The past week brought with it an improvement in drought conditions in parts of Georgia, including our area. The amount of the state that is drought-free now totals 8.5 percent compared to three percent a week ago.
In the immediate Gainesville area, all of Dawson, Lumpkin, White and Habersham counties are officially clear of drought conditions. But all of Barrow and Jackson and parts of Hall, Forsyth, and Banks counties are showing signs of the drought.
The intensity of the drought worsened in south and west Georgia and parts of the southeast corner.
And there was little change in the level of Lake Lanier the past week. It was at 1066.0 Thursday.