The Water Wars May Be Over, But a New Threat to Lake Lanier is Emerging.

For decades, Georgia, Alabama, and Florida battled over how the ACF (Apalachicola-Chattahoochee-Flint) river system should be managed and whether Georgians should even be entitled to use Lake Lanier for water supply. For 20 years, LLA worked to protect Lanier’s water levels, recreational economy, and role as a critical water-supply reservoir for North Georgia.

Unfortunately, although the Water Wars are finally over, a new issue has emerged that could have significant implications for Lake Lanier.

The Corps of Engineers has initiated a project to restore reliable commercial navigation on the lower ACF, downstream of Columbus. Congress has appropriated $100 million for repairs to locks and dams and $3 million to examine reinstating dredging and channel restoration in support of navigation.

Proponents believe it could improve economic conditions for thousands of people in the lower ACF basin. Their efforts are supported by many elected representatives and government agencies in both Georgia and Alabama.

Commercial navigation was an original authorized purpose of the ACF system when the federal reservoirs were approved by Congress back in the 1940s, along with water supply, recreation, hydropower generation, flood control, fish and wildlife management, and water quality. The Corps is responsible for balancing all of those purposes.

The problem for Lake Lanier is that reliable navigation has historically required both a deepened river channel and water releases from upstream reservoirs to float the barges. Because Lanier has 66% of the system’s water storage capacity, that means navigation cannot be viewed simply as a downstream issue.

The Corps has publicly stated that its goal is to restore reliable navigation on the ACF. It has also stated that it does not intend to perform a new cost/benefit analysis as part of the project because one was conducted when the system was originally authorized more than 80 years ago. However, that analysis proved drastically inaccurate in predicting the relative economic benefits from water supply and recreation versus navigation. Our concern is that restoring navigation will disproportionately impact Lanier’s billion-dollar annual recreation economy in favor of trying to rejuvenate a commercial freight system that failed decades ago.

LLA has been closely monitoring Corps activities and meeting with ACF stakeholders. We prepared and introduced a detailed white paper for the Lake Lanier Caucus of elected officials and stakeholders outlining the potential implications of expanded navigation for Lake Lanier. The purpose of our efforts is to ensure that decision-makers fully understand the potential effects on lake levels, recreation, water supply, and the broader North Georgia economy, and that no operational changes are implemented by the Corps without an in-depth examination of their economic and real-world implications.

As we learned during the Water Wars, decisions made many miles downstream can have major consequences for Lake Lanier. LLA will continue to be involved in this issue and will keep members informed as it develops.