Georgia to allow farmers drill new irrigation wells after win over Florida in water war
Date
12/19/2024 7:13:03 AM
(MENAFN) Jason Cox, a peanut and cotton farmer in southwest Georgia, emphasizes that water is essential for his farming operations, without which continuing his livelihood would be economically unfeasible. Cox, who cultivates 3,000 acres near Pelham, reflects the dependency of regional agriculture on irrigation. For over a decade, however, farmers in parts of southwest Georgia have been unable to drill new irrigation wells into the Floridian aquifer due to restrictions imposed by the state in 2012.
That is set to change next year, as Georgia Governor Brian Kemp announced on Wednesday that the state’s Environmental Protection Division will begin accepting applications for new agricultural wells in areas along the lower Flint River starting April 1. This marks the first time in more than a decade that farmers like Cox may have the opportunity to access additional groundwater resources. The 2012 moratorium was originally introduced during a severe drought and amid concerns about the environmental impact on Florida's Apalachicola Bay, which had experienced a collapse in its oyster fishery.
Florida subsequently sued Georgia in 2013, alleging that excessive water use by Georgia farmers along the Flint River negatively affected the Apalachicola River system downstream. However, in 2021, the U.S. Supreme Court unanimously ruled against Florida, stating that the state failed to provide sufficient evidence that Flint River farming activities were responsible for the environmental issues in the bay.
According to Jeff Cown, director of Georgia's Environmental Protection Division, circumstances have changed since the moratorium was put in place. The easing of restrictions represents a significant shift for southwest Georgia’s agricultural sector, potentially providing farmers with the water resources necessary to sustain and grow their operations.
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