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As Georgia continues to suffer a record-breaking drought, Sen. Chip Pearson (R-Dawsonville) yesterday passed a resolution in the Senate urging Congress to facilitate the building of reservoirs in north Georgia to ensure the state has an adequate water supply.

“The drought has threatened Georgians’ health and quality of life while also endangering our animal and plant life,” stressed Pearson. “The state has worked hard to better manage our water resources and increase conservation by developing a statewide water plan. Now is the time to turn our attention to additional solutions that will help us meet the growing demand for this essential resource.”

To provide more water storage, the resolution recommends that reservoirs be built upstream from Lake Sydney Lanier including in the Chattahoochee National Forest. Over five million people depend on Lanier and the Chattahoochee River for their water supply. The metro Atlanta area alone relies on the Chattahoochee for 75 percent of its water, the smallest river in the nation providing a main water source to a city the size of Atlanta.

Georgia already faces limited water resources with small headwater rivers, no large natural lakes, and almost no groundwater. Building reservoirs upstream from Lake Lanier will allow for the control of water levels, also protecting downstream areas by increasing river flow in times of drought. This will help ensure that agriculture, much of which is located in the southern part of the state, is provided with the necessary amount of water to sustain the state’s largest industry.

Issues arising from Georgia’s already small watershed have been compounded by a severe drought. Lanier’s lake level has continuously dropped since 2006, with the current level more than 14 feet below full. On average, Georgia’s annual rainfall is 50 inches, but by December, the state had only received 37 inches for the whole of 2008.

For more information on the Georgia State Senate or to view Senate Resolution 107, please visit www.senate.ga.gov.