Rome and Floyd County plan to seek a public hearing about a proposed Paulding County reservoir that would be supplemented by 41 million gallons of water a day pumped from the Etowah River.

Officials have until Dec. 10 to file the request with the permitting agencies — the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the Georgia Department of Natural Resources.

Click here to view Richland Creek reservoir public notice.

“Much of that county is on septic systems, so the water won’t be returned to our river basin,” Floyd County Commission Chairman Jerry Jennings said.

Rome Public Services Director Kirk Milam said half of Paulding County lies within the Coosa River basin that includes the Etowah. The other half drains into the Chattahoochee River basin.

And Milam noted that Paulding’s long-range sewer extension plan would capture and treat only 20 million gallons a day of used water by 2025.

“That’s high consumption, not a good return,” he said. “We need an assessment on how (the transfer) would affect our own water treatment capability and the overall impact of the basin withdrawal.”

Reservoir would hold 4.4 billion gallons

The reservoir is planned for Richland Creek — near the intersection of Old Dallas Road and Old Dallas Highway — just south of the Bartow County line (map).

The 305-acre impoundment, along with the Etowah supplement, is projected to yield 35 million gallons a day of drinking water for the growing county.

Consultant Tommy Craig told the Paulding County Commission in August the estimated $19.5 million facility will cover 700 acres, including the dam and buffers, and hold 4.4 billion gallons.

Less than an inch of water a day will come from the Etowah, he said, which will not adversely affect downstream users such as Rome.

The project has been in the works for several years, and the ongoing drought has sparked stronger support for reservoir construction in the state.

Lt. Gov. Casey Cagle and House Speaker Glenn Richardson — a former county attorney for Paulding — announced in October they would introduce the Reservoir Development and Drought Relief Act when the Georgia General Assembly convenes in January.

The legislation would free up a “significant” amount of state money to build a reservoir network in North Georgia, they said.

But Jennings noted that the draft statewide water management plan emphasizes regional efforts based on watershed boundaries rather than county lines.

Jennings heads the Northwest Georgia Regional Water Resources Partnership, a 15-county coalition dedicated to protecting and enhancing Coosa basin water supplies.

Paulding’s proposed reservoir “is jumping the gun as far as the studies we’re doing,” Jennings said. “The idea is to find reservoir sites where several counties can participate in the benefit and the cost.”

Members of the group are scheduled to meet with legislators Dec. 13 at the Calhoun Depot to discuss creation of a formalized water authority to oversee water planning for the region.

Meanwhile the Corps and DNR are seeking input from the public and federal, state and local entities regarding the Paulding County Commission’s application No. 200701410.

To be considered, written comments must be received by Dec. 10 at the Savannah District U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Piedmont Branch, Attention: Mr. Justin Hammonds, 1590 Adamson Parkway, Suite 200, Morrow, GA 30260-1777.

Before issuing a permit, the Corps also must conduct an environmental assessment reviewing the impact on endangered species, historic and cultural properties, water quality and other local assets.

Click here for our High & Dry Web site, featuring more local and regional information about the drought.