Charting a New Course for Georgia's Water Security
On July 15, 2010, Upper Chattahoochee Riverkeeper, Coosa River Basin Initiative, and Flint Riverkeeper issued a call to action to the state’s leaders, insisting on a change of course in resolving the Tri-State Water War and providing for metro Atlanta’s water supply. Together we issued a three-point plan for resolving the Tri-State Water War without sacrificing Georgia's rivers or the communities that depend upon them. The plan, entitled Charting a New Course for Georgia’s Water Security, has been endorsed by all of Georgia's riverkeepers.
Click here to download Charting a New Course for Georgia's Water Security.
Click here to download" A Tri-State Glossary."
Click here to view Tapped Out: The Drying Up of Atlanta, UCR's presentation outlining the causes of metro Atlanta's water crisis and providing common sense solutions for citizens, businesses and community leaders.
 OVERVIEW
In July of 2009—after two decades of deadlock among Georgia, Florida, and Alabama over the operation of Buford Dam and other water allocation issues—a federal judge ruled against Georgia, rejecting metro Atlanta’s claim to Lake Lanier for water supply. The judge gave Georgia three years, until July 2012, to reach a water sharing agreement with the other states.
One year has passed since the judge’s ruling, and by most accounts, negotiations in the tri-state water war are failing. Unless we change course soon, we will be left high and dry in 2012. This issue is one of the most pressing challenges facing our next governor, and voters must know where our candidates stand. With so much at stake, we cannot afford to fail.
Based on our many years of protecting the Chattahoochee, Coosa and Flint Rivers, accounting for the needs of people and wildlife throughout these river basins, Coosa River Basin Initiative, Flint Riverkeeper, and Upper Chattahoochee Riverkeeper believe that we can reach a mutually beneficial water-sharing agreement if our next leaders, most notably the new governor, practice these three R’s: RESPECT, REVEAL and REDUCE.
OLD COURSE = FAILURE |
NEW COURSE = SUCCESS |
CONFLICT – Our current leaders have pitted the needs of metro Atlanta against the needs of everyone downstream –in Georgia and in other states--fostering conflict instead of cooperation. |
RESPECT– Our next governor and other leaders must demonstrate respect for all downstream communities, including their right to enough clean water, a sustainable environment, and future prosperity. |
CONCEAL - Our current leaders insist that secrecy is necessary to achieve a negotiated water sharing agreement, but this tactic has failed to produce any progress for two decades. Secrecy hinders political accountability and inhibits public confidence in a solution. |
REVEAL – Our next governor and his or her administration must reject all secrecy and engage Georgia’s stakeholders openly and fully in the negotiation process, including the ACF Stakeholders Group and the Tri-State Conservation Coalition. |
CAPTURE – Our current leaders are wasting time and money focusing on expensive and highly-engineered storage and piping projects that cannot guarantee water supply in time to help us meet the 2012 deadline. We do not have the money to pay for these schemes. |
REDUCE - Our next governor and all of our leaders must commit to reducing metro Atlanta’s water demand through aggressive conservation and efficiency measures, beyond the modest steps taken by the 2010 legislature. |
We urge all gubernatorial candidates and state leaders to endorse this change of course!
Governor Perdue’s own Water Contingency Planning Task Force concluded in December 2009 that the only way to meet metro Atlanta’s water demand by the 2012 deadline is through conservation and negotiating for reallocation of some portion of Lake Lanier for metro Atlanta water supply.
By committing to the above steps, Georgia will be in a position to negotiate effectively with our downstream neighbors and achieve a water sharing agreement by the July 2012 deadline to meet water needs not secured through conservation.
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD A COMPLETE COPY OF CHARTING A NEW COURSE FOR GEORGIA'S WATER SECURITY.
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