The Lake Lanier Association (LLA) has distributed a white paper (link to it below) examining the potential impacts on Lake Lanier of the Corps of Engineers’ project to restore commercial navigation on the lower reaches of the Apalachicola-Chattahoochee-Flint (ACF) river system.
The LLA notified the full congressional delegation representing the Lake Lanier area, as well as contacted the Corps and relevant Georgia state elected representatives and ACF stakeholders to raise awareness of the project’s potential implications for homeowners and those who depend on Lake Lanier for recreation and water supply. The association is seeking assistance in ensuring a rigorous economic analysis of the project’s potential impacts on Lake Lanier be performed by the Corps before completing the project’s Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) and before implementing any operational changes associated with the navigation and dredging project.
“We believe there is insufficient basin inflow in the river system to sustain reliable commercial navigation without significantly impacting Lake Lanier’s authorized purposes, especially recreation and water supply,” said Todd Baxter, President of the Lake Lanier Association. Lake Lanier serves as the water supply source for about 4.9 million people in metro Atlanta and North Georgia.
The lake additionally supports a recreational economy that has a billion-dollar annual impact on the region. The LLA’s white paper outlines concerns regarding the potential effects of increased water releases needed to support navigation. For additional information, visit lakelanier.org/acf-navigation-project/