Water war study held up by Congress

Georgia's top environmental official says the three states battling over water shouldn't wait for Congress to pay for a study. Instead, Environmental Protection Division Director Carol Couch, says Georgia, Florida, and Alabama should pay for it. The three states have been fighting over water-sharing for decades. Officials believe an independent study of the waterways could help resolve the dispute.

GA. EPD Chief: states should split cost of independent water study

The state’s environmental chief says Georgia, Florida and Alabama should band together to pay for an independent federal study on water issues between the three states, instead of waiting for Congress to approve it. Two Florida Senators along with U.S.Congressman Allen Boyd want the National Academy of Sciences to examine the Apalachicola-Chattahoochee-Flint River basin. Georgia Enviromental Protection Director Carol Couch says the three states should split the cost themselves for the study. Officials think a thorough, independent look at the waterways can help lead to a solution of the three decade-long dispute over sharing water.

Georgia EPD dismisses outsourcing Atlanta water

A persistent drought has Atlanta's Mayor eyeing water across the border, but Georgia officials say they have no plans to try to tap the Tennessee River. The drought in the Southeast has sapped federal reservoirs in northern Georgia, including 38,000-acre Lake Lanier, which supplies Atlanta. With less than three months before the lake is depleted, Atlanta Mayor Shirley Franklin suggested recently the region explore piping in water from the Tennessee or Savannah Rivers. The director of Georgia's Environmental Protection Division, Carol Couch, said, "The state of Georgia has no plans to pursue such an idea."

Drought disaster pending says EPD chief

The State of Georgia is still waiting for the Corp of Engineers to decide whether it will lower the flow of water out of Lake Lanier. Governor Perdue has threatened legal action if the corps does not comply with the state's request. Today Georgia environmental protection division director Carol Couch warned of dire consequences.

“Rejecting our request amounts to the United States Corps. Of Engineers abandoning the people of the state of Georgia,” Couch told reporters.

The EPD is starting to plan for a pending emergency, because Lake Lanier could run out of water in 81 days if there’s no substantial rain says Couch.

“We may have to assure that hospitals ship their patients elsewhere” she said ”This is a potential disaster in the making.”

The Corps Of Engineers says it may draw water from below the minimum level required for Lake Lanier, but that has never been done before and could be costly. Next week Couch will make recommendations to Governor Sonny Perdue on which businesses should get water use restrictions.

Georgia drought "historic and unprecedented"

Georgia's top water official called the state's drought "historic and unprecedented". Enviromental Protection Division director Carol Couch made those comments during Thursday's meeting of the Georgia Water Council.

The EPD says 55 areas of the state are in danger of water shortages. These areas draw water from small creeks or small reservoirs. Heard County officials said this week that their two main sources of water from small creeks have nearly dried up.