...VERY LOW RESERVOIR LEVELS ACROSS CENTRAL ALABAMA...

THE CURRENT DROUGHT IN CENTRAL ALABAMA HAS PRODUCED MUCH BELOW NORMAL ELEVATIONS ON AREA LAKES AND RESERVOIRS. THE MOST SEVERELY IMPACTED MAJOR RESERVOIRS ARE THOSE LOCATED ON THE COOSA AND TALLAPOOSA RIVERS...WITH MANY AT OR BELOW NORMAL WINTER POOL LEVELS. HOWEVER...THESE LEVELS HAVE NOT YET REACHED RECORD LOW LEVELS SET IN PREVIOUS YEARS. LISTED BELOW ARE SOME OF THE MOST SEVERELY IMPACTED ALABAMA POWER COMPANY RESERVOIRS...THEIR RECORD LOW LEVELS AND DATES OF OCCURRENCE...AND TODAY`S STAGES.

LAKE/RIVER RECORD LOW LEVEL/DATE TODAY`S LEVEL

WEISS LAKE/COOSA RIVER 556.31 FT 1/01/1970 557.6 Ft

NEELY HENRY LAKE/COOSA RIVER 498.45 FT 2/13/1997 504.8 FT

LOGAN MARTIN LAKE/COOSA RIVER 458.27 FT 10/17/1972 459.8 FT

HARRIS LAKE/TALLAPOOSA RIVER 779.40 FT 11/07/2000 781.2 FT

MARTIN LAKE/TALLAPOOSA RIVER 452.12 FT 6/29/1941 477.2 FT

LEWIS SMITH LAKE/BLACK WARRIOR 488.84 FT 12/02/1971 492.2 FT

THESE VERY LOW LEVELS HAVE MADE MANY...IF NOT MOST...BOAT LANDINGS UNUSABLE ON THESE LAKES. MANY DOCKS ARE COMPLETELY OUT OF THE WATER. SOME COMMUNITIES NEAR THESE LAKES ARE ALSO BEING THREATENED WITH WATER SHORTAGES...AS LAKE STAGES DROP TO NEAR THE LEVELS OF WATER INTAKES USED TO PUMP WATER INTO THEIR SYSTEMS.

OTHER MAJOR RESERVOIRS ALONG THE TOMBIGBEE AND BLACK WARRIOR RIVERS HAVE ALSO BEEN IMPACTED BY THE DROUGHT...ALTHOUGH NOT AS SEVERELY AS THOSE ON THE COOSA AND TALLAPOOSA RIVERS

WITH A LA NINA CURRENTLY UNDERWAY...THE OUTLOOK HEADING INTO THE WINTER SEASON IS FOR WARMER AND DRIER THAN NORMAL CONDITIONS ACROSS CENTRAL ALABAMA. IF A DRIER THAN NORMAL WINTER DOES MATERIALIZE...IT IS UNLIKELY SIGNIFICANT IMPROVEMENT IN WATER SHORTAGES ON THESE RESERVOIRS WILL OCCUR ANYTIME SOON.