Do you want to have some say in how the Lake Lanier River Basin is managed? Now’s the time to step forward to learn more and join the Lanier Basin Advisory Council.
For more than two decades, the group has been working as part of the larger Metropolitan North Georgia Water Planning District, representing various groups in 95 cities in the 15-county Atlanta region. The group comprises six Basin Advisory Councils: Chattahoochee, Coosa/Etowah, Flint, Lanier, Ocmulgee and Oconee.
“The Lanier basin is the smallest in size, but because Lake Lanier is so important to the whole area’s water supply, it is especially crucial to the planning process for the whole district,” said Tom Vivelo, chair of the Lanier Basin Advisory Council. “We are looking for more people to join and provide input and feedback about how the Lanier Basin – and the rest of the Metro Water Planning District – are managed going forward.”
The Metropolitan North Georgia Water Planning District purposes include water conservation, protection of water sources and public education. The website includes updates about water statistics, news and updates in the ongoing Tri-State Water Litigation.
“Membership in the council is pretty straightforward,” he said. “We have one quarterly meeting that lasts about two hours, and we visit various water-related operations such as water-treatment plants and hydro-electric plants, plus we review plan proposals and make comments to improve them.
“Council members provide community input for district policies, which is vital to our processes and the future of our water resources,” he said. “Additionally our councils interface with the region’s five major river basins.”
Beyond the work of the individual basin advisory councils, the Metro Water District conducts essay and video contests for high school students, honors communities for excellence in water resource management, distributes and maintains tips and information about water-conservation initiatives for the public. They also provide information about water-use statistics, monthly rainfall figures, drought status in the region and basics to protect water resources.
The Metropolitan North Georgia Water Planning District (Metro Water District) has implemented one of the most comprehensive regional water management plans in the country. Staffed by the Atlanta Regional Commission, it is the only major metropolitan area in the country with more than 100 jurisdictions implementing a long-term comprehensive water management program that is required and enforced.
For more information about The Metro Water District, and to apply for membership, visit www.northgeorgiawater.org.
