Southern Drought Pits States Against Feds

Alabama, Florida And Georgia Battling For Federal Water Resources

(AP)  The record drought gripping the Southeast has pushed a three-state water fight to a new level, pitting state against state in a legal battle that pins the federal government in the middle.

The governors of Alabama, Florida and Georgia have been locked in a tug-of-war for almost two decades over federal water resources, and the drought gripping much of the Southeast has intensified the legal battle.

Like three thirsty children trying to drink from a single hose, even the most minor disruption in the flow has a ripple effect. And Georgia's decision Friday to file a lawsuit demanding that the U.S. Army Corps slow the draining of Georgia's reservoirs was sure to set off a new round of litigation as each state scrambles to make its case.

"The stakes are at the highest they have been," said Todd Silliman, an Atlanta lawyer who represents Georgia in the court battle. "We haven't been facing these types of depletions of our reservoirs since this litigation has begun."

The bickering among the three states started in the late 1980s when the Corps unrolled a new plan guiding how three Georgia reservoirs that feed the region should be used.

Alabama challenged the plan in 1990, but over the next few years, state leaders were unable to cobble together a permanent pact. Instead, they adopted what Corps Maj. Daren Payne called a "live and let live" system.

"It was essentially: What you have been taking out, keep taking out, and what you need, go ahead and take," said Payne, the deputy commander of the Corps' Mobile office. "But after a few droughts, live and let live is not really viable any more."

There are now five pending federal lawsuits involving the region's water, but despite a drought that has spread through the region, there is no permanent agreement in sight.

Georgia has sought to convince the Corps to curb water releases from Lake Lanier, Atlanta's main water source, which is within three months of depleting its water storage.

More than a billion gallons flow downstream from the north Georgia lake every day, much of it flowing southwest to Alabama and eventually to Florida. The Corps bases its water releases on two requirements: The minimum flow needed to operate a coal-fired power plant in Florida and mandates to protect two mussel species in a Florida river.

In recent years, Florida has complained the state is not sending enough water downstream to protect the endangered and threatened mussels on the banks of a drying river. And Alabama has contended it needs more water to cope with the dry conditions.

In the middle of the fight is the Corps, which has said it is trying to do its best to follow federal guidelines that dictate how much water should be released.

But a move this week by the Corps may have signaled a policy shift.

Under pressure from Georgia's federal lawmakers, the Corps said this week it will update the formula it uses to guide how Georgia and Alabama share water in a major river basin. Georgians, who have long argued new data is necessary to account for their state's rapid growth, cheered the news. But it will likely lead to more legal action from Alabama officials.

Gov. Bob Riley called the development "unacceptable" and lashed out at Georgia officials. Praising the water limits implemented by Birmingham during the drought, he said water authorities in metro Atlanta should have ordered restrictions earlier.

"Atlanta can't spend all summer during a drought watering their lawns and flowers and then expect someone else to bail them out," he said. "If Atlanta had done what Birmingham did in June, then Atlanta's problem today would be much less severe."

Georgia was under statewide water restrictions in April that limited outdoor watering to three days a week. By May the city of Atlanta allowed watering only on weekends, and in September environmental officials banned virtually all outdoor watering through the northern half of the state.

Meanwhile, Georgians are frustrated that billions of gallons of water in the state's reservoirs is being sent to Florida and Alabama - two states without statewide water restrictions - while Georgia residents are facing unprecedented restrictions.

"No one is sacrificing, no one is sharing the pain like the people of North Georgia," said Perdue.

[slim1h2o]

Slim: I have been to Dinosaures BBQ. It''''s ok but the southern pit masters still make the best.


Posted by lewiston14 at 10:06 AM : Oct 22, 2007

It''s been awhile since I''ve been there, but I lived in Texas, and now NC. And I Thought Dino''s was pretty good. But your right on about the southern pit masters, they do it well.

[lewiston14]

Slim: I have been to Dinosaures BBQ. It''s ok but the southern pit masters still make the best.

[lambofgoth]

Curse914...seriously... tell us how lemmings are hardwired. This should be interesting...

[watcher269-2009]

But look at all the new sandy beaches the wealthy Republicans have now to sunbath on! No Water - it''s not like there''s no oil! Maybe Georgia should invade Indiana and Ohio to get some Lake water there - after all it is in the Republican Interests to do so!

There''s no Global Warming! People are just drinking to much water!

[mcvet]

2.5 decades later after Reagan called for big government to get off the backs of individuals and the states and look at the mess. The big federal government built that dam and screwed things up. Drain the sucker, let nature reclaim it and spend no taxpayer money to destroy it.



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Posted by l8c6 at 12:31 AM : Oct 22, 2007
+ report abuse

And the TWO Power Plants below it? This has been a problem of decades now and these losers have consistently denied the facts and have consistently sent the worst of the worst to Washington to stop any effort to do anything about it so...

[slim1h2o]

And we could use some good BBQ up here as we need good BBQ up here as well.

Posted by lewiston14 at 05:46 AM : Oct 22, 2007

What? Never heard of Dinosaures BBQ in Syracuse? Very good BBQ

[lewiston14]

I guess you could say this really no laughing matter. I do think they should have planned along time ago to deal with this. 90 days is not a lot of time Moving people. Let%u2019s think about that. Ill use my location in upper New York as an example. As the crow flies im = an hour from Canada and have one of the great lakes in my back yard so no problem with water there is plenty. Moving to New York you will find 3 major flaws. You will live in a place that gets 100+ inches of snow, you will have to endure countless -20 degree days and you will also find no jobs. You would also have to clean up your driving skills. That is often funny a yank trucking along at 60 because 1%u201D of snow of ice fell. We don%u2019t give it a second thought. It is normal for us. It is sort of dead up here. I have driven past Atlanta but have never been in the city so I do not know much about it. The reasons it became so big. If you want to come bring Atlanta and all its business with you. You need the water and we need the jobs so it works out for everybody. Lets also no forget the importance of the south. They grow a lot of produce But im still not going to pay $1.69 for a single orange. You got 90 days left to decide.
And we could use some good BBQ up here as well.

[iceman_1960]

"Southern Drought Pits States Against Feds"

You"d think the GOP would be moving heaven and earth to help out.

In 2006, Southerners (White Southerners, that is) were the one demographic to vote Republican. All other groups voted Democratic.

[iceman_1960]

"Like three thirsty children trying to drink from a single hose, even the most minor disruption in the flow has a ripple effect."

The adults have switched to Ripple.

[iceman_1960]

What ?

Nothing from seven-pesos ?

He must have been banned.

[knyghtwolf]

Guess it''ll be up to those "*** Yankees" to save the poor southerners. Me and some friends of mine are thinking of opening a water shipping business to help out a bit and in the spirit of capitalism, make a few bucks too while we''re at it. After all, isn''t that what life in the US of A is all about? Don''t do anything for someone out of the goodness of your heart without thinking profit too off their misery. This is the real problem here today, comorbidity of combining wealthy profiteering off a bad situation in the name of goodwill and the spirit of brotherly love. Money is not the root of all evil, people are. Instead of talking your religion, show it, express it, live it & breathe it.

[l8c6]

Ffisher2: The Forest Service has limited budgets and when fires hit, the budgets for recreation, trails, stream rehabilitation are tapped to fight these fires. The wealthy should pay when their homes are threatened.

Indeed. Did you notice that the Ketchum fire became the number one fire to combat in the USA? That is why 1,700 fire fighters descended on Ketchum to make sure those multimillion dollar homes did not burn. I guarantee you they would have let mine burn if I were in the same boat, since I have a modest abode.

Posted by curse914

wealthy republicans, well to do right wingers beat it into working folks heads that they, the rich, alone pay all the taxes and keep the country running. It''s like they fight the wars too. Some foolish working folk like to think they identify with the rhetoric. Makes em'' feel like they have some money too one might reckon.

[l8c6]

This is poetic justice for the South.
They''''ve been denying global warming for years, them and their corrupt neocon handlers.
Guess it''''s not so easy to deny the drought now!!
LOL
Posted by jerr11

Problem is the hicks will move out and elsewhere and you know what else? They never notice the log in their own eye. Look at California and it''s sick evangelical mega churches and white trash. The grapes of wrath done found Jesus in a bowl of cosmetics and glitter in the name of Jesus. The trash will, the ignorant redneck savage idiots will spread their diseased ways to other parts of the country.

[l8c6]

2.5 decades later after Reagan called for big government to get off the backs of individuals and the states and look at the mess. The big federal government built that dam and screwed things up. Drain the sucker, let nature reclaim it and spend no taxpayer money to destroy it.

[jerr11]

This is poetic justice for the South.

They''ve been denying global warming for years, them and their corrupt neocon handlers.

Guess it''s not so easy to deny the drought now!!

LOL

[micma-2009]

GLOBAL WARMING is knocking. Is anybody listening?

[lochlan-2009]

"How many calories of energy do you think it takes to desalinate each unit of potable water? That is the nasty little secret of the success of nations; they need cheap energy to succeed."

Yup, one calorie for every gram of water heated one degree celcius.

[lochlan-2009]

Man, every one of these states is on the ocean. They are even in a warm climate. When is government going to figure out how to distill water. I''m not going to explain how.

[gkc99]

Oh no, when are the secesh gonna open fire on Fort Sumpter again?

I think Sherman is serving in Iraq, but can be brought home. Marching through Georgia!

[prinzowhales]

The time for talking will come when the flow from the resevoirs to Alabama and Florida has ceased. Purdue should pull his head out of his backside and lay down the law.

Atlanta should not be allowed to pipe in water from the Savannah River...it already sends its garbage to counties outside the metro area and it''s very existence has despoiled thousands of acres of beautiful Georgia land. Where is Sherman when you need him?!!