ABSTRACT
Since droughts severe enough to affect water supplies of large cities usually last longer than one or two years, the urban water supply problems in Atlanta, Georgia, were examined because the area had been experiencing intermittent drought for several years in the 1980s. The problems in supplying water to Atlanta were not serious, but this dry episode resulted in actions that were to be valuable in future droughts. One northern Georgia county pumps water directly from the lake, but the Atlanta metropolitan district takes its water from the river in coordination with water releases scheduled for this purpose at the upstream dam. Because of its multipurpose role in managing Atlanta's water supply, the Corps worked with other levels of government and the private sector. The important lessons from the Atlanta drought can be learned from the institutional adjustments and activities taken over the eight-year period to detect, monitor, and respond to drought more effectively.
