[goku]

atlanta is running short on water, which is the best way to conserve water?

[Moontanman]

Originally Posted by goku

atlanta is running short on water, which is the best way to conserve water?

I'm not sure what the best way would be but there is lots of good ways to conserve water. Stop watering lawns is a great idea, taking shorter showers, stop washing cars, and fixing leaky plumbing are all good ways to slow down the loss of water. If you want to do it Scientifically then you would have to estimate how much water is being lost and attack the biggest causes first. Leaky plumbing can waste a lot more water than people think, watering lawns and golf courses will save huge amounts of water. It all depends on how serious you are about saving water and who is willing to bite the bullet.

[goku]

i gues that beggs the question, how important is water to you?

[Moontanman]

Originally Posted by goku

i gues that beggs the question, how important is water to you?

You've hit the nail directly on the head, to me water is far to valuable to waste on golf courses, lawns, car washing and leaky plumbing. I would put being able to drink clean water as my most important priority. Everything else is subject to review!

[Grains]

As a fellow Georgian I think that we have to re-evaluate or landscaping. Neighborhoods and commercial associations today use a lot of vegetation that requires a lot of water and I don't think we have ever had to face this before so I think we need to re-evaluate that and what we are planting. Secondly...I think Florida and Alabama need to work with us...they are still taking water from us and don't even have water restriction days on when they can water their lawn/plants/etc. They can do it whenever and I think they should have to help out and should have restrictive days/times as well.

[goku]

Originally Posted by Moontanman

You've hit the nail directly on the head, to me water is far to valuable to waste on golf courses, lawns, car washing and leaky plumbing. I would put being able to drink clean water as my most important priority. Everything else is subject to review!

amen brother! we're fighting tennesse for water, fighting florida for water.....

there shouldn't be one single lawn being watered with city water from north georgia to miami

[DougF]

Well I votes Stop watering lawns, as I have not watered my lawn in the last five years I can tell you it does turn brown in the summer, (brown, hell it turns into a desert) I do have some plants that I will water once a week but not many.

Grains
Secondly...I think Florida and Alabama need to work with us...they are still taking water from us and don't even have water restriction days on when they can water their lawn/plants/etc. They can do it whenever and I think they should have to help out and should have restrictive days/times as well.

Part of the problem is not everyone is informed as to what is happening in someone else's yard/state, I have lived in Florida for the last 25 years, and in the last 10 years there have been water restriction days imposed on most of us during the summer months if not longer, now the last 2 years I've been under water restriction days all year long, they review and reissue the plan every 4 months or so, but most of the city's have there own codes that are in place all year long.

Extended water restrictions limit lawn watering to once per week.
extending the modified Phase II (Severe Water Shortage) restrictions through September 30, 2008.

Water Restrictions

And you might find this a good read.

The Drought of 1998-2002: Impacts on Florida’s Hydrology and Landscape
During the 1998-2002 drought, ground-water levels at many wells across the State declined to elevations not seen in many years. At some wells, ground-water levels reached record lows for their period of record.

CIRC1295 - The Drought of 1998-2002: Impacts on Florida’s Hydrology and Landscape

As a side note: there were five wells that went dry in my community this year, and it relay pisses me off to see "golf courses, lawns, car washing" when my neighbors wells are running dry.

[freeztar]

Florida's side of the debate is basically about the Appalachicola Bay area. They have several concerns.

In court papers, Florida's principal leverage in forcing a larger flow has been the fact that three federally protected species -- two types of mussel and the Gulf sturgeon -- are believed to need fresh water to maintain their habitat.

The demands of the little-known species has led Georgia officials to characterize the debate as a contest of "man versus mussel" -- suggesting that Georgians should get the water before mussels do.

But biologists said the demand for water in Apalachicola Bay is far broader than that.

The region's prized oyster harvest depends upon the freshwater infusion. Too much salinity allows oyster predators to attack. Moreover, the drought along the Apalachicola River has hurt the tupelo trees, from which the region's tupelo honey is named.

"This is not just people versus mussels," said Ted Hoehn, a state biologist who has worked around the bay for 20 years. "It's much bigger than that."

"Blaming the mussel is like blaming the canary in the coal mine for dying," said Andrew Smith, executive director of the Apalachicola Riverkeeper, an advocacy group.

3 States Compete for Water From Shrinking Lake Lanier

As an ecologist that is familiar with those species and their habitats, I would say that even if the Chattahoochee River went completely dry, the mussels and sturgeon would still survive through tributaries and other rivers in the area.

What it's really about is money. Florida's economy will hurt if there is not enough water coming downstream. Likewise, Alabama will not be able to sufficiently cool it's nuclear plant on the river without sufficient water levels. In Georgia, it's a matter of drinking water, but it's also a money issue because Lake Lanier brings in millions per year through recreation. Ironically, Lake Lanier was never supposed to serve as drinking water for Atlanta. As Atlanta's growth has continued at an unchecked, and alarming rate, the unintended well is running dry.

It's a very complicated issue and I believe that all states (and the Corps of Engineers) would do best to refrain from finger pointing and useless rhetoric and instead increase communications and try to reach a unilateral solution. The solution should, of course, incorporate water conservation strategies.

[DougF]

freeztar
Florida's side of the debate is basically about the Apalachicola Bay area. They have several concerns.
<-->
Florida's economy will hurt if there is not enough water coming downstream. Likewise, Alabama will not be able to sufficiently cool it's nuclear plant on the river without sufficient water levels. In Georgia, it's a matter of drinking water,

The fact is the Water supply is short, (we waist too much of it) this is a world problem not just Florida/Georgia there are Severe Water Shortages all over the World like China, Australia, Mexico even Russia is being hit with this problem.

freeztar
It's a very complicated issue and I believe that all states (and the Corps of Engineers) would do best to refrain from finger pointing and useless rhetoric and instead increase communications and try to reach a unilateral solution. The solution should, of course, incorporate water conservation strategies.

I couldn't agree with you more, we all need to get on the same page as it were, or our whole world is going to go to Hell in a hand basket.

I know we all are changing the way we use and misuse our current water supply but so much more needs to be done,
We need too stop fighting about it set down and git it done.

freeztar
As an ecologist that is familiar with those species and their habitats, I would say that even if the Chattahoochee River went completely dry, the mussels and sturgeon would still survive through tributaries and other rivers in the area.

I agree with this to but I think money is the biggest issue.

[goku]

Originally Posted by freeztar

Florida's side of the debate is basically about the Appalachicola Bay area.

it's funny that you mentioned AB, i just went to st. george island on vaction.
they where watering the grass like crazy down there.