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Georgia Still Not Serious About Water

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The Tampa Tribune

Published: May 13, 2008

In February, facing a severe drought and serious water shortages, Georgia Gov. Sonny Perdue eased outdoor watering restrictions. Why? He wanted to help the landscaping industry.

Yet Perdue insists his state cannot allow more water to flow downstream in the Apalachicola-Chattahoochee-Flint river system to Florida and Alabama.

The consequences of reduced river flow could be devastating to Apalachicola Bay, one of the nation's most productive marine-life sanctuaries, which supports 2,000 seafood-related jobs.

In Alabama, some 800,000 households depend on a nuclear plant that relies on river flow.

Florida has been reasonable about Georgia's needs, not objecting when it sought in February to temporarily divert more water to Lake Lanier, the reservoir that supplies most of Atlanta's water.

But now Georgia wants to continue the diversion, even though it would affect fish spawning season in Apalachicola. Salinity levels are critical to spawning success.

Georgia is largely responsible for its situation. Only last September, when the water shortage reached crisis level, did it adopt serious conservation measures - which Perdue soon weakened.

The Army Corps of Engineers, which has control over the flow levels, should recognize that Perdue and Georgia still are not serious about responsible water management. The Corps should not sacrifice Florida's marine life and coastal enterprises to sustain Georgia's water-wasting ways.

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