The Hundred Years War between England and France was begun largely as a dispute over a region of France called Guyenne, which had ties to both monarchies on each side of the Channel. The Water Wars – which seem like they have been going on for 100 years – center around the Chattahoochee River. The dispute dates back in court to at least 1990 when Alabama sued the Army Corps of Engineers to prevent more water being diverted to metro Atlanta.
Florida got involved over the same reason, with concerns for oyster beds and shrimping in Appalachicola Bay. Those concerns were dismissed by the Supreme Court in 2021 which noted numerous other issues around management may have led to the decline in the fishing or seafood industry in the region. Florida declined to challenge the ruling and Alabama was the remaining challenger.
As of Tuesday, Alabama and Georgia have reached an agreement and a possible truce in the Water Wars might be final. Governor Brian Kemp and Alabama Governor Kay Ivey reached an agreement with the Army Corps of Engineers that effectively ends legal action and assures citizens who live or work in the mid- to lower Chattahoochee basin will have sufficient water flow in the future.
“This agreement is a win-win for our states, with neither side sacrificing what is important to them,” said Governor Brian Kemp. “The Chattahoochee River is the lifeblood of southwest Georgia, and this proposal would give citizens and businesses certainty about the flow of water they need for business and leisure alike. Just as significant, adoption of this proposal would end the current issues related to water supply for metro Atlanta at Lake Lanier, which is crucial to the future of our State.”
As per the agreement, the Corps would operate dams and reservoirs to keep minimum water-flow in Columbus, Georgia and Columbia, Alabama, while also maintaining minimum elevation at Lake Seminole – a shared waterway in the southwest corner of Georgia. The agreement is dependent on the Corps’ acceptance of the proposal, which will include both an environmental review and a public comment period. This may last several months and if rejected by the Corps, Alabama would resume their suit.
“I agree with Governor Kemp that this is a win-win solution for both Alabama and Georgia,” Governor Ivey said. “Alabama and Georgia have a lot in common. But we have spent a lot of time — and a lot of money on attorney fees — fighting in court over water. This proposal is a big deal for Alabama as the Corps has never before set minimum water-flow objectives in the parts of the Chattahoochee that affect us. It would provide Alabama with long-term assurances that, in times of drought, our citizens will be protected, and our stakeholders will know how much water is coming their way.”
Now cross your fingers for the Corps to accept the proposal.
