If you look at the release rates and elevations for Hartwell and Thurmond you will see the Corps is following their posted drought plan exactly. If they had no engineering skills one would say they are doing a good job of following procedure. But these guys have demonstrated time and time again that they have great engineering skill by maintaining lake levels to within 6" of the target elevation. For literally months back when the fish were spawning they never deviated more than 6" from target even with all kinds of variations in rainfall and weather conditions.
My point. The Corps knows that following this procedure leads to drastic drops in lake levels. It has put the whole system at peril and led to emergency measures 3 times in the last decade. Knowing this, Save Our Lakes Now has to conclude the corps is failing in their mission and not doing a good job. In view of their engineering skills and in view of their responsibilities they have failed to manage our lakes properly.
Pray for lots of rain this winter. We certainly cannot depend on the Corps to protect us from another recreational disaster. Literally hundreds of millions of dollars related to our recreational infrastructure will be lost again if we enter next spring in drought conditions. It is a shame none of that money comes out of the pockets of the Corps of Engineers. If it did I think it is safe to say they would make drastic changes to the way they are managing our lakes.
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