Middle Chattahoochee Middle Chattahoochee

2. The Middle ChattahoocheeWater Planning RegionThe RIOP defined four action zones for Buford, West Point, and Walter F. Georgethat were intended to balance the storage with the other two federal reservoirs in thesystem (Lakes Lanier and Seminole). The Middle Chattahoochee Water PlanningCouncil has identified that the action zone values as developed contradict andcompromise authorized purposes, specifically, recreational use at West Point Lake.Also according to the RIOP, the Corps of Engineers must provide a minimum releasefrom the Woodruff Lock and Dam at Lake Seminole of 5,000 cubic feet per second(cfs) to address protection of endangered and threatened species and critical habitatin the Apalachicola River. This flow target can be reduced to 4,500 cfs when thestorage left in the three major storage reservoirs on the Chattahoochee fall below thetotal composite storage of Action Zone 4. The 5,000 cfs minimum release is notagreed upon between the three states, yet greatly controls the surface water andwater quality assessment performed as part of the regional water planning effort.The interim operating protocol of the RIOP is scheduled to be revised or replaced inJune 2012 by an updated Master Water Control Manual.As a matter of record for the Middle Chattahoochee Council’s efforts in writing theRegional Water Plan, it should be made clear that the Master Water Control Manualupdate had not been issued at the time of the plan preparation in May 2011. A draftmanual and revised IOP are scheduled to be published for public comment in July2011, after the Council is scheduled to deliver a recommended Regional Water Planto EPD. Further details regarding the status of the U.S. Army Corps of EngineersWater Control Manual update are provided in the U.S. Army Corps of EngineersWater Control Manual Status supplemental document available on the MiddleChattahoochee website. 16It should also be noted that the Middle Chattahoochee Water Council has made clearthat the 1989 Water Control Plan and the current RIOP are both inadequate. In fact,the Council has stated that these operational practices contribute to many of the riverand lake problems that cause social, economic, biological and supply and qualitygaps along the Chattahoochee. It is the Council’s expectation that the revised MasterControl Manual and new IOP will put forth significant operational changescontemplated to address the gaps.05.02.201116 http://www.middlechattahoochee.org/pages/our_plan/index.phpGeorgia State-wide Water Management PlanMIDDLE CHATTAHOOCHEE2-9