Alpharetta Cumming Lake Lanier Real Estate Blog

Encouraged by the replenishing rains, state environmental officials are set to decide today whether to relax water restrictions that banned most outdoor water use across north Georgia.

Just a year ago, about 60 percent of the state was locked in some sort of drought.

Federal forecasters now say the state has completely emerged from the drought, and that only a small pocket in northeast Georgia remains "abnormally dry."

Still, conservationists are concerned that if the state Drought Response Committee decides to ease or lift restrictions it will send the wrong message to water-conscious residents.

As the drought spread in late 2007, state environmental officials banned virtually all outdoor watering in the northern part of the state and ordered utilities in the area to reduce water use by 10 percent.

The requirements for the utilities were lifted as the drought began to ease, and state officials agreed to allow some counties that do not rely on Lake Lanier to get exemptions from some of the restrictions.

Georgia environmental officials have since allowed residents to fill outdoor swimming pools, hand-water plants for 25 minutes three days a week and use drip irrigation and soaker houses to maintain their yards.

Yet an order that bans most other outdoor watering across north Georgia and limits outdoor watering to three days a week throughout the rest of the state are still in place.

Labels: drought, georgia, lake lanier, outdoor watering, water restriction

After three years, the drought is officially over in metro Atlanta, according to state climatologist David Stooksbury. Due to the heavy rainfalls across most of Georgia, drought levels in many parts of the state were reduced or eliminated by the end of March. The exceptions to this relaxation were the Lake Lanier and Lake Hartwell watersheds and southeastern Georgia, where rainfall in some locations was below normal for March.

Despite this recent announcement, outdoor watering restrictions will remain indefinitely since Lake Lanier is still recovering and is more than 9 feet below full. The lake is the water source for more than 3 million metro Atlantans. For the current watering restrictions in your area, click on the county link below.

Fulton County
Forsyth County
Dawson County
Cherokee County
Hall County

Labels: cherokee, dawson, drought, forsyth, fulton, georgia, hall, lake hartwell, lake lanier, lake levels, metro atlanta, water restriction

Despite all the rain we have had lately, it's not nearly enough to fill our lakes and reservoirs which were already extremely low due to the drought conditions we've been experiencing. Forsyth County residents still need to follow strict watering guidelines, however, a small reprieve has been given to us. The use of Drip Irrigation and Soaker Hoses is now allowed. Each household, business or other institution or property owner may use drip irrigation or soaker hoses to water existing landscaping for one hour per day during their designated three days per week within the hours of midnight to 10 a.m.

Odd-numbered addresses may water on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays within the hours of midnight to 10 a.m.

Even-numbered addresses may water on Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays within the hours of midnight to 10 a.m.

This exemption is for existing landscape plants ("plants" means trees, flowers, vines and shrubs) and does not include lawn grass or turf.

Drip irrigation means the use of an irrigation system manufactured and sold specifically for delivering water through small flexible pipes and emitters slowly and directly to the soil around the base of individual plants in a manner that minimizes evaporative losses, pooling, runoff and wetting plant foliage. This type of system may be a part of a larger automated irrigation system or may operate as a standalone system connected to a typical outdoor faucet.

Soaker hose means a hose that is connected to a typical outdoor faucet and that is manufactured and sold specifically for delivering water slowly and directly to the soil around the base of individual plants by allowing water to seep from it in a manner that minimizes evaporative losses, pooling, runoff and wetting of plant foliage.

To receive additional details regarding current outdoor water restrictions, visit www.forsythco.com or call the Forsyth County Water and Sewer Department at 770.781.2160.

Labels: drip irrigation, drought, even, forsyth county, odd, soaker hose, water restriction

The Georgia Environmental Protection Division (EPD) announced March 3, 2009, that restrictions on outdoor water use will remain in place across 55 north Georgia counties, including Forsyth. They also announced, however, an exemption for drip irrigation and soaker hoses to give citizens more water-efficient options to help maintain healthy landscapes during the drought. Each household, business or other institution or property owner may use drip irrigation or soaker hoses to water existing landscaping for one hour per day three days per week within the hours of midnight to 10 a.m.

Odd-numbered addresses may water on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays within the hours of midnight to 10 a.m.

Even-numbered addresses may water on Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays within the hours of midnight to 10 a.m.

This exemption is for existing landscape plants ("plants" means trees, flowers, vines and shrubs) and does not include lawn grass or turf.

Drip irrigation means the use of an irrigation system manufactured and sold specifically for delivering water through small flexible pipes and emitters slowly and directly to the soil around the base of individual plants in a manner that minimizes evaporative losses, pooling, runoff and wetting plant foliage. This type of system may be a part of a larger automated irrigation system or may operate as a standalone system connected to a typical outdoor faucet.

Soaker hose means a hose that is connected to a typical outdoor faucet and that is manufactured and sold specifically for delivering water slowly and directly to the soil around the base of individual plants by allowing water to seep from it in a manner that minimizes evaporative losses, pooling, runoff and wetting of plant foliage.

To receive additional details regarding current outdoor water restrictions, visit www.forsythco.com or call the Forsyth County Water and Sewer Department at 770.781.2160.

Labels: 2009, drip irrigation, forsyth county, soaker hose, water restriction