November 2, 2007
AP
WASHINGTON -- A battle over water rights in the southern U.S. is growing as record drought continues to ravage the land.
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Photo: A dead fish sets on the exposed lake bottom at Lake Allatoona in Emerson, Ga., in this Oct. 25, 2007 file photo. With three Southern governors heading to Washington this week to lobby for water rights amid a potentially catastrophic drought, the Bush administration finds itself in a dilemma. If it decides to hold back more water to bolster Georgia's drinking supply, Alabama and Florida may claim the administration is crippling their economies to satisfy uncontrolled growth around Atlanta. If it continues releasing water downstream to Alabama and Florida, Georgia could argue it is hanging one of the nation's largest cities out to dry. (John Bazemore - AP) |
Georgia, Florida and Alabama have been locked in a legal battle over water for the better part of two decades. But the fight has intensified in recent weeks as droughts grow in severity.
The dispute centres on how much water is held back in federal reservoirs near the head of two river basins in Georgia that flow south into Florida and Alabama.
Under a plan announced yesterday, more water would be held back in an effort to boost Atlanta's drinking supply -- though at the expense of users downstream.
The fast-growing Atlanta region relies on the lakes for drinking water. But power plants in Florida and Alabama depend on healthy river flows, as do farms, fisheries, industries and municipalities.
Environmental approval is needed because of the potential impact on protected species that live downstream.
Alabama Gov. Bob Riley and Florida Gov. Charlie Crist had previously fought Georgia's effort to keep more water. But they accepted the recommendation yesterday, although only as part of continuing negotiations.
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