No Relief for Lake Level

Unfortunately, no relief is in sight for Clarks Hill/Thurmond Lake this year.

According to The Augusta Chronicle, the start of 2012 has been exceptionally dry and the rest of the year is not expected to get any better. The average pool for April was already 5.6 feet lower than pools last year. The trend is looking to continue unless we get significant amounts of rainfall, which are not predicted within the next few months. We need a “long, gradual soaking rain that helps put moisture back into the soil,” said Georgia State Climatologist Bill Murphey.

Murphey attributes the dry temperatures to La Niña – the culprit behind our dry, warm winter and early spring. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is aware of the dry pattern and is working on modifying the Drought Management Plan in order to prevent severe drought issues later in the summer. A recent version of the plan will reduce the flows from the lake into the Savannah River, hopefully preventing a drastic decrease in lake levels.

Our only hope lies in tropical weather systems this hurricane season. Here’s hoping for a hurricane or two.

 

– Kelly Ann Blanchard