Water Quantity
Projects to manage water left in limbo
Local governments wait to hear judges’ decision Carolyn Crist, Gainesville Times Public utilities workers for Gainesville and Hall County are finding it hard to plan these days. With a looming […] Read More State Budget Includes Money to Study Raising Lake Lanier
The state senate passed a budget Wednesday that includes two million dollars to study raising the water level of Lake Lanier. Read More Remember Alabama’s Ally
Georgia Gov. Nathan Deal recently told members of his state’s water-supply task force that he plans to resolve the water-war dispute with Alabama before going on to deal with Florida. Is this some sort of a “divide and conquer” tactic? Maybe. However, it also may be the simple recognition that setting an acceptable flow of water for the Alabama-Coosa-Tallapoosa river basin may be the easiest of Georgia’s problems to deal with. Read More Board backs plan to lift lake level, joins Lanier group, Gwinnett in endorsment
Forsyth County has joined others in a push for a higher Lake Lanier. Commissioners approved a resolution Tuesday in support of raising the lake's elevation by 2 feet, to 1,073 feet above sea level. The county followed a push by the Lake Lanier Association advocacy group and Gwinnett County commissioners, who approved a similar resolution last week. Read More “World Water Day” panel looks at tri-state water war
The City of Gainesville, in conjunction with Brenau University’s Sustainability Task Force, hosted a panel discussion Tuesday afternoon entitled “Tri-State Water Wars” as part of the annual World Water Day observance. The panel was comprised of representatives from area governments and others concerned about water-related issues. The event was held at Brenau’s Thurmond McRae Auditorium. World Water Day started in Rio de Janeiro in 1992 at the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development. Read More Task Force Tackles State’s Water Supply
A state task force formed to find new water sources met for the first time Monday. Georgia is under pressure to expand its water options. Gov. Nathan Deal created the task force in January because the state could lose access to Lake Lanier next year. That federal ruling came after Florida and Alabama argued Georgia is taking too much water from the federal reservoir. Read More Water wars panel discussion lets you ask the experts -Event at Brenau University is free to attend
Gov. Nathan Deal continues to negotiate with Alabama and Florida over the decadeslong water wars, and Gainesville and Brenau University officials are hosting a panel discussion today on recent updates. Read More Gwinnett urges action on water supply
The Gwinnett County Board of Commissioners approved two resolutions today urging the U.S. Congress to clarify the use of Lake Lanier for public water supply and recreational purposes and to raise the lake’s full pool elevation. Read More Judges appear disinclined to let water ruling stand
A panel of judges on Wednesday appeared disinclined to let stand a ruling in the tri-state water dispute that, should it come to pass, could have catastrophic consequences for the metro region. The judges for the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals indicated they wanted to send the case back and order the Army Corps of Engineers, which operates Buford Dam, to make a final determination of how much water from Lake Lanier can be used to meet metro Atlanta's needs. Read More Ga. asks appeals court to overturn water ruling
A long-running dispute threatening metro Atlanta's main water supply for 3 million people went before appellate judges Wednesday who suggested they could revise or overturn a looming order that would severely restrict the city's use of water from Lake Lanier. Read More Lanier’s future as drinking source up to appeals court
The fate of Lake Lanier as the primary water source for metro Atlanta, including Gainesville, is now in the hands of the 11th Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals. But at least one observer to a three-hour hearing on the matter Wednesday, Lake Lanier Association attorney Clyde Morris, said he feels "cautiously optimistic" the three-judge panel will rule in Georgia's favor, based on some of its questions and banter with attorneys. Read More 