In light of the drought, should we continue to supply water to the endangered mussels?

[ecstatic]

Metro Atlanta could run out of drinking water in as little as four months according to dire predictions from top water officials on Thursday.

...
Hunter and the mayor are also asking the Army Corps of Engineers to cut their daily water release from Lake Lanier in half. The Corps said that certain endangered water life needs the current amount released.
...
"We are saying that we believe, if you look back over the history of the lake and the river, that the fish will survive, but that we have reached a crisis for the humans," said Franklin.
...
For the past 16 years, the lake and the water taken out of it have been the subject of a lawsuit, and some are saying that with the condition of Lake Lanier, it is time to settle the lawsuit and issues like water taken from there to protect endangered mussels.

http://www.11alive.com/news/article_news.aspx?storyid=104561

[CottonBear]

1. Yes and extreme and mandatory conservation measures need to be implemented. n/t

[japple]

3. You are absolutely right. No more watering acres of

lawn and golf courses. Since April, I have been catching water from the kitchen and have been greatly surprised at how much I was wasting with just letting the water run while I washed a few dishes. Now, I catch it in a basin, empty that into a bucket, and when the bucket is full, I use it to water the flowers and shrubs. During a 24 hour period heavy water usage during the months when I was canning the stuff from my garden, I probably emptied my 5 gallon bucket 10 times. I'm on a well and am not bound by those restrictions imposed on municipal water depts., but I am committed to conserving the water.

In answer to the OP, I'm not sure. We're all in this together, and I would much rather see that water used for the mussels than to fill swimming pools or water (municipal) golf courses.

[bunkerbuster1]

2. We're all gonna be hurtin' soon.

I don't know the answer to the subject header's question. I am not one of those people who believes that the Endangered Species Act was only for loveable critters; we need to save 'em all.

On the other hand, our crisis has become national news, and I'm starting to worry about things getting real, real ugly around here.

[Iris]

4. Do you really believe it's all about mussels?

Other people besides North Georgia depend on these water sources. The mussels thing is a right wing talking point.


http://www.ajc.com/opinion/content/opinion/bookman/stories/2007/10/22/bookmaned_1022.html

[gavoter]

5. Perdue is an idiot

On TV tonight the governor tried to convince everyone that water at the bottom of the lake is "bad water". His whole argument is that the water is only used to "save" endangered species down stream. He won't take responsibility for the fact that the state does not have a plan for reduced water flow. Hmmm.... what would happen if the terrorist messed with Lake Lanier?

[Daveparts]

6. Maybe

the bad water is the semi raw sewage Gwinnett county got permission to dump in the lake.

[terisan]

7. I.d rather keep the Mussel industry and get rid of Perdue-He has had 5 years to

deal with global climate change and population growth and he just procrastinates and does nothing until crisis and then attacks other people and even, absurdly, mussels. He is like a giant child--body of a man, thought processes and emotional control of a 3 year old.

The rainfall we have had this year would be more than sufficient for a state that managed its water resources appropriately and planned. He has spent his time buying real estate, flying around in govt planes, telling lies about immigrant workers, and trying to make it difficult for citizens to vote.

[gavoter]

8. Deep Water is OK

The corp of engineers has verified that deep pool water is of the same quality as surface water. The governor has (once again) shown is inability to understand the issues and to then react in an intelligent manner.