Spain's Reign without any Rain

Spain is that black spot in the sun as it is struggling through one of its worst droughts. The country's reservoirs are only 30% full, while the reservoirs serving Barcelona are only 20% full. Without significant rainfall, supplies of drinking water will likely run dry by October. Barcelona's authorities have turned off civic fountains and beachside showers, banned outside garden hoses, and banned the filling of swimming pools.

Imagine Atlanta with a few more folks and you would have Barcelona. Barcelona has a population of 5.5 million. Water supply has become such an issue that the main water agency for the city has contracted 10 tankers for the next six months to ferry water from the French port of Marseilles and from the Spanish regions of Tarragona and Andalusia. The first tanker, the Sichem Defender, docked at Barcelona on May 13 carrying 5 million gallons of water. 

The tankers are expected to deliver some 92 million cubic feet of water each month, at a total cost of $68 million. This equates by my calculations to roughly 2 cents per gallon. This is still cheaper than bottled water. A total of 63 monthly deliveries of water by these are expected. 

The total amount of water is a drop in the bucket and by some estimates will only provide 6% of the monthly needs of the region's 5.5 million people. Shipping in water is a stopgap measure until a pipeline from the Ebro river is completed in October and a desalination plant, billed as the biggest in the European Union, is completed in 2009.

Massive Medicine Wheel Ceremony for Atlanta

As you read this post this morning, eight simultaneous ceremonies have already occurred around the Southeast. This Native American Medicine Wheel ceremony focused on bringing the water and rain back to Georgia.

Stones are set to define a sacred space for a Medicine Wheel ceremony. Within that space, people can direct thoughts, feelings and actions toward a unified idea. On top of Stone mountain, a stones throw from Atlanta, Georgia, Bennie "BlueThunder" LeBeau led a group of Native Americans at the center of a "wheel" of eight simultaneous ceremonies. 

I plotted these locations on a Google Map. Behold. A circle does appear. Altanta, prepare for the deluge.


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Sources: AJC Article
Medicine Wheel Article

The Start of Another Border War?

"NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF GEORGIA that the Governor of Georgia has the full support of the General Assembly and is hereby strongly urged to initiate negotiations with the Governors of Tennessee and North Carolina for the purpose of correcting the flawed 1818 survey erroneously marking the 35th parallel south of its actual location..."- From a Recently Passed Resolution from the State of Georgia

Watch out Tennessee and North Carolina! Georgia Gov. Sonny Perdue signed a resolution on Wednesday that urges him to negotiate with both states to move the boundary. Now, if these friendly discussions breakdown, the Attorney General of Georgia is authorized to take the appropriate legal action to correct Georgia's northern border at the 35th parallel.  This may be a strange coincidence, but by moving the boundary a mere mile Georgia could "tap" the Tennessee River.


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Related Post: Can Georgia Use the Tennessee River?
Source: Text of Bill

Still Conserving in the Southeast

"It has become almost standard to have a deck on your house, a two-car garage, and an in-ground irrigation system. We've got to do something about that. That is one of the things that we've learned out of this drought." - Dale Crisp, Raleigh's Public Utilities Director

Although water reservoirs for many communities in the southeast are filled again, water conservation measures are still being enforced. While Georgia announced last week with much fanfare that six counties could reduce their level of water restrictions, the fact remains that 55 counties remain with level 4 restrictions. These restrictions allow hand watering outside for 25 minutes per day on an odd and even schedule. In North Carolina, 50% percent of 628 water utilities tracked in North Carolina have either a voluntary or mandatory water restrictions in place. In Florida, the South Florida Water Management District is proposing a year-round landscape irrigation rule which would limit watering throughout the district to two days per week, determined by street address, and prohibit all watering during mid-day hours.

In North Carolina, utilities are also responding to the drought with changes to their water rates. For example, Durham City Council just passed a new tiered rate structure to discourage outdoor water uses. Residents will pay one of five rates, ranging from $1.72 to $3.87 per 100 cubic feet of water, depending on their water usage.

Interested in learning more? Next week the Georgia Water Wise Council is sponsoring "Can Water Efficiency Really Work for a Water System’s Bottom Line?" at the Georgia International Convention Center in Atlanta. Highlights:

• Hear a water efficiency success story and how to make water efficiency a financially sound investment.
  
• EPD Director Carol Couch, will discuss Water Management and Conservation in Georgia
  
• Bexar County Judge Nelson Wolff, Former Mayor of San Antonio, state Representative and Senator, author and active conservationist 
  
• Practical presentations by water professionals and their stakeholders from the San Antonio Water System (SAWS)
  
• The story of San Antonio’s water crisis & their multi-faceted water efficiency solution by Karen Guz, Director of Water Efficiency, SAWS
  
• The financial realities of water efficiency in San Antonio by Doug Evanson, Chief Financial Officer, SAWS
  
• Panel discussions regarding Financial realities of conserving water
  
• Building stakeholder support for conservation efforts
  
• The Big Picture - 10 steps to water conservation planning by Amy Vickers, Amy Vickers & Associates
  
• Designing Win-Win water rates by Tom Ash, HydroPoint Data Systems,Inc. 
  
• New technologies and programs for enhancing indoor and outdoor water efficiency 
  

Deja Vu Dam Failure in North Georgia

The National Weather Service in Peachtree City has issued a Flash Flood Warning for a dam failure in White County until 3:15 a.m. At 9 p.m., Wendy Lake Dam has developed a large hole that was growing larger each hour. Water levels along Jenny's Creek had already risen 1.5 feet and 0.5 feet along Town Creek. Water levels are expected to continue to rise as the hole in the dam grows larger. Areas downstream from Wendy Lake along Jenny's Creek and Town Creek should be prepared for flooding and take immediate action to protect life and property.

Based on the description I am guessing one of these may be the dam in question. Coincidentally, this is less 30 miles away from the Toccoa Falls Dam failure that I wrote about last fall.

Update: The leakage was reduced on Wednesday. 

Other Recent Dam Related Posts:

• The Hidden World of Dam Safety and EAPs
  
• 10,000 Missing Dams in Alabama
  
• Unseen Danger - Part 1 Toccoa Falls Dam Failure