Georgia declares statewide Level 1 drought response as reservoir levels drop

Mon, 27 Apr 2026 16:30:00 -0400

The Georgia Environmental Protection Division declared a statewide Level 1 Drought Response on Sunday, citing record-low stream flows and deepening reservoir deficits that have pushed roughly 80 percent of the state into extreme or exceptional drought categories.

It is the most significant drought declaration the state has issued since the severe water crisis of 2007.

Lake Lanier’s slide

The state’s largest water source tells the story in numbers. Lake Lanier sat at approximately 1,065.7 feet above mean sea level as of Sunday afternoon — more than five feet below the Army Corps of Engineers’ full-pool target of 1,071 feet.

Epd on WACN 21 News

Georgia declares statewide Level 1 drought response as reservoir levels drop

Lake Lanier’s slide