Local

Lake Lanier’s Level Rises, but Officials Remain Cautious

March 26th, 2012

Lake Lanier is steadily rising in time for the busy spring and summer seasons. However, some state officials still want to take a cautious approach when it comes to releasing water from the lake.

Last November, Lake Lanier was about 12 feet below full pool. Pat Robbins, a spokesman for the Army Corps of Engineers, which controls the release of water from the lake, says that concerned state officials.

“The Georgia Department of Natural Resources submitted a request last November to reduce that flow in order to conserve as much storage as possible at Lake Lanier through the winter,” he says.

The lake has risen about seven feet since then, but it’s still about five feet below “full pool.” The DNR’s request will stay in effect through March. However, Robbins says, the agency has already asked to extend it through April.

“We are analyzing the data they provided in that request to make sure we agree –and other agencies agree with it—and then we’ll make a decision by the end of this week whether to grant that extension for 30 days,” he continues.

By that time, the lake is expected to rise another two feet.