From the unintended consequences files: Lake Lanier-the primary consumptive water source for most of the Atlanta metropolitan area -is running out of water. The direct cause? A severe drought in the southeast U.S. The indirect causes? Alabama, Florida and the Endangered Species Act.
Lake Lanier is an Army Corp of Engineers reservoir project to provide flood control for Atlanta and areas south. Since construction, the Lake has become the primary water source for the booming Atlanta metropolitan area.
Unfortunately, the Southeast U.S. is experiencing one of the worst droughts in its recorded history and Lake Lanier has about 120 days of water remaining at current outflow rates. But the outflow rates remain unchanged. Why? Regulation. Here's how Wikipedia explains it:
Since the 90's, the Corps of Engineers, Florida, Georgia, and Alabama have all been fighting for use of the water held in Lake Lanier. Law mandates that when a river flows between two or more states, each state has a right to an equal share of the water. Additionally, other laws such as the Endangered Species Act require that water be available for threatened or endangered species that live in or around Chattahoochee River and Apalachicola Bay [the downstream water bodies fed by Lanier].
