[IanC]

A few weeks ago, we had a great discussion on the drought in the SE USA. What was particularly interesting were the posts from members of this forum who live in the area who described the (lack of ) response from government and their neightbors to the impending doom of reservoirs going dry.

Since then, from what I gather, the Governor of Georgia has spent his time blaming the Army Corps of Engineers, Alabama, and Florida - pretty much anyone but those promulgating rampant suburbanization. Oh, yeah, there was also a highly publicized prayer meeting for more rain... AWESOME. I LOVE this country. Anyone go?

So, any updates from the Atlanta area?

-Ian
Portland OR.

[clueless]

I have three co-workers that live in Atlanta and they are recieving no direction from government.

In regards to prayer at least someone is doing something - That's a whole lot more than most.

One question I always like to ask - Do you know with 100% certainty Prayer does not work ? Of course you cannot answer yes, so it is possible that in the small portion that you are uncertain about God may be able to answer prayer ? As a matter of fact the Bible gives specific instruction on the matter.

Greetings and blessings from Eugene !

[greenworm]

That is a sign of the end times and should get worse in the coming years.

[clueless]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('greenworm', 'T')hat is a sign of the end times and should get worse in the coming years.

[meekoil]

Things seem to be continuing pretty much normal in the ATL outside of the fact no one is watering their lawns. I suspect it will continue that way almost right up until we run out of water, which according to the Army Corps of Eng. could be as soon as 74 days from now. This is the point at which Lanier reaches deadpool, and the water quality, and the retrieval of the water, becomes questionable. I guess we can carry on for a couple more months after that with much more effort in pumping and purifaction. Of course almost none of the work required to do this has been planned for yet.

A great resource for info:

http://www.atlantawatershortage.com

[Byron100]

Well, for one thing, Lake Lanier is now at 43% of drinking water capacity and it's just reached its record low. BUT - there is hope on the horizon for some beneficial rains for the Southeast this upcoming weekend...so we'll have to see if all those prayers were worthwhile or not...LOL.

Of course, there is NOTHING being done to halt development (or even slow it down)...and to tell you the truth, I'm praying for a severe economic meltdown that will arrest development in its tracks. Or it's going to continue until the taps really do go dry...drought or no drought.

At some point the people have to wake up and wake up and demand that the growth stop. Now.

[mopuxak]

Text deleted at poster's request.

[clueless]

What are the local regulations on private wells and any chance of local govts. relaxing existing regulations ?

Any ideas on how many years it is going to take to replenish the res. levels to average norms ?

[Ludi]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('mopuxak', 'I') am here in Atlanta and I can tell you that most people are not doing much, if anything, to conserve water.

[aflurry]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Ludi', '')$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('mopuxak', 'I') am here in Atlanta and I can tell you that most people are not doing much, if anything, to conserve water.

[clueless]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('', 'n')ot sure if privatization was your implication, but of the two options, public and private, public is the only one that even pretends or attempts to turn that "they" into "we." Privatization by definition takes the entire operation out of the hands of those it serves.

[IanC]

Ludi and all,

I agree that we can't wait for "them" to fix any of our big problems. The issue is that no (or very few) individual wants to deprive themselves of anything before everyone else has to.

This is where I see government being useful - democratizing sacrifice. If there is a consensus (or near consensus) on an issue, like, stopping meth-heads from stealing your car or using less water if you live in Atlanta, then it is the role of government to formulate and impliment policy so the pain of making this work (hiring police and limiting water use, respectively) is shared by all.

-Ian C
Portland.

PS: I have no proof that prayer does not work. Like the afterlife, it is unknowable.

[clueless]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('', 'P')S: I have no proof that prayer does not work. Like the afterlife, it is unknowable.

[aflurry]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('clueless', '')$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('', 'n')ot sure if privatization was your implication, but of the two options, public and private, public is the only one that even pretends or attempts to turn that "they" into "we." Privatization by definition takes the entire operation out of the hands of those it serves.

[MrBill]

I saw on TV here in Europe a water conservation officer driving around Atlanta in his F-150 to make sure people were not illegally watering their lawns. Of course, for such a task, one could use a scooter or a bicycle, but I guess not in America? ; - )

[seahorse]

Yes Mr. Bill,

Driving the old F150 complaining about high oil prices. That's why I tend to be a bet pessimistic. All problems are solvable if people just had a clue, in this case, if we could pierce their ignorance. However, I'm afraid that as a whole, Americans are either so ignorant or so addicted to their "unnegotiable way of life" that nothing short of a financial calamity will break us of our unsustainable habits.

Collectively, we Americans are like those 1000 lb people they find laying in a bed somewhere, unable to get out, that have to eat constantly just to sustain themselves, and for whatever reason, others continue to bring them food, even when there's not enough food for go around for everyone.

[MrBill]

I am not going to throw stones. I took my driver's license in a 1968 Ford pick-up truck with a three in the tree. But back then we just did not know any better. Heck, no one drove standards back then. Not even the cop that stopped me for driving under age before that. I had to drive him to my home where he was too embarassed to tell my parents! ; - )

However, even today the trucks in N. Alberta just seem to get bigger and meaner by the year. Why a 19-year old needs a $50.000+ truck is beyond me? Most of them don't even own their own apartment, yet, much less saving for that proverbial rainy day.

So it definitely not just an American affliction, but a rich world one as well.

Still, in Europe you still do see the mail being delivered by bicycle in urban areas. Guess we'll see more of that in the future once our "non-negotiable way of life" becomes an albatros around our collective necks.

By the way water shortages against a backdrop of unrestricted development are a critical problem here in Cyprus as well. We narrowly missed water rationing this summer, but if the rains and snows are not more than last winter then next year probably for sure? The only alternative here is expensive desalination.

[Starvid]

Now people, there is a very clear, simple, obvious and American explantion to all this.

God Hates Atlanta.

[cube]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Starvid', 'N')ow people, there is a very clear, simple, obvious and American explantion to all this.

God Hates Atlanta.

[Daryl]

I'm in Atlanta. I think the numbers on the drought go something like this. Avg ann rainfall, around 50 inches. Over the last 2 years, we have had below average rainfall and are now about 25 inches "behind". It doesn't seem to be that unusual of a rain pattern. The difference of course is the 5 million people here vrs probably under a million 40 years ago. Georgia needs rain from the hurricane season to get to its average rainfall numbers. We probably only average 35 inches a years from regular weather fronts and local thunderstorms and get 15 inches a year from both Gulf and Atlantic hurricanes/tropical storms. There were no hurricanes this year and last year most missed the area. That's why this didn't start making news until the hurricane season ended in September. They were hoping for a nice 20 inch soaker. When it didn't happen, they put out the grossly overstated scare story that Atlanta has only 6 months of water left. Going to have to create alot of fear to get the "I" generation to sacrifice. (The "I" generation is a devolvement of the "Me" generation, who were at least aware enough of the outside world to be a direct object.)

There was an article last month in the local paper about a run on bottled water already. Should get you doomers jacked. If we don't get some rain this year, Atlanta will become a poster child for the depopulationist, negative economic growth, government control crowd. All we really need to do is dam up another river.