1071 Coalition Presentation from their first meeting in December 2008.

1. Membership Drive Kick-off
December 9, 2008
Join Us

2. Whiskey is for drinking …
water is for fighting
-- Mark Twain
Will You Fight for Our Water?

3. Sam Olens
Chairman, Atlanta Regional Commission
Chairman, Cobb County Board of Commissioners

4. 3 million people and thousands of businesses

depend on Lake Lanier for water supply. Many more
depend on the lake for recreation and their
livelihoods.
In December of 2007, Lake Lanier fell to a historic

low of 1050.79 msl.
Currently at 1051 and the level may hit a record low

by the end of the year.
THE EFFECT

5. Lanier Remains at Critically Low Level

7. Impacts to Metro North Georgia
Landscapers
Recreation and safety
Water systems lost revenue
Water Supply and Water Quality Concerns

8. What is the cause?

THE CAUSE – NOT ATLANTA’S GROWTH

10. Management Operations Lowered Lanier
May to November 2007
◦ 100% of natural unimpaired inflow above W.F. George
plus 75% of water from Corps reservoir storage went
downstream
◦ Releases to Apalachicola were almost 220% of natural
unimpaired flow of river
◦ From October to November 2007, releases were 7 times
greater than inflow. Lanier fell 7 feet in two months. The
water released could have supplied Metro Atlanta’s needs
for over a year.
THE CAUSE

11. •Corps Water Control Plan Update
•Stakeholder process with neutral broker
•National Research Council study
•1071 Coalition
Opportunities for Change

12. FORM AN ADVOCACY GROUP
SO HOW DO WE REVERSE THESE PRACTICES?

13. Grier Todd
President, 1071 Coalition Inc.
COO, Lake Lanier Islands Resort

14. Formed in November 2008

Application made to IRS for 501 c3 status, making

contributions tax deductible.
15 Member Board

Meets monthly: open to the public.

Contributions support programs and studies.

Low overhead: No office. One administrative staff.

Expected life – About four years.

ABOUT 1071 COALITION

15. Mission Statement – 1071 Coalition Inc.
A non-profit organization comprised of citizens, civic groups,
businesses and other entities dedicated to maintaining water levels
in Lake Sidney Lanier that sustain water supply, recreation, and
economic prosperity through the advocacy of appropriate, science-
based water releases necessary for the ACF River Basin.
MISSION STATEMENT

16. Long term:

Influence the Water Control Plan
Short term:

◦ Facilitate and support state efforts to reduce flows from
Buford Dam
◦ Urge study of government assumptions and other crucial
issues that impact water releases
◦ Bolster Georgia’s position in the public relations wars
WHY IS IT NECESSARY TO HAVE A COMMUNITY
ADVOCACY GROUP?

17. The 1071 Coalition is not a replacement to Lake Lanier Association.

The Lake Lanier Association has been fighting to preserve Lake

Lanier since 1966 through a variety of missions and programs -
everything from beautification to water quality.
LLA will continue its programs for decades. The 1071 Coalition is

here for a finite period of three to four years for one purpose – to
maintain healthy water levels in Lanier through government
advocacy and representation in the water control plan.
The Lake Lanier Association has been the sole advocate for Lake

Lanier long enough. Winning this battle will take both of our
sustained efforts. By working cooperatively with the Association,
we have a better chance of achieving our mutual goals.
HOW WILL 1071 COMPLEMENT LLA’S MISSION?

18. Recent practices will carry over into the water control plan if
•
we do not influence the drafting of the plan.
• The Corps has effectively abandoned a storage management
goal in place for 50 years that encourages a full reservoir by
June 1 of each year.
• The water control plan needs to maximize the ability of the
Lake to refill to provide a cushion in times of drought, which
have become much more frequent and severe in recent
years.
• The current RIOP could form the basis of the water control
plan.
INFLUENCE THE WATER CONTROL PLAN

19. It is appropriate to use Lanier to balance other lakes, but not
•
to bring them to their conservation pool “early” as their
levels rise between February and June
• Reservoirs should refill in the spring of each year when flows
are naturally high. The IOP discourages storage during this
period.
• We need a new management plan that protects all
stakeholders in the basin including the 3.5 million people who
rely on Lake Lanier for water supply.
• We also need an objective analysis of the issues so that we
can explore other solutions to issues that cannot be solved
through reservoir operations.
INFLUENCE THE WATER CONTROL PLAN

20. Georgia needs a community advocacy organization

to counter the public relations from Florida.
Downstream communities are actively seeking to

keep basin lakes full at the expense of Lanier and
have started similar groups.
The economic impact of Lanier needs to be known

and the data needs to be used to bolster our
position. Florida often cites impacts to the fishing
industry.
PUBLIC RELATIONS SUPPORT

21. Commission an economic impact study by Dr. Bruce
Seaman of Georgia State. Estimated cost - $200k.
Criteria to be included:
◦ Recreation/tourism & hospitality
◦ Retail & service sector
◦ Regional water supply value
◦ Property values
◦ Impact of low levels on all of the above
◦ Construction
◦ Urban Agriculture Industry (landscaping)
TECHNICAL STUDY – Economic Impact of Lanier

22. Questions to be addressed:
◦ Can any of the endangered species be “de-listed” ?
 The USFS itself documented an estimated 233,000 fat three ridge
mussels in its Biological Opinion.
◦ How much flow is really needed for the endangered species?
 The USFS noted that the sturgeon spawned in 2005 and 2006 by
using higher portions of rock in higher flows, and lower portions
of rock in lower flows. What do they really need?
 Mussels evolved and thrived through droughts and fluctuations
in water flow for centuries, long before dams. Artificially high
flows condition the mussels away from deeper portions of the
river, which may be more harmful when flows fall.
◦ If the species are being impacted, how much of impact is caused by
scouring at Woodruff Dam?
◦ How much of the impact is caused by invader species, such as the
Flathead Catfish?
TECHNICAL STUDY – Endangered Species

23. Questions to be addressed:

◦ Does Woodruff Dam truly need 5,000 cfs to maintain its
integrity?
◦ What alternatives or modifications can be considered?
TECHNICAL STUDY – Headworks at Woodruff Dam

24. Other Issues to be analyzed:

◦ Sikes Cut has increased the salinity of Apalachicola Bay
and has harmed the fishing industry.
TECHNICAL STUDY – Water Management in Florida

25. Other Issues to be analyzed:

◦ River Channel Degradation – Dredging and scour have
lowered the channel of the Apalachicola River, which
reduces spawning habitat. Floodplains, used for
spawning, dry out if they become disconnected by
scouring of the channel bottom.
◦ Chipola Cutoff – this manmade cutoff is diverting a large
part of the flow of the Apalachicola River, which has led
to mussel die-off.
TECHNICAL STUDY – Water Management in Florida

26. Other Issues to be analyzed:

◦ Encourage all users to match metro-Atlanta conservation
results.
◦ Support the National Academy of Sciences Study of the ACF
to develop data for informed decisions regarding water
allocations and minimum flows.
 There have been enormous changes in water demands since
development of the original water control plan.
TECHNICAL STUDY – ACF in General

27. Three Year Total Budget
$700k
Economic Impact Study: $200k
Public Relations and Administrative: $225k
Government Relations Support - $60k
Technical Experts: $175k
Legal Support: $40k
BUDGET

28. Join Us
Membership