July 20, 2007

Governor Riley Applauds US Army Corps of Engineers Decision to Increase Water Releases from Allatoona Lake

MONTGOMERY-Governor Bob Riley today expressed his appreciation for the US Army Corps of Engineers decision to increase water releases from Lake Allatoona in Georgia and to reduce the minimum flow requirements for Alabama Power Projects.

"The decision by the Corps represents an important step in the direction of equitable management of the water in the federal reservoirs in the

midst of this unprecedented drought," said Governor Riley. "Alabama understands that everyone will feel the pain of this drought, but these

actions by the Corps will help to ensure that our state will not bear more than its fair share of the pain."

The Mobile District of the US Army Corps of Engineers announced earlier today that it would increase the water releases from the lake at the

headwaters of the Alabama-Coosa-Tallapoosa (ACT) river system by approximately 200 cubic feet per second and grant a 10 percent reduction

in the required minimum flow from Alabama Power projects above Montgomery.

The increase will prove a combined release from Lake Allatoona and Carters Lake, also in northwest Georgia, of 1,080 cubic feet per second

into the Coosa River system. This will provide much needed relief to Alabama Power reservoirs in both the Coosa River and the Tallapoosa

River.

On Monday, Governor Riley wrote a letter to Secretary of the Army Pete Geren, asking him to instruct the Corps to release more water into

Alabama, due to the current extreme drought conditions Alabama is experiencing.