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Tri-State Water War Ending?: We’ll Believe It When We See It! (TheAuburnPlainsman)

Jan.15, 2009 in Drought, Public Works, Water Crisis, Water Industry, Water Management, Water Rights

(Jan. 15, 2009, The Auburn Plainsman)

The United States Supreme Court turned down a petition Georgia filed reviewing a ruling that favored Florida and Alabama Monday.

Lake Lanier, Atlanta’s main source of drinking water, will be providing less water for the capital.

Georgia filed the petition against the federal appellate court’s decision last year. The Supreme Court will not be hearing Georgia’s request to continue using Lake Lanier’s water for metro Atlanta.

“Georgia tried to pull off a massive water grab, and this decision makes clear that Georgia’s actions were in blatant violation of federal law,” Gov. Bob Riley said.

Georgia had a contract since 2003 with the U.S. Corps of Engineers that would have lasted for 20 years. It would have allowed metro Atlanta to use 50 percent more of the resevoir’s water supply. Alabama and Florida said it was illegal because of the secrecy.

“After nearly two decades of litigation, this marks a key milestone because the legal framework governing the Apalachicola-Chattahoochee-Flint River Basin has now been conclusively determined,” Riley said. “The legal principle established in this case should now be applied to validate Alabama’s challenge to Atlanta’s current illegal consumption from the federal reservoirs in north Georgia.”

Lake Lanier was created in 1956 by the Bufurd Dam and is fed by the Chattahoochee and Chestatee Rivers. It is located in northern Georgia, taking up Hall, Forsyth, Dawson, Gwinnett and Lumpkin counties.

It provides hydroelectricity for the nuclear power plant in Dothan. It also provides freshwater for the Apalachicola Bay in Florida.

“We felt strongly that Supreme Court review of this case could have resolved a major piece of our ongoing water negotiations, and we will now move forward continuing to work with our neighbors and other stakeholders to reach consensus on a plan that fairly shares our limited resources and adequately protects the headwaters of the Apalachicola-Chattahoochee-Flint River Basin,” Perdue said.

State officials are meeting in Jacksonville, Fla. to discuss the situation this spring.

“After nearly 20 years of legal discussions, today’s decision should provide the framework needed for resolution of this matter,” Florida Gov. Charlie Crist said. “I look forward to working with Governors Perdue and Riley in continuing our work to address the water issues facing our states.”