Afta victory ova Florida for water war Georgia go allow farmers drill new irrigation wells

Jason Cox wey dey grow peanuts and cotton for southwest Georgia talk say farming no go fit work without water to irrigate him crops.

“I go just dey out of business,” na wetin Cox wey get 3,000 acres (1,200 hectares) around Pelham.

For more than ten years now, farmers for some parts of southwest Georgia no fit drill new irrigation wells to di Floridian aquifer, di groundwater we dey near surface.

Dis one happen bicos Georgia stop farmers from drilling wells or taking extra water from streams and lakes since 2012.

But farmers like Cox go get chance to drill new wells starting April. Gov. Brian Kemp announce on Wednesday say Georgia Environmental Protection Division go start accept applications for new agricultural wells for areas along di lower Flint River starting April 1.

Jeff Cown, di division director, talk for statement say things don change since 2012.

Di ban com wen dem dey face bad drought and di collapse of plenty oyster fishery inside Florida’s Apalachicola Bay.

Florida state sue in 2013 argue say Georgia dey use too much water from Flint River wey dey cause negative impacts downstream wia Flint and Chattahoochee River meet becom Apalachicola River.

But US Supreme Court unanimously reject di lawsuit in 2021, talk say Florida no prove wetin dem claim say Flint River farmers na cause am.

Dat one na just one case among many litigation wey don happen ova decades mostly based on fear say Atlanta population go chop all di upstream water leave small for downstream use.

Di include Apalachicola-Chattahoochee-Fl system plus Alabama-Coosa-Tallapoosa system; dis one flow out of Georgia enta drain plenty of Alabama.

Georgia still win some cases wey guarantee say metro Atlanta get rights to water from Chattahoochee River’s Lake Lanier to quench him thirst.

Georgia officials dey talk say new water withdrawals no go ignore conservation measures.

No new withdrawals from streams or lakes go allowed; plus any new well gatz stop take water from Floridian aquifer wen drought too bad so e fit protect di water levels inside Flint wia endangered freshwater mussels de live.

New wells also gatz with irrigation systems wey waste less water and fit monitor electronically according to November presentation by environmental agency.

Crown talk say di plans “support existing water users including farmers” and “set stage make room for new ones.”

Him express hope say dem sabi work with all di users as dem collect dis newly developed permits.”

Georgia don already start small moves by tell farmers say dem fit withdraw some amount of water spray vulnerable crops like blueberries during freezing temperatures.

River keeper Gordon Rogers who dey lead environmental organization with di same name call dis action by Georgia “good news.”

Him don long argue say dat on new withdrawals be “admission of failure,” show how Georgia mismanage dia use along di river.

But he yan say investment in conservation dey payoff: Plenty farmers dey install less wasteful irrigators plus some agree stop using dia shallow wells during drought in exchange make dem get subsidy to drill deeper aquifers that no directly affect river flow.

“Wat we wan do na make am more efficient, make am fairer,” Rogers add. “And we still dey inside am.”

A lawyer for Florida environmental groups way they argue say Apalachicola River and Bay they suffer decline comment in email.

Representatives from Florida Department of Environmental Protection plus state Attorney General Ashley Moody never respond immediately to request for comment.

Cox who live about 165 miles (265 kilometers) south of Atlanta yan say e interested in drilling a new on land wey e own right now; dat land rely on neighboring farmer’s well.

E sabi say drought restrictions mean sometimes e no irrigate him crops but data wey he see show say dere wouldn’t have been many days ova di last ten years wen he would have been barred from irrigating, and most times nor be peak watering times.

Three years ago, drill well into deeper aquifer but he still believe even spending $30,000 or more on shallow well go boost productivity and value of him land.

“It would enhance my property if I had a well myself,” Cox conclude.

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