Georgia emerges from three-year drought

Thanks to one of the wettest springs in Georgia’s history, the drought that has gripped the state for three years has ended.

March through May was the second wettest spring out of the past 115 in Georgia. The vast majority of the state has been climatological drought-free since March. The exception has been the Lake Lanier and Lake Hartwell basins. Conditions in these basins have continued to improve over the past few months.

Proper drought management requires a period of recharge of the hydrologic systems after the end of the climatological drought.

Soil moisture and stream flows across the state are normal to much above normal for the middle of June.

With the end of the drought, the entire state has returned to the non-drought outdoor watering schedule. This means that odd number addresses can use outdoor water on Sunday, Tuesday and Thursday. Even number addresses may use outdoor water on Monday, Wednesday and Saturday.

There are no restrictions on the time of outdoor water use. However, watering of plants between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. is discouraged since much of the water evaporates before entering the soil and thus has limited effectiveness.

Proper water use can enhance a landscape. However, improper watering can cause a host of problems. Most lawns will thrive on one inch of water per week. This water can come from either rain or irrigation. Best results are usually obtained if the watering is done once per week.

Additional information on proper watering and care of landscapes is available through your local University of Georgia Cooperative Extension office.

Water conservation information is available from Watersmart: Save Water, Save Time, Save Money! at www.watersmart.net and Conserve Water Georgia at www.conservewatergeorgia.net.

Additional moisture conditions information and updates can be found at www.georgiadrought.org. Automated weather data is at www.georgiaweather.net. Daily rainfall data is at www.cocorahs.org. U.S. Geological Survey data is at ga.water.usgs.gov.

By David Stooksbury
University of Georgia

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Governor Perdue Announces Get Outdoors Georgia Campaign

Today at Skidaway Island State Park Governor Sonny Perdue announced the launch of Get Outdoors Georgia, an initiative of the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) that encourages Georgians to get outdoors, get fit and enjoy their state parks.

“I want to encourage all Georgians, especially those with children, to take some time to visit one of our state parks,” said Governor Sonny Perdue. “Our state parks are great places to see some of Georgia’s most beautiful sites while spending quality time with your family and getting some good, healthy exercise.”

Based on findings from a five-year Statewide Comprehensive Outdoor Recreation Plan (SCORP), this initiative targets the development of family-oriented, nature-based, healthy outdoor recreational and environmental education programs throughout the state.

The campaign launch, developed by the Parks, Recreation and Historic Sites Division (PRHSD) of DNR includes the following: a Free Day in the Parks on June 14 sponsored by the Coca-Cola Company; the introduction of a Library Loan ParkPass Program to make admission to state parks and historic sites accessible through local public libraries; special recreational activities and events at state park and historic site locations throughout the state; a proclamation signed by Governor Sonny Perdue to declare June as Georgia Great Outdoors Month in recognition of this initiative and as part of a National Great Outdoors Month celebration; and the introduction of the Get Outdoors Georgia Gopher .

“Through this effort, families and individuals will discover the great treasures that are so close to home and quite often, right in their own backyard,” said Becky Kelly, director of PRHSD. “The month of June is designated as National Great Outdoors Month so the timing is perfect to launch this program and integrate our ‘Get Outdoors Georgia’ campaign into the national initiative and Georgia Great Outdoors Month.”

PRHSD manages 63 properties that preserve the state's diverse environment and history. Included are 45 state parks, three state historic parks and 15 historic sites, stretching from the Blue Ridge Mountains to the Colonial Coast. Together, the sites offer an exceptional variety of resources, including mountains, canyons, forests, fields, marshes, waterfalls, lakes, swamps, rivers, battlefields, historic homes and Native American artifacts.

For more information, please visit http://www.gastateparks.org/ or http://www.getoutdoorsgeorgia.org/.