Tri-State Water War
Nathan A. Smith
Gwinnett School of Mathematics, Science, and Technology
Thesis: Georgia should be able to continue their withdrawals from Lake Lanier and the water basins because of their water supply needs for irrigating its crops in the south, flood control, and sustaining its rapidly growing population in the metro Atlanta area.
Epa, U. (2013). Georgia: Upper Apalachicola-Chattahoochee-Flint River Basin, (2). Retrieved December 7, 2014, from http://www.epa.gov/ncer/events/calendar/2013/feb26/metchis2.pdf In the past, Georgia has experienced several droughts that impacted Georgia economically and politically. Because of this, states and counties downstream have been harmed
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Lund, N. (n.d.). Georgia Battles Back in Tri-State Water Wars. Retrieved December 7, 2014, from http://masglp.olemiss.edu/Water%20Log/WL31/31.3Tristate_Water_Wars.htm Lake Lanier is a large reservoir that serves many purposes including the following: flood control, power generation, recreation, water supply, and water storage. The US Army Corps of Engineers allowed Georgia to withdraw water from Lake Lanier. However, Alabama and Florida filed a lawsuit against the Corps due to the fact that Georgia was withdrawing water from Lake Lanier which decreased the downstream levels. In the 2009 ruling, Georgia as increased their withdraw amount to the point exceeding WSA which affected the hydropower generation. In the 11th circuit Appeal, Georgians were given hope in an increase in withdraws from Lake Lanier, but in the end, the Corps repudiated Georgia’s request. However, there was a problem with the law so the Corps is reevaluating Georgia’s request. Georgia has responsibility issues between water storage and hydropower generation. Alabama, Florida, and Georgia will wait for the Corps decision on the case before they do anything else. This source is useful because it gives detail at the time the Buford dam was created, the 2009 ruling, and the 11th Circuit Appeal. Compared to the other sources, this source details out the specifics of the purpose of the dam and how
(Babbitt, 2007), (Dedekorkut 2003) Both the federal and state agencies, along the American people are dedicated to clean-up the water flows in the Everglades. With this, the Everglades Restoration, as Babbitt points-out, is an example of a national commitment to large scale restoration of degraded ecosystems (Babbitt 2007). However , currently, both the public and the political culture rely heavily on natural resource science for answers the many phenomena that exist in water resource policy.
Conflict can also occur within a country, for example the states situated within the Colorado river basin have been constantly squabbling over who owns the water supply and who should be allocated the most water. In the 1920s the ‘Law of the River’ established the division of water amongst the upper basin states, it also defined their responsibility to supply water to the lower basin states. This division had been based on an estimated annual flow of 21 billion m3/yr in 1920, however this was a time of above normal flows, recent studies have indicated that long term average flows are around 18 billion m3/yr. The deficit between the flow and the allocation has become more apparent as the population in the clorado basin states continues to rise. As a result of this deficit tensions are rising between the states, California receives a large percentage of the water as a result of its large population and political power even though the river does not directly flow through it. This has heightened tensions with the states
Have you ever wanted to visit a state with beautiful mountains and waterfalls? If so Georgia is a great state to visit,because its known for it’s beautiful Appalachian Mountains. It also has beautiful waterfalls on the mountains.
Have you ever wanted to explore and find out new things about a different state? Well, in this informational passage, you will find out about different places and resources. You will also find out a lot about history, geography, and some strange state facts that you never knew. You’ll also get to know a few names of famous people that were born in Georgia. So, let’s get started and explore this wonderful state!
The upper basin states (including Colorado) were allocated a much greater percentage of the water than the lower basin states, while the upper basin states were developing at a much slower rate than those in the lower basin, notably California. Nevada (as of 1997) anticipated being unable to rely just on this water by 2015, while in 1997 California was already exceeding its originally allocated supply by diverting unused water from the upper basin states (Arizona.edu, 1997). It goes without saying that this legislation from the early twentieth century is not going to be sufficient in coming years as the development of these regions has progressed at a much faster rate than originally anticipated, and it is the responsibility of state and federal governments, water management companies, as well as appeals from farmers and non-farming residents alike to come to an agreement on how to apportion water and how to implement secondary hydration plans due to the rapidly declining resource that the once-magnificent Colorado River was able to supply us
These dams lead to want for more an in 1953 Congress authorized the Apalachicola-Chattahoochee-Flint Project.
One of the most important events that had occurred in the state of Georgia that would forever shape its history begun shortly after the American Revolution. When the cotton gin was invented, Georgia’s economy had transformed into a cotton and tobacco based plantation economy. In order to keep with the demands of the economy and citizens, Georgia had adopted the Headright System. The Headright System granted every head of household large acreages of land, which would quickly replace the small farms in Georgia. Then in 1783, the Treaty of Paris had formally ended the American Revolution. Although the war had ended, the nation was still troubled with various issues. The state of Georgia would see shortly after the Revolutionary War that although the Treaty of Paris had given the Floridian territory back to Spain, they were to be left to settle an international dispute once Spain asserted their ownership of land east of the Mississippi and north of the Yazoo River. Georgian’s who were eager to purchase the large amounts of land found west of the Mississippi to either begin plantations or to sell lands to planters. This would soon cause the climax of much trouble in Georgia when state legislators and land companies would work together to essentially set the prices to sell the land in what would be known as the “Yazoo Sale” scandal, which would indirectly result in the Trail of Tears. The most important themes and trends in Georgia’s history from the end of the American
due to Georgia’s unwillingness to agree to any real restrictions on water use by metro Atlanta. This paper will outline why new
The State Water Commission provides many laws and policies that citizens and businesses in the state must follow. Also, something that I found very interesting was that the Water Commission is involved in a variety of special water projects. One project that I will focus on is the Dam Safety project. The purpose of this project is to provide a program to minimize the risk to life and property associated with the potential failure of dams in North Dakota. The State Water Commission conducts dam inspections in order to identify any maintenance repairs that should be done. The image that I have provided below is a map of water well records, dams, drains, water levels, etc.
The Colorado River is shared by several states due to the large capacity of water that it holds and its proximity. These states include California, Mexico, Arizona, Nevada, Utah and Wyoming. The Colorado water compact is a 1922 agreement that was signed by seven states within the US to govern the sharing or water resources along the Colorado River. Since the development of the compact, California has been the most disadvantaged state since it uses water that has been already used up by other states. Before the compact, most of the states that use the water were in conflict due to the unfair allocation of the water resources. The allocation led to the development of the upper and the lower basin with the division point at the Lee Ferry. Some of the states got more allocation than the others while some did not get any fresh water (Sally, 2012). The Colorado water compact is ruled by many contracts and rulings that were signed by the states that use the water.
The water wars are between Alabama, Florida and Georgia. The main conflict in the water war is Atlanta city officials don’t want the US Army Corps of Engineers to lower the water flow to the Chattahoochee River. The Chattahoochee serves to irrigate over 700,000 crops and provide water power to a nuclear power plant in Alabama that generates most of the electricity for Alabama (Pittman). Apalachicola River is the largest flowing river in Florida and it helps determine the health of the Apalachicola Bay’s multimillion dollar seafood industry (Pittman). The Apalachicola also helps keep a balance of
The Klamath Lake, along with other various rivers, lakes and canals that surround it, are the basis for almost 500 species of wildlife in southern Oregon and parts of northern California. It also serves as the most important factor in a farmer’s livelihood; their irrigation. The basis for the water crisis that is going to today in this region is that the current water levels and somewhat water quality are diminishing and reeking havoc on the area’s
Texas, with its abundances of natural resources, is facing a new demon, one that doesn’t even seem possible, a shortage of water. Water, without it nothing can survive. Texas is the second largest state for landmass in the nation and ninth for water square miles. Within the borders of Texas are more than 100 lakes, 14 major rivers, and 23 aquifers, so why has water become such an important issue for the state? Politicians and conservationists all agree that without a new working water plan, the state could be facing one of the most damaging environmental disasters they have ever seen. The issues that shape the states positions are population growth, current drought conditions, and who actually owns the water.
Water governance in this case is not limited to even the state of Georgia’s government to handle despite most of the system traveling through Georgia. Controversy arises
James C. Cobb tried to answer this very question in the beginning of his book, “Georgia Odyssey”. With great wit and testimony, he stood behind the pride that he and others have when defending this great state. However, as he prolonged his discussion unto the introduction and start of the book, readers became aware that there was certain contradiction. You see, Cobb would state that the environment and culture of Georgia would be a specific way, but then turn around and state that it changed due to a certain historical event. It became apparent that an evolution was, and still is, taking place. As the meanings and boundaries of freedom within the state of Georgia kept being redefined, the theme of how it was happening revealed itself. The meanings and boundaries of freedom