Water Task Force Looks to Reservoirs
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Page 11 LaGrange Daily News THURSDAY 50 cents November 17, 2011 lagrangenews.com The Water weather ‘We’re a lake community without a lake’ tomorrow task force High 54 Low 34 looks to Sunny reservoirs Today’s artist: Miller ATLANTA (AP) – Members of a Pickett, first grade, statewide task force said Wednes- Franklin Forest day they want to offer low-interest Elementary School state loans to build new reservoirs and wells in hopes of increasing Georgia’s water supply, which has Local been threatened by long-running disputes with neighboring Alabama Troup County and Florida. educators visited The recommendations from Gov. the Ron Clark Nathan Deal’s task force were Academy, where made public for the first time as the state fights to maintain access to they learned the reservoirs in its borders. Alabama unconventional and Florida maintain Georgia uses teaching strate- too much water from Lake Lanier gies of the and Lake Allatoona, leaving too lit- national award- tle for communities and wildlife winning teacher. PAGE 9 downstream. The state’s task force wants to spend $300 million that Deal has State promised to expand water supply Jennifer Shrader / Daily News by building multimillion-dollar reservoirs, reopening inactive wells The shoreline at West Point Lake continues to recede as the water level drops. or drilling new wells. The state should offer loans to cities and towns for such projects, the task Extreme drought continues force said. way,” she said. “She is stuck here stream. A mandatory 5,000 cubic “We view this program as a com- Lake nears ’07 level because her house isn’t selling.” feet per second of water is sent pliment to the conservation efforts that are already in place,” task For a class proj- By Jennifer Shrader Another man frequently shows to Florida for those species, even force chairman Kevin Clark said. ect, Valdosta Staff writer pictures of his $50,000 bass boat amid the drought. State University The plan is available for public West Point Lake may not be in the mud. Not only do officials here students have “He’s invested a lot of money question the science behind the comment until Dec. 7. getting the attention it was from But critics of the state’s plan say worn these stars politicians in 2007 during the last in the lake and is paying taxes need for that water, they also this semester to on a boat he can’t use,” she said. wonder whether the Fish and existing water systems should be drought of record, but it’s the made more efficient first before the better under- talk of the town, especially at the Dick Timmerberg, executive Wildlife Service has looked at director of the West Point Lake state puts money into building new stand the Holo- Chamber of Commerce. alternatives that would allow the Coalition, said he can’t go any- species – and the lake – to be reservoirs. The task force’s plan caust. “We have had people coming PAGE 4 where without someone bring- saved. does not call for any money to be in to complain,” said Laura Jen- ing up the lake. Endangered sturgeon and spent on conservation efforts. nings, tourism director for the “I would say the mood of the mussels could be moved to a “That’s a grave mistake because State LaGrange-Troup County Cham- community is much worse than hatchery or an unregulated river. that’s where we can get the most ber of Commerce. “It’s been bang for our dollar,” said Joe Cook, A federal judge it was in 2007,” he said. “It’s Weir dams that are smaller and quite the topic of conversation.” ‘Here we go again.’” don’t affect navigation also could executive director and riverkeeper on Wednesday On Wednesday, West Point at the Coosa River Basin Initiative. denied bond to There are two primary agen- be built as habitats. Lake was 622.53 feet above cies to blame for this year’s lack “They’re not looking at the A federal court ruling put Geor- the four Georgia mean sea level. In 2007, the level of water, he said. The Army economic harm this is causing gia in danger of having access to militia men dipped to 621 feet. Conservation Corps of Engineers manages the upstream,” Timmerberg said. Lanier severely restricted, but a accused of plot- pool is 620 feet. lake. “We’re talking about people WATER ting terror Jennings said Southern Har- “The corps could have stored going bankrupt and losing their SEE , PAGE 2 attacks against bor, one of two marinas on the more water in the spring and businesses.” government lake, lost a $1 million FLW bass chose not to,” Timmerberg said. He still is optimistic that infor- employees, sid- fishing tournament, and the “We could have had a satisfacto- mation local lake advocates have Schools miss ing with prosecu- restaurant on the marina, which ry lake level until mid- to late furnished the corps will make it tors who feared sees many customers come via September. We lost the lake at into the updated water control socioeconomic, the men might boat, has lost business. mid-August. The bottom still plan for the Apalachicola-Chat- lash out against “We’re a lake community with- would have fallen out, but we tahoochee-Flint basin, which diversity goals federal officials out a lake,” she said. would have had a positive eco- includes West Point Lake. A draft because they A LaGrange woman who nomic impact over Labor Day, of that plan is due out next sum- By Matt Chambers have nothing to needs to relocate has been the last holiday weekend of the mer. Staff writer lose. unable to sell her lakefront summer.” Seven Troup County elementary PAGE 4 house because of the low lake, The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Jennifer Shrader may be schools are failing to meet either Jennings said, even after reduc- Service also holds some of the reached at jshrader@ their socioeconomic or diversity ing the price several times. blame for demanding water for lagrangenews.com or at (706) goals set by the school board. Opinion “It’s hurting her resale in a big endangered species down- 884-7311, Ext 236. Shanitra Ransom, coordinator for the Office of Student Assign- ment, told the board this week that Columnist Linda seven schools are meeting the Buchanan looks Storm hits West Georgia, damages school goals, up from six last year. at doing the right In 2004 the board set a goal for From wire and staff reports thing the first the percentage of students eligible time, every time. At least six people were killed PAGE 6 for free and reduced-price lunches and dozens more injured as a at each elementary school to vary storm system that spawned sever- by no more than 15 percentage al possible tornadoes moved points from school zone averages. INDEX across the Southeast. The percentage of those eligible is Calendar ...........3 Schools in Harris County were how the board bases socioeco- Classifieds .13-14 closed today and Friday after the nomic status. Comics ..............7 storm damaged schools and vehi- Schools also should vary no Community ..... 3 cles in parking lots as it passed more than 15 percentage points Crossword .......7 through, but no students were from zone minority averages. International .... 5 injured. “The board set the goal to make Local ...... 2, 8-10 The football concession stand sure schools are not so far apart” National ....... 5, 8 and baseball complex at Harris in terms of minority or socioeco- Obituaries ....... 2 County High School were heavily nomic status, Ransom said. Opinion ............ 6 damaged as a suspected tornado An advisory task force is in place Sports ...... 11-12 swept through the area about 2 to help develop a plan to meet State .............2, 4 p.m. Wednesday. Roofing on the future socioeconomic and diversity TV Listings ....... 9 gym and auditorium was torn off, goals. The annual November and windows of cars at the school review of the goals is an effort by For home were blown out. the board to monitor diversity in delivery, call Harris County Sheriff Mike Jol- schools, said public relations direc- ley said two people who lived in a (706) tor Tina Duckett. trailer near the sheriff’s office were Larry Hanners stepped out of the Dollar General store in Hamilton 882-5624 and snapped this photo of a funnel cloud Wednesday afternoon. “In order to fulfill the mission, the injured and taken to Columbus Troup County Board of Education Regional Medical Center. The storm damaged schools but no students were injured. Printed on 100% supports research that shows stu- recycled paper “We don’t think it is serious,” Jol- moved across north Georgia, a north of the Fulton-Forsyth coun- dents from all backgrounds per- ley said. motorist was killed when a tree ty line of McGinnis Ferry Road. form better in diverse schools.,” she Vol 168 Issue 275 The storm also damaged the crushed his SUV north of Atlanta. He was among at least six peo- 14 Pages said. “Schools that foster a diversi- sheriff’s office and county 911 cen- Kevin Neenan, 51, of Suwanee ple who were killed and dozens fied setting typically have higher ter. was northbound on Brookwood more injured as a storm system graduation rates, more college Troup County officials reported Road in a GMC Yukon when a that spawned several possible tor- acceptances and fewer students in no damage from the powerful large pine tree fell onto the vehi- nadoes moved across the South- the criminal justice system.” storms cle’s roof.