The Commerce area got 47.64 inches of rain during 2008. That’s six inches more than the Atlanta area got, but still almost six inches less than “normal” for Commerce, according to countrystudies.us, which tracks precipitation.
According to Georgia state climatologist David Stooksbury, Atlanta has received below-average rainfall for eight of the last 11 years, while rainfall at the Athens Airport was under the norm for nine of the previous 11 years (prior to 2008).
The rainfall of 2008 — boosted considerably by five inches in December — all but replenished the Bear Creek Reservoir upon which much of Jackson County (and Clarke, Barrow and Oconee counties) depends for water. But so far, the flows of area streams and rivers have yet to return to “normal” levels, suggesting that the drought still lingers. That could bode ill for the area if 2009 precipitation follows the drought pattern of the past three years.
The persistent drought has forced local water providers to recalibrate their own needs. Jackson County is pursuing the creation of another reservoir (partly because it believes that the yield at Bear Creek is less than half what is stated), Jefferson is dredging its reservoir and Commerce has petitioned the Environmental Protection Division for permission to raise the level of its reservoir in Banks County by up to two feet.
In addition, the Jackson County Water and Sewerage Authority has connected to the Gainesville water system so it can tap into Lake Lanier should its other sources prove insufficient.
But Lanier remains a problem. While it has gained ground during December, the lake was still about 17 feet low (prior to this week's rains), while Lake Allatoona was 15 feet below full pool and Hartwell remained 18 feet below full pool. Commerce’s reservoir is above full. pool.
Stooksbury was quoted in
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution as suggesting that it may be time to recalculate what constitutes “average” in terms of precipitation. Rainfall, said Stooksbury, has been lower throughout the Southeast since 1979 than during the three previous decades.
While rainfall totals may vary, the driest months of 2008 locally were November, during which Commerce got 2.25 inches in six rain events (1.5 of which came on Nov. 23); and June, during which 2.85 inches fell — all on one day.
The wettest months were February, with 6.05 inches, August with 5.4, and December with 5.12 inches. If December seemed particularly wet, it’s because rain fell on 14 different occasions, nine of which produced less than two-tenths of an inch. Most of the rain fell Dec. 11-12 — a total of 3.37 inches.
For the entire year, there were 83 days during which measurable amounts of rain fell in Commerce. Through Wednesday, rain had fallen in five of seven days of 2009, a total of 3.06 inches.
Local data used above was taken from the author’s Community Collaborative Rain, Hail & Snow Network (CoCoRaHS) reporting station located on Woodland Trail. Measurements are taken at 7:30 a.m. daily. Daily precipitation reports from throughout the country can be found at cocorahs.org.
