Monday, September 20, 1999
Drought puts levels lower in reservoirs
But mandatory rules in central Ohio unlikely
The Associated Press
COLUMBUS — The drought has left central Ohio reservoirs at low levels, but mandatory restrictions are not likely this year, officials said.
“Our reservoirs are down, but we're not frantic about it,” said Jeff Hubbard, head of the Columbus Division of Water. “One good rain would solve our problem.”
The situation was helped by residents who cut back water use voluntarily. “They're seeing these outlying areas put on mandatory restrictions, and they have a better awareness of the need to conserve voluntarily,” he said.
He warned that if supplies continue to dwindle, mandatory restrictions are possible next year.
Tom Lagucki, an environmental specialist with the Ohio Division of Water, said central Ohio needs a lot of rain in the fall and spring. “If we have a dry fall, we're in trouble next year,” he said. “I don't even want to think that direction. If that happens, you'll definitely see mandatory water restrictions.”
On Friday, Gov. Bob Taft asked all Ohio residents to begin conserving water. He made the request earlier this summer to residents east of Interstate 71.
Water consumption peaked in Columbus on June 26 with a single-day record of 209 million gallons. That's 11 million gallons more than the previous record in the 1988 drought, when Columbus-area residents faced water restrictions.
Now, the city is buying water from the Ohio Department of Natural Resources under a long-term arrangement that costs $1 million a year.
Ordinarily, the city's draw from Hoover and O'Shaughnessy reservoirs leaves no noticeable effect on water levels.
This year, low water levels have left a broad yellow ring of barren ground. Alum Creek State Park is warning boaters to be careful of exposed tree stumps and debris that normally would be submerged.
The water at Alum Creek State Park has been dropping about 10 inches a week, said Loren Hart, the park's operations manager.
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TRISTATE DIGEST
Drought puts levels lower in reservoirs
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