Lake Lanier Mussels No Longer Endangered - They're Dead

I don't normally get political on my blog but after driving around Lake Lanier on Saturday, I have to weigh in on the overwhelming lack of concern from the Florida environmentalists about the plight of the mussels that are being killed by lack of water in Lake Lanier. Nowhere do I find articles bewailing their plight. Senator Shelby from Alabama is now blocking attempts for the 3 states to reach a water sharing agreement and this may well continue to lead to more Lake Lanier mussels being left high, dry and dying.

While water continues to be released downstream for the sake of the Florida endangered mussels and the Gulf oysters, millions of dollars are being lost by local businesses on Lake Lanier. Boat ramps are closed which is costing the bait and tackle shops along the lake a lot of income. The 1996 Olympic venue is high and dry and may well not have the water level necessary for the spring training trips made by many of our northern colleges to this area.

The pictures below (it was a dreary day as all days are now that the water level is so low) shows the water level at the Clark's Bridge boat ramp and the Olympic scoring tower as well as some of the poor mussels that have been left high and dry.

My real questions is: Prior to the mid-50's and early 60's when Lake Lanier, West Point Lake, and others on the Chattahoochee and Flint Rivers were built, what did the Florida mussels do when there was a drought and what did the oysters do when the water flow was so low? Or, did we never have droughts in the southeast and the rivers always ran full? I grew up in Texas and remember droughts there but have to feel that the southeast was never without ample supplies of water based on the reaction from our southern neighbors.

For a bit of history about droughts and the river system feeding the Appalachicola, visit the websites below.

http://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/paleo/drought/drght_history.html

http://www.sam.usace.army.mil/op/rec/acf/history.htm

http://www.rivercenter.uga.edu/education/k12resources/basinsofga2.htm

And the moon continues to come up over Lake Lanier as viewed through the trees from my back deck. And, as surely as the moon rises, rain will come again and refill Lake Lanier. But, it will be too late for the mussels of Lake Lanier. Maybe we can import some from Florida to restock when we once again have a full pool.