Georgia House Delegation Encouraged by Army Corps Commitment to Revise Water Manual

Today, Dr. Carol Couch, Director of Georgia Environmental Protection, briefed the entire Georgia congressional delegation in a meeting in the U.S. Capitol about Georgia water crisis and the federal bureaucratic impediments to a resolution of Georgia's drought problems.  Rep. John Lewis called the meeting to facilitate a unified delegation response to the issue.  State officials have been negotiating with the Army Corps of Engineers to find ways to relax federal water release standards that would relieve some of the shortage problems in the state.  At a news conference today, the bureaucratic challenges were made clear.  Dr. Couch said that rain would help, but it would not alleviate the long-term strategic need to address water release issues in the region.

However, late today some initial progress was made.  Assistant Secretary of the Army for Civil Works John Paul Woodley phoned both U.S. Senators Johnny Isakson and Saxby Chambliss in response to a letter they had sent in September asking that the water control manual be updated.  Today, Woodley confirmed that the Army would begin to update water control procedures for the Alabama-Coosa-Tallapoosa River Basin--procedures that were implemented decades ago when water resources were plentiful.  The Georgia delegation asserts that new standards must reflect current water usage patterns, greater water demand in the Southern region, and contemporary shifts in the environmental condition of the region.

The Georgia House delegation reacted to this initial progress as follows:

REP JOHN LEWIS:  "I am gratified that we have finally made some progress with the Army Corps of Engineers.   This is a first step toward resolving our water problems in Georgia.  We look forward to more discussion with the Army Corps and encourage additional steps to further update water control procedures in the region.  We must find a resolution that relieves the threat to Georgia families and businesses."

REP. TOM PRICE:  "I'm encouraged that the Army Corps of Engineers has finally begun to recognize the water crisis in Georgia.  The clock is still ticking for the Atlanta area.  The Corps must quickly enact further and permanent changes to protect Lake Lanier and the Chattahoochee."

REP. SANFORD BISHOP : "While this news is encouraging, I hope the Corps will move quickly to update the water control manuals for the Apalachicola-Chattahoochee-Flint River Basin, which would be an even greater benefit to the over 4 million Georgians now facing a severe water shortage."

REP. JACK KINGSTON:  "Common sense is beginning to prevail over red tape and courtroom delays.  We are united as a delegation and will continue to fight this battle till the spigot is turned."

REP. DAVID SCOTT:  "I applaud the Army Corps of Engineers for finally taking the necessary steps to begin updating the water control manual for the ACT river basin.  It is my hope that they will also take similar action with respect to the ACF basin in the near future.  Updating these manuals however, is only the first step of a long-term process, and still leaves Georgia highly vulnerable to short-term water supply concerns.  These concerns can only be met by scaling back the amount of water released from Georgia's reservoirs.  So while I am pleased the Corps has taken some action, more can and must be done to protect the livelihood and well-being of millions of Georgians."

REP. LYNN WESTMORELAND: "For Georgians, this is a positive development. Of course, we haven't been promised more of our own water yet, but we're cautiously optimistic that the Corps of Engineers is going to look at the facts in Georgia and see the crisis and act to give us some relief. But this move does nothing for my constituents in the Apalachicola-Chattahoochee-Flint river basin. My district covers the southern metro Atlanta suburbs down into western Middle Georgia. The crisis is just as real at Lake West Point in Troup County as it is at Lake Lanier and Lake Allatoona. We have been trying to get the Corps' attention about the emergency situation on the A-C-F river corridor for years and now they are updating the A-C-T basin. It is good for those people but most of them are in Alabama where they have no statewide water plan as we do in Georgia. We will continue our efforts to convince the Corps to put people above mussels and sturgeon."

REP. JOHN BARROW:  "I'm glad Army Corps agreed to this updated plan.  Their action will benefit the Atlanta area, but it won't solve the problem of too little rain to replenish our reservoirs.  All of Georgia's metropolitan areas must manage our water supply more effectively.  Severe water restrictions are likely if we don't do a better job, and that can cause hardship on our citizens, businesses, and our environment."

REP. PHIL GINGREY:  "Moving forward on the update of the ACT Water Control Manuals is critical for the people of Georgia's Eleventh Congressional District, and I want to commend Secretary Geren for this bold decision. We have clearly seen the negative impact of managing under decades-old ACT manuals on Lake Allatoona and Carters Lake - particularly during a time of drought.  Recent months have made clear the need to perform these manual updates for the sake of Northwest Georgia, its people, and their businesses.  We still must address our state's immediate water supply issues, as well as the water control manuals for the Apalachicola-Chattahoochee-Flynt Basin, but today's decision is a tremendous - and welcome - step forward."

REP. HANK JOHNSON: "I had a good conversation with Assistant Secretary Woodley today, and I am encouraged that the Corps of Engineers is finally starting to listen to the people who own the water and are suffering as a result of this drought."

REP. PAUL BROUN:  "This is a welcome first step by the Corps, and one that is long overdue.  While it begins to address Georgia's long term water needs, it does little to offer relief to people throughout Georgia who are suffering due to this historic drought.  I continue to urge the Corps to use all possible means to ensure Georgians have access to the water they need in every corner of our state."

REP. JOHN LINDER:  "I am pleased that the Corps has finally started acting with some common sense.  Secretary Woodley's decision to have the Corps of Engineers begin to update the water control manual for the Alabama-Coosa-Tallapoosa (ACT) river basin is a victory for Georgians.  However, we must remember there is much work to be done before Georgians can feel secure about their water supply."  

"Water is not an endless resource, and we must prepare ourselves now for the future.  My bill, the ‘21st  Century Water Commission Act,' creates a commission of water experts to evaluate the water needs of the entire nation, and ensure that every American has access to adequate drinking water, even in times of severe drought.  We must learn from our experience in Georgia and go to work now to stop this from ever happening again."

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