NORCROSS, Ga. — On a small, two-mile strip of the Chattahoochee, the river’s waters are vital for the operations of a water treatment, wastewater, and power plant.
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“Without this two-mile stretch of the river. Atlanta doesn’t exist,” Chattahoochee River keeper Jason Ulseth said. “All of these facilities are dependent upon minimal flows of water to do what they need to do to safely protect the river.”
Those flows are monitored by employees at the United States Geological Survey. The work they do can make sure water levels stay appropriate for the function of the three plants while also providing early warnings for flooding and contamination.
However, the lease for the USGS office in Norcross, which monitors the water levels of three states, was listed for termination by the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). The department claims it would save $1.3 million by terminating the lease.
“Nobody knows what’s happening. It’s just one blurb on a website, and we are preparing for a worst-case scenario,” Ulseth said.
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All indications are that the lease for the building is set to be terminated in August.
It is unclear at this time what will happen to employees, the service they provide, and/or would be relocated to another building. This month, Georgia Sen. Rev. Raphael Warnock and Jon Ossoff sent a letter to the Department of Interior asking those very questions, but there is no indication the senators have received a response.
“If this office closes down, we don’t have information on any of our river systems for dam releases, for sewer discharges, for power plants,” Ulseth said.
In a statement, a USGS spokesperson said, “We are actively working with GSA to ensure that every facility and asset is utilized effectively, and where necessary, identifying alternative solutions that strengthen our mission. These efforts reflect our broader commitment to streamlining government operations while ensuring that conservation efforts remain strong, effective, and impactful. This process is ongoing, and we will provide updates as more information becomes available.”
“I think this is a long, drawn-out process of negotiations and talks about where we can better spend taxpayer dollars,” Georgia Young Republicans Chairwoman Jacquelyn Harn said.
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Harn says she believes moves by DOGE could help provide better value.
“I think DOGE is doing the right thing by asking the right questions,” Harn said.
However, others like Ulseth do not believe there is much waste in the USGS system. He says only 20% of the group’s funding comes from the federal government. The remaining 80% of the funds come from different local governments and power companies.
He worries that if the office were to close, it would hurt the physical monitoring of the gauges that are vital to the waterways in Georgia. He believes that could hurt warnings for potential flooding, contamination and more.
“If it does end up happening, it’s going to cost us way more than it saves,” Ulseth said.
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