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The state of Georgia is in crisis. Georgia is experiencing a drought like no other, where the lack of water has hurt the local economy, the environment, and disrupted the lives of Georgia’s citizens.
The current water plans, which govern the water released from Georgia’s key reservoirs, are not working, and they are not meeting the needs of Georgia’s citizens. The Army Corps of Engineers recently announced that they will begin to update decades-old water control procedures for the Alabama-Coosa-Tallapoosa (ACT) River Basin. This is an important first step, however, until the Corps updates the Apalachicola-Chattahoochee-Flint (ACF) River Basin manuals, this is only a partial solution.
As dean of the Georgia Congressional delegation, I am taking important steps in Washington, DC to help Georgia’s residents and regularly bring the entire Georgia delegation together to discuss and plan federal strategy in response to the drought. Other important actions include the introduction of legislation by the Georgia delegation to ease restrictions on water releases from Georgia’s reservoirs so that we may build our reserves and keep more water on hand for future use. Also, the Georgia delegation has written to President Bush about the severity of the drought and asked that special federal funding considerations be given to Georgia counties most impacted by the drought.
As Georgians, we are doing our best to conserve and abide by the water restrictions that we all must shoulder. This drought is a time of collective action and sacrifice for all. In order to ensure that future droughts are anticipated and the effects are mitigated, I will continue to demand accountability from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and Fish and Wildlife Service, while simultaneously working with my colleagues in Congress and reaching out to State and local officials to ensure Georgians get the water they need.
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