waterways.

“Understanding the environmental factors that contribute to salmonella illnesses can guide our efforts to educate people about how they can avoid being sickened through the proper construction and maintenance of wells, basic hygiene such as hand washing and good food safety practices,” Lipp said. “We also have the potential to decrease the likelihood of larger outbreaks related to produce, because in many cases contaminated irrigation water, and not the produce itself, may be the cause of the outbreak.”

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State Severely Lacking in Rainfall

Due to an abnormally dry January and February, drought conditions have returned to much of Georgia. And it could get worse.

By the end of last year, the state, with the exception of the northeast quarter, wasn’t in drought.
This has changed.

Northeast Georgia remains in severe to extreme drought conditions. Northwest Georgia is classified as being abnormally dry. The southwest and extreme southeast parts of the state are in mild drought.

More specifically, extreme drought conditions are currently found in Hart, Elbert, Madison, Oglethorpe, Clarke, Jackson, Banks and Stephens counties.

Severe drought conditions are found in Lincoln, Wilkes, Oconee, Barrow, Hall, Lumpkin, White, Habersham, Fannin, Union, Towns and Rabun counties.

Mild drought conditions are found in Camden and Charlton counties as well as south and west of Chattahoochee, Marion, Schley, Sumter, Lee, Worth, Colquitt, Cook and Lowndes counties, inclusive.

Abnormally dry conditions are found in the northwest Georgia counties of Dade, Walker, Catoosa, Whitfield, Chattooga, Gordon, Floyd and Bartow.

The remaining 102 counties are in moderate drought.

The cool season – October through April – is critical for the state. That’s when it typically receives moisture recharge to the soils, groundwater, rivers and reservoirs. Without significant rain in the next two months, Georgia is primed for another year of drought.

Over the past 30 days, almost the entire state has received less than half of normal rain. Much of the northern coastal plain has received less than a quarter of normal rain.

Over the past 60 days, less than half of normal rain has been reported south of a line from Heard to Henry to Morgan to Clarke to Elbert counties, inclusive. Much of the northern coastal plain has received less than a quarter of normal rain over the past 60 days.

While the past two months have been extremely dry, total rain since Oct. 1, the beginning of the recharge period, has been near normal across southwest and northwest Georgia and the lower Savannah River basin.

Stream flows across the piedmont and northern coastal plain are at or near record low flows for late February. Across the southern coastal plain, stream flows are near normal to abnormally low, but are not at record low flows.

The major reservoirs of Lanier, Hartwell, Russell and Clarks Hill remain near record lows with diminishing hope for recharge unless there is a major weather pattern shift over the next few months.

Groundwater levels are generally near normal across southwest and northwest Georgia. The levels are abnormally low across much of the northern coastal plain and the piedmont.
Groundwater levels can and do vary over very short distances especially when measurements are taken from different aquifers.

Additional drought information and updates can be found at www.georgiadrought.org. Automated weather data is at www.georgiaweather.net. Daily rainfall data is at www.cocorahs.org. U.S. Geological Survey data is at ga.water.usgs.gov.
Water conservation information is available at www.conservewatergeorgia.net.

By David Emory Stooksbury
University of Georgia

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GEMA Distributes Repetitive Flood Claims Funds to DeKalb County

The Georgia Emergency Management Agency (GEMA), on behalf of Governor Sonny Perdue, recently reimbursed DeKalb County $1,025,250 for the costs associated with the acquisition of three properties in the Clairmont Road neighborhood which is impacted by the south fork of Peachtree Creek. The total approved cost for the grant is $1,159,150 with 100 percent federal cost assistance.

The Repetitive Flood Claims grant program was authorized by the Bunning-Bereuter-Blumenauer Flood Insurance Reform Act of 2004, which amended the National Flood Insurance Act of 1968. Up to $10 million is available annually for FEMA to provide Repetitive Flood Claim funds to assist states and communities reduce flood damages to insured properties that have had one or more claims to the National Flood Insurance Program.

For additional information on the mitigation grant programs please visit the GEMA Web site at www.gema.ga.gov.
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Mayor Franklin's Statement Regarding Department of Watershed Management’s Hearing at the State Planning and Community Affairs Committee

As one of the largest water utilities in the southeast, the City of Atlanta Department of Watershed Management is constantly striving to effectively and efficiently maintain, manage and operate a water and wastewater system that serves more than a million customers. Over the past eight years, the Department has turned the corner on upgrading an aging water and wastewater infrastructure, and we will continue those efforts.

Commissioner Rob Hunter and I appreciated the opportunity to hear from Chairman Tommy Smith and others today and to share information about the strides we have made in the management of our system. It was also a chance to thank the General Assembly for its support over the years as Atlanta moves to improve not just our infrastructure, but our customer service as well. The City generates more than two million bills every year, and, with that number, there are bound to be issues -- many of which are due to leaks, running toilets, meter mis-reads and mere high usage, but some of which are due to mistakes on our part.

Aside from infrastructure work, like tunnel construction, sewer separation, sewer rehabilitation and water main replacement projects, the Department has made major improvements that include a new customer service call center, installation of new meters capable of being read remotely and facility upgrades in an effort to continue our efforts to become a Best Practice model.

We welcome the chance to hear the concerns of our customers, and we believe it is our solemn obligation to give our ratepayers the service they deserve. It is an obligation we take seriously.

- Atlanta Mayor Shirley Franklin
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Georgia Water Coalition: Regional Water Councils Should Heed Georgians’ Call to Protect Clean Water

Members of 174 partner-strong Georgia Water Coalition say that the Regional Water Council appointments announced Wednesday are unbalanced. Only six of the over 300 appointments are representatives of the scores of conservation groups dedicated to protecting and restoring the state’s water resources.

One of the six is Satilla Riverkeeper, Gordon Rogers, of Waynesboro. “It is an honor to be appointed by statewide officials to our regional planning council, and I am looking forward to serving alongside my fellow Georgian’s of the Suwannee and Satilla River watersheds. I appreciate the support of our local legislators, particularly Mark Williams in this effort” said Rogers. “It is disappointing however, to see so few voices for the rivers among other councils, particularly for those rivers downstream of Metro North Georgia” he added.

“Even though only a few Georgia Water Coalition member groups are represented on these councils, the Georgia Water Coalition will continue to be an active voice on behalf of Georgia communities and their water resources in regional water planning and insisting on full public participation in the planning” said Sally Bethea, the Upper Chattahoochee Riverkeeper.

Last week the Georgia Water Coalition released poll results showing that ensuring enough clean water continues to top Georgians’ environmental concerns, according to a recent survey conducted by Georgia consulting firm The Schapiro Group, Inc. According to the poll, 87 percent of Georgia voters were concerned about water shortages and 75 percent were concerned about water quality. The Georgia Water Coalition is urging the new regional council appointees to heed the concerns of Georgians.

“This poll tells us that Georgians want to protect our rivers and streams and to do what’s needed to provide plentiful, clean water for current and future generations,” said April Ingle, Executive Director of the Georgia River Network “we will continue to be an insistent voice for Georgians, bringing their concerns to these councils.”

The poll showed support for specific water-related measures likely to be deliberated by the councils, including well water protection, water conservation measures, and restrictions on water transfers from one river basin to another.

Of those surveyed, 73 percent supported extending a ban on aquifer storage and recovery—a measure that is currently in place to protect well water in South Georgia. Aquifer storage and recovery is a practice of injecting chemically treated water in our underground water supply with the intent to later use it.

Georgia legislators have twice placed a moratorium on this practice until pressing concerns were alleviated regarding threats to water quality, cost-effectiveness and water recovery capacity, but the current moratorium is set to expire at the end of this year.

On the issue of water transfers, 59 percent of those polled overall -- including 55 percent within metro Atlanta – said they opposed moving water from one river basin to another, also referred to as interbasin transfers, which has been strongly opposed by communities downstream from Metro Atlanta. Interbasin transfers are a practice of transferring water from one river basin to another river basin, for use, and the treated waste water is discharged in the receiving basin instead of being returned to the basin it originated from, resulting in a net loss of water in the originating basin.

Language to statutorily require the Georgia Environmental Protection Division Director to consider extensive analysis before allowing new interbasin transfers was removed from a reservoir bill during the final hours of the 2008 legislative session.

“The results of this poll show that Georgia voters are ready for action on these issues,” said Jennette Gayer with Environment Georgia. “The appropriate response to this data on the part of state leaders would be to act now to extend the ban on injecting water into underground aquifers, develop simple outdoor water restrictions that actually save water and require further analysis before permitting any interbasin transfers.”

The poll also showed that these issues found wide support among Republicans, Democrats and Independents. For instance, more than 65 percent of voters, regardless of political affiliation, support extending the ban on aquifer storage and recovery. More than 80 percent support easier to understand outdoor watering restrictions.

“The poll shows that protecting our waterways is not a red or blue issue,” said Jill Johnson with Georgia Conservation Voters. “Voters want to see more solutions from state leaders when it comes to ensuring a clean water supply for their families.”

Among the additional findings, voters exhibited high levels of concern about various conservation issues:

· Water shortage: 87% concerned

· Water quality: 75% concerned

· Loss of natural areas due to development: 74% concerned

· Air quality: 72% concerned

· Climate change: 63% concerned

Georgians demonstrated a high level of support for specific water management solutions:

· Developing new, easy-to-understand statewide watering restrictions: 82% support

· Extending the ban on the practice of aquifer storage and recovery: 73% support

· Banning further interbasin transfers of water: 59% support

· Excluding water programs from budget cuts: 52% support

Concerns about the following water issues are not specific to any one political party:

· 88% of Republicans, 91% of Democrats, and 83% of Independents place a high priority on the legislature ensuring our state’s water supply is clean enough for drinking and recreation.

· 80% of Republicans, 87% of Democrats and 80% of Independents support developing new, easy-to-understand statewide watering restrictions.

· 76% of Republicans, 80% of Democrats and 66% of Independents place a high priority on the legislature promoting efficient water use among business and residential users.

· 74% of Republicans, 78% of Democrats and 68% of Independents support extending the ban on aquifer storage and recovery.

The poll of 600 Georgians was conducted via live telephone survey September 17-23, 2008. The margin of sampling error is ±4.0%.

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