Tri-State Water Issues Back In Court

Another round in the so-called ‘water wars’ comes today in federal court in Jacksonville. Georgia will meet Florida and Alabama over the issue of allocation of water from Lake Lanier—the main water supply for metro Atlanta. Florida and Alabama both want the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to send more water downstream from the hydroelectric dam. The case has now extended for almost two decades. Seven lawsuits on water issues have been consolidated and no quick decisions are expected.

Corps To Increase Water Release From Lanier

Winter rains have replenished north Georgia’s Lake Lanier enough that the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has decided to send more water down the Chattahoochee River. The reservoir has hit its highest-level since August 2007, now around seven to eight feet below full. Since late December, Lanier has risen about 13 feet. Georgia Enviromental Protection Division director Carol Couch previously had requested releases from Lanier be cut, but not this time. Georgia, Florida, and Alabama have been fighting over the reservoir’s water since 1990.

Perdue comments on Florida, water

Governor Sonny Perdue had some sharp words Wednesday for Florida, concerning the so-called water wars between the two states. Perdue says the charge by Florida officials that Georgia chooses water needs of people over the environment--is false. Perdue says Florida is being disingenuous by saying withholding water from Lake Lanier--metro Atlanta’s main drinking water source--harms endangered spieces downstream. Perdue is in Miami, attending a Republican Governors Association conference.

Army Corps holds hearings over river basin

Public discussion over the re-writing of water management rules in Georgia and two other states is underway this week. The Army Corps of Engineers held one hearing Monday in Kennesaw, with another to come today in Rome. Two other public hearings will be held in the Alabama cities of Gadsden and Montgomery. At issue is the Alabama-Coosa-Tallapoosa river basin, which flows from northwestern Georgia down across Alabama to Mobile. It is that system which has been part of a two-decade-old feud involving Georgia, Alabama and Florida.

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.

Federal biologists say Georgia can keep more water

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers plan to keep more water upstream in Georgia got the blessing of federal biologists Monday. U.S. Fish and Wildlife officials say storing more water in Georgia's reservoirs and releasing less downstream would not jeopardize the existence of Gulf sturgeon and three types of mussel. The adjusted water plan was announced in April, allowing for reservoirs along the Chattahooche to store 50 percent of the inflow into the river basin. The Chattahooche runs into the downstream Apalachicola River, which in turn runs into the Gulf of Mexico.

Georgia could get bad news in water war fight

A decision will come soon from a federal appeals court that could invalidate a 2003 agreement between the Army Corps of Engineers and Georgia, over water rights to Lake Lanier. In that agreement, Georgia secured rights to about a quarter of the water from the Lanier federal reservoir. Alabama and Florida have claimed the deal is illegal. Last month, the federal appeals court's Washington circuit heard oral arguments over the case--another chapter in the long running water wars.

Corps starts twice-daily water releases

The Chattahoochee River south of Atlanta is filling up faster than normal, thanks to U.S. Army Corps of Engineer releases to keep downstream locations covered.

The Corps says it's started twice-daily releases from Lake Lanier, in order to protect Fla. shellfish on the Apalachicola River. Federal law requires the Corps to keep three point-two-billion gallons flowing southward daily.

Columbus Water Works President Billy Turner official says that's likely to continue, if the quantity of water meets the Endangered Species requirements.

Fish and Wildlife officials will monitor the health of the mussels downstream, to determine of they can survive in lesser amounts of water. If so, the Corps will gradually cut back on the amounts released.

Click here for more GPB News coverage of the drought.

Temporary fix brokered in water wars

Governor Sonny Perdue left Washington Thursday afternoon with some help for Georgia. It comes in the form of a 16-percent reduction in the release of water from Lake Lanier.

Perdue along with the governors of Alabama and Florida met with Bush administration and federal officials yesterday in what was described as sometimes "tense" meetings in trying to find solutions in the tri-state water wars. The Army Corps of Engineers' plan for water release reduction must still get approval from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The three governors plan to meet again in December in attempts to broker a longer-reaching deal.

Ga, Al, Fl governors meet today in Washington

This morning, Governor Sonny Perdue will attend the first of two meetings in Washington in hopes of finding a truce in the tri-state water battle between Georgia, Alabama and Florida. First up is a face-to-face meeting and sit-down for Perdue with his counterparts west and south, along with Georgia Senators Saxby Chambliss and Johnny Isakson. A later meeting today will be with the governors and officials from the Army Corps of Engineers and Interior Department. At issue is the water from Lake Lanier and its dwindling supply. Perdue wants to reduce the amount of water sent downstream, which helps support communities and industry in Alabama and Florida.

Conservation groups grade state's water use

State conservation groups are set to release a report today that grades Georgia’s water efficiency during this drought. Booming growth is expected to be pointed out as a reason and factor in the water shortage. Last week, Governor Sonny Perdue dismissed the idea during a press conference. This report arrives as Perdue is set to join the governors of Alabama and Florida in meeting with President Bush tomorrow in Washington. They’ll try to work-out a truce in the water wars.