Forecaster: Next year’s drought shaping up to be even worse

ATLANTA –Georgia’s state climatologist warned Friday that without more rain over the next three months, the state could face a drought next year even worse than this year’s record conditions.

David Stooksbury said the severe drought gripping north Georgia and parts of the Southeast could expand through the rest of the state and lead to “catastrophic” conditions in the summer.

…Meanwhile, Georgia water gurus postponed a vote on a statewide water plan.

The proposal, which has been characterized as a “plan to plan,” calls for assessments to measure how much water Georgia has and how the resources could be used as the state’s population grows.

But a vote by the Georgia Water Council, a group of lawmakers and officials who have been drafting the plan for about three years, was postponed until January amid criticism.

AP