As the region endures an ongoing drought, an organization wants to hold back water flowing from the Savannah River into the Augusta Canal.
The Friends of the Savannah River Basin say reducing flows to the Augusta Canal would keep more water in reservoirs upstream from Augusta, according to the Augusta Chronicle. The canal is used for hydroelectric power generation and drinking water in for people in the Augusta-area.
The group wants less water flowing into the canal, so more water is available for the Augusta Shoals downstream. Insufficient flows threaten endangered fish and the endangered spider lily.
Critics of the idea, though, say lower flows would potentially mean that limits on allowable wastewater discharges would be reduced, requiring big changes for industries and municipalities.
Keeping more water in the reservoirs could also benefit tourism. Tourists often find lower lake levels to be unattractive. The lower levels also makes water recreation more difficult and even potentially dangerous.