The most extreme drought in over a century grips much of the American Southeast. Numerous counties in the Carolinas, Tennessee, Alabama and Georgia have a Palmer’s Drought Severity Index of –4.0 or less (“extreme”)—the most severe category. The drought is not predicted to end any time soon.

Georgia Governor Sonny Perdue declared a state of emergency for the northern third of his state on October 20. He has also requested that President Bush declare the affected counties a major disaster area.

The drought has necessitated some of the most stringent water restrictions in American history. In the town of Orme, Tenn., the Red Cross is distributing drinking water to townsfolk at a rate of one case per family. Orme’s water supply is only turned on between 6 and 9 p.m. in an effort to conserve water. Even this limited use of water is only possible because the town fire engine is hauling water to the water tower once a day from a fire hydrant 3 miles away.

“Many fear that tiny Orme is the canary in the coal mine, the desiccated shape of things to come in a country in which experts say water has become an even more precious resource than oil,” reports the Telegraph.

Tony Reames, a Red Cross worker in Orme, commented that he feared for Atlanta. “We can survive. We’re 145 people, but you’ve got 4.5 million there. What are they going to do?”

Officials in Atlanta fear they could run out of drinking water by January. The water level of Lake Lanier, which is the source of most of Atlanta’s water, has dropped 17 feet since the beginning of the drought. This is only one of numerous lakes and rivers that are drying up across the region.

The U.S. Government Accountability Office warns that the combination of rain shortage, rising temperatures, urban sprawl, and population growth will cause at least 36 states to experience catastrophic water shortages within the next five years.

Severe drought and other weather-related crises are becoming commonplace in our world. For analysis behind what is causing this trend, read “Flash Floods, Scorched Earth.”