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MARIETTA - Allatoona Lake officials are predicting the lake will have more water this spring and summer than last year.

Tim Rainey, operations project manager for the U.S. Corps of Engineers at Allatoona Lake, said the Corps had released 70 percent less water this season than last.

Ron Papaleoni, general manager of the Lake Allatoona Preservation Authority, predicted the lake will reach its normal summer level - 840 feet - by mid-April. On Wednesday, the lake level was measured at 835.49 feet. At this time last year, the lake measured 832.40 feet. Last May the lake only got to 837 feet and started dropping in early June because of the drought that hit Georgia last summer.

"We're certainly going to have a better summer, without a doubt, compared to last year," Papaleoni said.

Papaleoni also credited the Corps with doing "a much better job maintaining the lake level" this year.

"They don't want any more negative publicity," he said. Papaleoni also said Alabama, which gets water downstream from Allatoona, has not demanded as much water.

"Alabama lakes are virtually full now," he said. "There hasn't been a cry from Alabama for water like last year, so far."

Georgia has been fighting in court with Alabama for years over water in Allatoona Lake.

Engineers at the Corps' office in Mobile, Ala., will determine how much water to release with input from Corps officials at the dam in Cartersville and recommendations from Papaleoni. Their next scheduled biweekly conference call to discuss lake levels for the upcoming season is March 19, Papaleoni said.

Asked if the lake level would stay at 840 feet until Labor Day, Papaleoni said, "probably not," but estimated it would be between 836 feet and 840 feet. On Labor Day last year, the lake was at 830.97 feet. Prior to the drought, the Corps has been able to keep the lake at its normal summer level of 840 feet until after Labor Day, when they would start dropping it to 822 feet to catch the winter rains.

Cobb, Bartow and Cherokee counties border Allatoona. Cobb receives 40 percent of its drinking water from the lake.

mhoward@mdjonline.com

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