The Douglas County Sentinel (requires registration) is reporting Sunday that 7,170 acres of Paulding County forest is buying purchased for conservancy under the Georgia Land Conservation Program. Paulding County residents approved a taxation upon themselves to raise $15 million to purchase a share of the county’s Paulding Forest Wildlife Management Area. Broken down, the Department of Natural Resources purchased 4,350 acres, Paulding took 2,500 acres, and the Land Conservancy almost 320 acres.

Rodgers Creek does not hold a significance of providing water for consumption, never close to a reservoir. Instead it is a natural creek located in south Douglas County that weaves south from Post Road down to Highway 5, linking up with Hurricane Creek. The setting is natural and serene, prominent with white tail deer and red tail hawks.

But the north Georgia drought has affected this creek as well. Easy access to Rodgers Creek comes via the Whitestone subdivision, located off of Highway 5, where walking trails have been cut along the creek with several bridge crossings.

Instead of sandy beds there are coaxing pebbles that have dried out. Soil near the banks has weakened to a point where small trees have toppled over in several places. At the main roadway of the subdivision the creek would usually flow into a concrete culvert of three. However today it flows into one while vegetation covers the other two.

Further downstream a small tributary has disappeared beneath a thick covering of fallen leaves. Nowadays it takes on the shape of a trail off the beaten path. The creek meanders slowly to the rocky shoals that can be seen from Highway 5. What should be a cascading fall is a stream of water following the shallows of the shoals.

The Atlanta Journal and Constitution tonight has released a great article regarding the drought conditions at the Dog River Reservoir. According to the article, 36 homes and businesses have had their water shut off since nightly patrols began. Water from the bottom and top levels are being mixed for drinking while the 13 year old Bear Creek Reservoir has become active.

There is also a photo gallery with some nice photographs.

By contributor writer and photographer Sebastian Llano - Flowery Branch, Georgia

When a river flows between two or more states, by law, these have permissible right to equal shares of its water supply. Thus, for over two decades now, Florida, Georgia, and Alabama, have been engaged in a quarrel over Buford’s Dam water retainment, Lake Lanier.

Now with the alarming record high drought conditions the three states have temporarily agreed upon a solution, allowing Georgia time to resolve it’s water crisis. North Georgia, continues to remain at a level four drought response and it is unlikely to change at least till spring of 2008.

Continuing on with the pictorial series, Drying Out, the Losing Georgia Project takes a look at comparing Little Bear Creek from photographs take in March of 2006 to those recently this month. In March, the purpose of photographing the creek was merely for documentary purposes, not knowing that a drought would come a year later.

Taken during the winter, water levels on the creek were average for the season with a fairly strong current. Waters were frigid as it rapidly descended various shoals and rock outcroppings. There were times when crossing the creek was a challenge; moss laden rocks slick by the softest touch.

But the drought took those characteristics away. Water levels have dropped to a startling low that have left parts of the creek to a withered in demise. The sounds of rambling water over rocks are now quiet trickles. Leaves lay effortlessly on the lack of current flowing downstream. The photographs speak for the dramatic change.

Tucked away in the forestry between Dorsett Shoals and Chapel Hill Road is Little Bear Creek, one of the two main tributaries that feed the Bear Creek Reservoir. Beginning life as a natural spring, waters traverse southwest through winding valleys toward reservoir until ending up in the Chattahoochee River.

With such a degree of increased development in the area, Little Bear Creek remains untouched in places where natural wildlife is still prevalent. A network of deer trails cut across the steep ridges, running parallel to the creek where a cold drink can be found. But the north Georgia drought has taken its toll on the small waterway.

What normally is a babbling brook has become quiet and motionless. Water slowly makes pace around rocks, pooling in areas that are murky in silt. A natural spring that feeds into the creek is all but dried up. Its stream bed thick with natural vegetation.

Other tributaries along the way have signs of drying out as well. Eventually the creek runs into a beaver dam that holds the water back from Anneewakee Lake. This journey only covers 3,000 feet of Little Bear Creek, which is over 10 miles in length.

Possibly the most recognized creek throughout all of Douglas County, Tanyard Branch ripples down the rocky shoals near Dorsett Shoals Road as cars roll by on the sharp turn over the bridge. The creek begins its journey between Central Church and Yeager Road, descending into a valley of jutting rock and steep terrain. Cool waters carve southerly before reaching Little Bear Creek.

Although Tanyard Branch serves as a tributary for the Bear Creek Reservoir, it serves little purpose in the replenishment of drinking water. Powered by natural springs and smaller tributaries of its own, the creek is usually plentiful in flow until the affects of the drought occurred.

This post represents a series of pictures taken over the course of almost two years at Tanyard Branch, from January 2005 to October 2007. The lack of water is startling to say the least and an image unwanted. What used to be a pleasant site while driving is but a rocky outcropping with trickles of water.

An article on Builder Online that local Kensington Home Builders hate the idea of dying sod in front of new homes, but moreover fear a building moratorium in six months due to worsening drought conditions. There are “reports of builders receiving certificates of occupancy without sodding lawns,” which will increase erosion and sedimentation into waterways once rains come during the winter. With the dry conditions, dust is becoming a growing problem.

However sedimentation control has been an ongoing problem for years, where developers have destroyed creeks and streams without regard to regulations. The Brookmont development’s lack of sediment control permanently damaged a creek and a pond on the Kirk’s Family property on Bomar Road. Whereas the Tributary at New Manchester has received startling fines on cutting unauthorized roads, forcing silt into creeks.

The Associated Press reported yesterday about the state officials wanting to construct new reservoirs in a attempt to combat future droughts. However there was no mention about population increases creating more demand on water resources. State agencies have been asked to cut down on the consumption of water, and Douglas County officials have heeded that call according to the Douglas County Sentinel.

According to the article, winter is suppose to a wet season, but the affects of the drought have become too damaging which may result in a worse drought in the summer. Check out the AP article after the jump.

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In the past two days a welcome rain has fallen, but water supplies are still low. The George H. Sparks Reservoir, which is the main water resource for the city of East Point, is thriving from the rains. Prior to the rolling storms of moisture that have come, panoramic photographs of the reservoir were captured to tell the story of the drought.

These sweeping views of the reservoir reflect how much water remains and the scenes that can be seen today. Islands of silt protrude from the water’s surface while fishermen play for a tug on the line. View the whole overflow for the reservoir in its entirety; a place that should have water flowing into Sweetwater Creek on a normal basis.

The dryness is vast and compelling, unlike anything seen in many decades. When will the drought end is an unknown answer. For every day of rain is an added day of drinking water.