The Corps of Engineers is being very cautious with the lakes it controls in Georgia, including Lake Allatoona.

E. Patrick Robbins, chief of public affairs for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Mobile District explained last week that they were refilling Lake Allatoona early this year:

“Conditions have improved over the last two drought years but they are still not back to normal. With the uncertainty in the long term forecast, we believe it is prudent to try and refill Lake Allatoona earlier than normal.”

“The long term benefit of taking this action is to attempt to increase storage in Lake Allatoona for meeting the multiple downstream water resource demands during the summer and fall,”

What that means is that Allatoona has already reached full pool rather than around June 1st, which is the normal date for the lake to be full. The lake fills during the winter and spring before falling back again during summer and fall.

“This action is a prudent step by the Corps and APC to store as much water as possible during the spring refill period to be able to meet basin needs if the drought conditions persist,” Robbins said.