Mobile, Ala. -- The commander of U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Mobile District said today that all of the district’s reservoirs have available flood-storage capacity to handle the forecasted rainfall from Hurricane Irma, which is expected to drop four to eight inches of rain on western Georgia.
“As Hurricane Irma tracks toward western Georgia, we are monitoring its progress very closely and are taking every precaution,” said Mobile District Commander, Col. James DeLapp. “Our reservoirs in western Georgia are well below the summer guide curve. Lake Lanier is more than five feet below the guide curve, which means we’re in an extremely good position throughout our system.”
Mobile District manages operations at eight dams, five of which are in western Georgia: Lake Lanier, Allatoona Lake, Carters Lake, West Point Lake and Walter F. George Lake. Some of the dams will make small releases over the next three days, but those will be in accordance with routine operations.
“These dams and reservoirs are well maintained by Mobile District,” DeLapp said. “They are well constructed and capable of handling much more rainfall than Irma is currently forecasted to deliver.”
In addition to the dams, Mobile District operates 22 locks along the Alabama River; the Apalachicola-Chattahoochee-Flint rivers; the Black Warrior and Tombigbee rivers; and the Tennessee-Tombigbee Waterway. DeLapp said that, based on the current forecast, he does not expect significant river flooding in the district.
“We are working closely with the states of Alabama, Florida, Georgia, and Mississippi, the U.S. Coast Guard, local ports, and partners like Alabama Power to monitor the impacts of the storm and take proactive action,” DeLapp said. “Even though we are not expecting catastrophic flooding, this is a very dangerous storm – and safety should be foremost in everyone’s mind.”
Mobile District’s mission is to provide construction, maintenance and operation of key infrastructure projects that contribute to the Nation's economy, environment, safety and quality of life – now and in the future – and to reduce risk from disasters.
To continue to monitor Mobile District’s response to Hurricane Irma, click on www.sam.usace.army.mil and follow the district on Facebook, www.facebook.com/usacemobile, and Twitter, www.twitter.com/usacemobile.