Tri-State Water War

The long-running "Tri-State Water War" between Georgia, Florida and Alabama is a major focus of the Georgia Water Coalition. Even though a June 2011 ruling by the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals has now overturned the 2009 ruling by Judge Paul Magnuson regarding the use of water from Lake Lanier, the tri-state negotiations continue -- and Georgia needs to continue improving its water stewardship.

The Georgia Water Coalition believes that to do its part to find a resolution in the tri-state water war, Georgia should create a plan that protects waters and communities upstream and downstream in tri-state river basins, and truly create a “Culture of Conservation” that provides the quickest and cheapest way to address our water supply problems and protect downstream communities. To do this, Georgia should:

• Focus strategies on aggressive use of water conservation and efficiency measures which will reveal a “hidden reservoir” of water at a price per gallon significantly less than other options.
• Make reauthorization and reallocation of the water from Lake Lanier a central component of future water supply plans.
• Use water demand projections that realistically reflect Metro Atlanta’s future water needs.
• Not deprive downstream communities of the chance for future economic growth, prosperity and ecological health.

Additional Resources:

Upper Chattahoochee Riverkeeper's Tri-State Water War online resources

The Upper Coosa Riverkeeper's resource pages on the proposed Dawson Forest reservoir

Georgia River Network's Georgia Water Wire blog