The first thing you notice about Atlanta's drought is that it doesn't look much like one.
The Chattahoochee River is flowing freely and, while the trees are dappled with autumnal reds and browns, there is no shortage of greenery in Georgia's state capital.
The hotels - at least, the ones where I stayed - do not appear to have any special water restrictions.
But, after a year in which only 20 inches (50cm) of rain has fallen - half the usual amount - the south-eastern state of Georgia is in a state of emergency.
Outdoor watering is banned and phone lines have been set up, where people can report on neighbours who have been breaking the rules.
In the city's affluent suburbs, the sound of wells being drilled in back gardens is not uncommon.
Travel north to Lake Lanier, and the situation becomes clearer.
Along the edge of the main reservoir servicing Atlanta, stranded boats and a red clay shoreline offer visible signs of the receding waters.
At one point, you can even see the stands of a race track, which was among the buildings flooded when the lake was created in the 1950s.
Full Story: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/7104547.stm
Is Atlanta At Risk of Running Dry?
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By Jamie Coomarasamy
BBC News, November 21, 2007
Straight to the Source