1071 Coalition Presentation

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Membership Drive Kick-off

December 9, 2008

Will You Fight for Our Water?

Whiskey is for drinking …

water is for fighting

-- Mark Twain

Sam Olens

Chairman, Atlanta Regional Commission

Chairman, Cobb County Board of Commissioners

THE EFFECT

3 million people and thousands of businesses depend on Lake Lanier for water supply. Many more depend on the lake for recreation and their livelihoods.

In December of 2007, Lake Lanier fell to a historic low of 1050.79 msl.

Currently at 1051 and the level may hit a record low by the end of the year.

Lanier Remains at Critically Low Level

Impacts to Metro North Georgia

Landscapers

Recreation and safety

Water systems lost revenue

Water Supply and Water Quality Concerns

THE CAUSE – NOT ATLANTA’S GROWTH

What is the cause?

Management Operations Lowered Lanier

May to November 2007

◦ 100% of natural unimpaired inflow above W.F. George plus 75% of water from Corps reservoir storage went downstream

◦ Releases to Apalachicola were almost 220% of natural unimpaired flow of river

◦ From October to November 2007, releases were 7 times greater than inflow. Lanier fell 7 feet in two months. The water released could have supplied Metro Atlanta’s needs for over a year.

THE CAUSE

Opportunities for Change

•Corps Water Control Plan Update

•Stakeholder process with neutral broker

•National Research Council study

•1071 Coalition

SO HOW DO WE REVERSE THESE PRACTICES?

FORM AN ADVOCACY GROUP

Grier Todd

President, 1071 Coalition Inc.

COO, Lake Lanier Islands Resort

ABOUT 1071 COALITION

Formed in November 2008 Application made to IRS for 501 c3 status, making

contributions tax deductible. 15 Member Board Meets monthly: open to the public. Contributions support programs and studies. Low overhead: No office. One administrative staff. Expected life – About four years.

MISSION STATEMENT

Mission Statement – 1071 Coalition Inc.

A non-profit organization comprised of citizens, civic groups,

businesses and other entities dedicated to maintaining water levels

in Lake Sidney Lanier that sustain water supply, recreation, and

economic prosperity through the advocacy of appropriate, science-

based water releases necessary for the ACF River Basin.

WHY IS IT NECESSARY TO HAVE A COMMUNITY ADVOCACY GROUP?

Long term: Influence the Water Control Plan

Short term: ◦ Facilitate and support state efforts to reduce flows from

Buford Dam

◦ Urge study of government assumptions and other crucial issues that impact water releases

◦ Bolster Georgia’s position in the public relations wars

HOW WILL 1071 COMPLEMENT LLA’S MISSION?

The 1071 Coalition is not a replacement to Lake Lanier Association.

The Lake Lanier Association has been fighting to preserve Lake Lanier since 1966 through a variety of missions and programs -everything from beautification to water quality.

LLA will continue its programs for decades. The 1071 Coalition is here for a finite period of three to four years for one purpose – to maintain healthy water levels in Lanier through government advocacy and representation in the water control plan.

The Lake Lanier Association has been the sole advocate for Lake Lanier long enough. Winning this battle will take both of our sustained efforts. By working cooperatively with the Association, we have a better chance of achieving our mutual goals.

INFLUENCE THE WATER CONTROL PLAN

• Recent practices will carry over into the water control plan if we do not influence the drafting of the plan.

• The Corps has effectively abandoned a storage management goal in place for 50 years that encourages a full reservoir by June 1 of each year.

• The water control plan needs to maximize the ability of the Lake to refill to provide a cushion in times of drought, which have become much more frequent and severe in recent years.

• The current RIOP could form the basis of the water control plan.

• It is appropriate to use Lanier to balance other lakes, but not

to bring them to their conservation pool “early” as their

levels rise between February and June

• Reservoirs should refill in the spring of each year when flows

are naturally high. The IOP discourages storage during this

period.

• We need a new management plan that protects all

stakeholders in the basin including the 3.5 million people who

rely on Lake Lanier for water supply.

• We also need an objective analysis of the issues so that we

can explore other solutions to issues that cannot be solved

through reservoir operations.

INFLUENCE THE WATER CONTROL PLAN

PUBLIC RELATIONS SUPPORT

Georgia needs a community advocacy organization to counter the public relations from Florida.

Downstream communities are actively seeking to keep basin lakes full at the expense of Lanier and have started similar groups.

The economic impact of Lanier needs to be known and the data needs to be used to bolster our position. Florida often cites impacts to the fishing industry.

TECHNICAL STUDY – Economic Impact of Lanier

Commission an economic impact study by Dr. Bruce Seaman of Georgia State. Estimated cost - $200k.

Criteria to be included:◦ Recreation/tourism & hospitality

◦ Retail & service sector

◦ Regional water supply value

◦ Property values

◦ Impact of low levels on all of the above

◦ Construction

◦ Urban Agriculture Industry (landscaping)

TECHNICAL STUDY – Endangered Species

Questions to be addressed:

◦ Can any of the endangered species be “de-listed” ?

The USFS itself documented an estimated 233,000 fat three ridge mussels in its Biological Opinion.

◦ How much flow is really needed for the endangered species?

The USFS noted that the sturgeon spawned in 2005 and 2006 by using higher portions of rock in higher flows, and lower portions of rock in lower flows. What do they really need?

Mussels evolved and thrived through droughts and fluctuations in water flow for centuries, long before dams. Artificially high flows condition the mussels away from deeper portions of the river, which may be more harmful when flows fall.

◦ If the species are being impacted, how much of impact is caused by scouring at Woodruff Dam?

◦ How much of the impact is caused by invader species, such as the Flathead Catfish?

TECHNICAL STUDY – Headworks at Woodruff Dam

Questions to be addressed:◦ Does Woodruff Dam truly need 5,000 cfs to maintain its

integrity?

◦ What alternatives or modifications can be considered?

TECHNICAL STUDY – Water Management in Florida

Other Issues to be analyzed:◦ Sikes Cut has increased the salinity of Apalachicola Bay

and has harmed the fishing industry.

TECHNICAL STUDY – Water Management in Florida

Other Issues to be analyzed:◦ River Channel Degradation – Dredging and scour have

lowered the channel of the Apalachicola River, which reduces spawning habitat. Floodplains, used for spawning, dry out if they become disconnected by scouring of the channel bottom.

◦ Chipola Cutoff – this manmade cutoff is diverting a large part of the flow of the Apalachicola River, which has led to mussel die-off.

TECHNICAL STUDY – ACF in General

Other Issues to be analyzed:◦ Encourage all users to match metro-Atlanta conservation

results.

◦ Support the National Academy of Sciences Study of the ACF to develop data for informed decisions regarding water allocations and minimum flows. There have been enormous changes in water demands since

development of the original water control plan.

BUDGET

Three Year Total Budget

$700k

Economic Impact Study: $200k

Public Relations and Administrative: $225k

Government Relations Support - $60k

Technical Experts: $175k

Legal Support: $40k

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