Alabama and Georgia Call Ceasefire: Alabama and Georgia governors have struck a deal with the United States Army Corps of Engineers, putting an end to the protracted “Water Wars” lawsuit initiated by Alabama in 1990.
In a press release from Governor Kay Ivey, the agreement ensures that residents and workers in the Mid- and Lower Chattahoochee River Basin, spanning both states, will have adequate minimum water flows during drought periods.
33-year old Water War
Known as the “Tri-State Water Wars” or the Apalachicola-Chattahoochee-Flint (ACF) and the Alabama-Coosa-Tallapoosa (ACT) dispute, the legal battle commenced 30 years ago with Alabama suing the Corps to halt the provision of water from Lake Lanier and Altoona Lake to the Atlanta metro area.
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.
~ Governor Kay Ivey
In the agreement outlined in Governor Ivey’s news release:
The Corps of Engineers will initiate the formal consideration of a unique proposal to manage its dams and reservoirs, aiming to meet minimum water-flow requirements at Columbus, Georgia, and Columbia, Alabama (located north of Dothan along the Chattahoochee River at the States’ border).
The proposal ensures that the Corps will uphold the essential minimum elevation at Lake Seminole, situated in southwest Georgia, approximately twenty miles southwest of Bainbridge.
This agreement is a win-win for our states, with neither side sacrificing what is important to them.
~Governor Brian Kemp
READ MORE: Georgia and Alabama Seek Resolution in River Dispute, Florida Concerns Linger
River advocates encouraged, urge state water plan
Cindy Lowry, Executive Director of the Alabama Rivers Alliance, anticipates reviewing the agreement and expresses hope that the state will shift its focus toward crafting a comprehensive statewide water plan.
It is encouraging to see these two governors seeking collaborative solutions to this decades-long fight over such a vital resource as water. The devil is, of course, in the details and we look forward to reviewing the agreement and providing comments. While this agreement focuses on the water from the Chattahoochee, there are still other shared river basins between Alabama and other neighboring states. We hope that with this litigation potentially ending, our state will have more time to develop an Alabama Water Plan, which will ensure our water resources within our borders are protected and resilient for people and nature now and into the future.
~ Cindy Lowry, Alabama Rivers Alliance Executive Director
Pending Corps approval
What lies ahead? Despite the proposed agreement between Alabama and Georgia, the Corps must subject the proposal to an environmental review and a public-comment period, a process that will span several months. If the Corps does not embrace the proposal, it could lead to the resumption of the Alabama lawsuit.
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Our Reader’s Queries
What is the ceasefire now resolution?
Ramirez (IL-03) has presented H. Res. 786, the Ceasefire Now Resolution, calling on the Biden Administration to demand an immediate reduction of violence and peace in Israel and occupied Palestine, as well as provide humanitarian aid to Gaza.
How many Palestinians have been killed by Israel?
At the end of December, South Africa filed a lawsuit accusing Israel of genocide in its war on Gaza. The lawsuit aims to stop the brutal military assault, which has resulted in the deaths of over 23,000 Palestinians, including nearly 10,000 children. Supporting South Africa in this legal action are Malaysia, Turkey, Jordan, and Bolivia.
How many people died in Gaza?
According to Gaza’s health ministry, the death toll in Gaza has reached 22,185 Palestinians since October 7.
What are the terms of the Hamas ceasefire?
The ceasefire deal permitted 200 aid trucks to reach Gaza every day. Only women and children were released by both Israelis and Palestinians. Hamas stated that the agreement also included Israel stopping all air missions over southern Gaza and having a daily six-hour no-fly period over northern Gaza during daytime.