December 8, 2016 Even though heavy rains have fallen over the last week, Butts County, and much of north central Georgia, is still in an “exceptional drought” according to the National Drought Mitigation Center.
See this link for a detailed map and data: http://droughtmonitor.unl.edu/Home/StateDroughtMonitor.aspx?GA
Citizens are reminded that Butts County still falls under a Level 2 Drought as declared by the Georgia Department of Natural Resources. This designation limits outdoor watering to two days a week on an odd-even schedule. Even-numbered addresses may water Wednesdays and Saturdays (4 p.m. to 10 a.m.). Odd-numbered addresses may water Thursdays and Sundays (4 p.m. to 10 a.m.). No water is allowed to be used for outdoor fountains, car washes or power washing of homes.
The rain did result in a significant increase of flow in the Ocmulgee River, our main source of supply. Flow of the river near our intake has averaged nearly 500 million gallons per day this week, compared to roughly 150 million gallons per day prior to recent rains. We are very fortunate to have this great river as a resource. Our withdrawal from the river is less than 3 million gallons per day.
Despite the abundant local supply of water, it is not expected that the State of Georgia will lift mandated watering restrictions until climatic data shows a an improvement in drought conditions. We will keep an eye on this and keep you informed.