How Much Rain Was That?
By PG Woods
You may have seen the television or newspaper reports about the flooding in the Atlanta metro area after several days of tropical moisture. While sadness and prayers go out to the victims and the folks whose lives have been affected, the Grapevine staff wanted to figure out how much rain, in gallons, occurred between September 15 and September 23, 2009.
To put our question into practical terms we have to have a tangible reference, that means “sum ‘tin we know sum ‘tin about” and that would be Lake Allatoona… every one’s favorite fishing hole around here.
 THE LAKE:
Located only 30 miles from Atlanta, Georgia, Allatoona Lake is situated on the Etowah River, a tributary of the Coosa River. The serene lake and peaceful surroundings offer a respite from the rush of city living.
The lake covers 12, 010 acres and can be seen from space.
THE RAIN:
According to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, rainfall at Lake Altoona for the period of September 15 through September 23, 2009 totaled six and eight/tenths inches (0’-6.8”). While greater amounts were recorded elsewhere, we’ll focus on the amount of water in gallons generated on just the lake surface.
This is the “spike” in the lake level graphically represented in feet but that is just boring…..
Now some really useless trivia; required viewing for every OLM, Inc. Consultant is The Beverly Hillbillies. As Jethro Bodine was fond to say “Let’s du us some ciphering, Uncle Jed!" (Translation, the math)
THE MATH:
One inch of rainfall over one acre of land equal 27, 154 gallons of water. (A constant used in agriculture called an Acre/Inch.)
Let’s multiply one A/I by 6.8 Inches. That’s 184,647.2 gallons of rainwater per acre. Now let’s take total acreage of the lake; 12, 010 acres….. and while I put new batteries in the calculator….2,217,612,870 gallons of water.
That is Two Billion Gallons of Water…..
HOW MUCH?
If you envision a shoe box ( okay we’ll call it a cubic foot of water or 7.48 gallons) and filled them with all the rain over a nine day period and lined them up end to end…… are you ready?
The shoe boxes of water would wrap around the globe pole to pole more than two times OR 56 thousand miles!
SO, LET’S RECAP:
- Pray for the folks flooded in Atlanta.
- That’s a lot of water.
- Don’t give a calculator to an OLM, Inc. Consultant.
- All of the above.
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