Georgia River Fishing

[Riverpirate]

Flint Riverkeeper Follow Up
Action Request!

Dear Flint Riverkeeper Members and Friends:

Many of you have already signed this important petition, boosting the number of signatures to nearly 1,900. Help us get this number up over 2,000 Georgia citizens. If you have not signed the petition, please navigate to the website, read the materials, and decide whether or not you want to support this very important effort. We are working hard in the Georgia General Assembly to introduce the exact type of legislation that the petition requests, and we have the signatures of several dozen Republican and Democratic legislators. By taking a few minutes to go to the website, read the materials, and sign the petition, you can help us push the ball over the goal line. Then, stand by while we keep you informed on the progress of our work, in concert with the wider Georgia Water Coalition, to protect our rivers from diversions of flow and volume to further grow areas that have already outstripped their resources. The moment will come when we need you to contact your Representative or Senator and tell them what your position is on controlling interbasin transfers. Thank you.
For the Flint, Gordon
Sign Petition to Protect Georgia's Waterways Over 1700 people have now signed the No Water Grabs petition – can you? Go to www.nowatergrabs.com to let your elected leaders know you want all Georgia waterways protected.
Georgia is home to more than 70,000 miles of rivers and streams, but with a population of 9.8 million people, these abundant water resources are being strained. This is especially true in Metro Atlanta, where half of the state’s residents are located.
Some believe that the abundant water resources of Georgia’s smaller cities should be piped to Metro Atlanta to support its continued growth. This process is usually referred to as “interbasin transfer” because water is moved from one river basin to another and not returned. Such transfers could significantly impact the economic future of Georgia’s smaller communities and threaten the natural heritage of our state.
A better alternative is water conservation and efficiency. Metro Atlanta could save between 130 and 210 million gallons of water per day by implementing water efficiency and conservation. Interbasin Transfers are costly, very controversial and would take a long time to provide drinking water. The cost of efficiency measures range from $0.46 to $250 per 1,000 gallons saved or new capacity. Water efficiency FIRST is the most cost-effective and timely solution.
Let your elected leaders know you want all Georgia communities and waterways protected – go to www.nowatergrabs.com today and tell your friends!

For The Flint,
Gordon Rogers
Riverkeeper & Executive Director
Flint Riverkeeper
P. O. Box 468
Albany, GA 31702
Office: 229-435-2241
Cellular: 912-223-6761
Join & Support Flint Riverkeeper at www.flintriverkeeper.org
Flint RIVERKEEPER® is a fully licensed member of the WATERKEEPER® ALLIANCE, and is incorporated as Flint RIVERKEEPER®, Inc., a Georgia Corporation approved under the federal tax code as a 501(c)3 non-profit entity. 'RIVERKEEPER®' AND 'WATERKEEPER®' are registered trademarks of WATERKEEPER® and associated entities.
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I fish from a kayak because it is more fun than Tai Chi or yoga.

[oosik]

Thanks for this information. I'm all in!!
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Rangers lead the way!!!

[nielson]

From what I gather, the petition says this:

"Gov. Sonny Perdue and the Georgia General Assembly should adopt, during the 2010 legislative session, laws requiring Georgia’s Environmental Protection Division to require any current and future interbasin transfers of water to be done in a manner that protects our natural resources and our economic future."

Pretty innocuous if you ask me but it seems like this is an implied mission of EPD anyway so why need a special law?

Why stop at interbasin water transfers? Why not a general catch-all law saying: EPD is to require any action taken by the State of Georgia to be done in a matter that protects ....blah, blah ....

Is this some kind of legal mumbo-jumbo that implies that there can be no interbasin water transfers until it is unequivocally proven that it will protect our natural resources and our economic future? That sounds tough to do and probably kill any attempt to try this transfer business.

Or is this perhaps an attempt to gin up interest and support of these environmental groups. (Please notice that I had the good grace not to refer to such groups as "nutjob" or "wacko.")

Not ready to Jump on the bandwagon yet in Athens,
Your pal, Jim

[Riverpirate]

from our Executive Director:

Currently, the "law" allows an IBT with a press release 7 seven days prior
to the EPD Director issues the permit. Stated differently, if a water
supply developer wishes (and this is a real) to transfer 50mgd from the
Tallulah at Lake Burton, across the ridge, into Raper Creek, thence to the
Soque and therefore the Hooch (guess why??), it can be done with just cash,
property ownership for riparian "reasonable use rights", a news release, 7
days, and then a permit from the EPD Director. This is bad water policy. It
is bad economic policy, unless you are simply focused on the economics of
growing Metro North Georgia in the short term (one or two more generations).

Generally, just because we think that EPD SHOULD be protecting the
environment and our economic interests, does not mean that they ARE doing it
. . . . . .I can cite example after example, from now until way after
midnight. Like the writer Jim suggests, I would be very much in favor of a
blanket law that forces EPD do to what is right; unfortunately, our
legislative system is much more fragmented than that. We work with what we
have to work with, and I would personally appreciate his, and anyone else's,
support to incrementally improve the situation in Jawja, my and your beloved
state and home. It is not legal mumbo-jumbo; it is protection.

And, if I were to gin up a fundraiser/supportraiser, this would not be my
first choice. It is a very important issue.

I welcome further dialogue.

Gordon

Gordon Rogers
Riverkeeper & Executive Director
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I fish from a kayak because it is more fun than Tai Chi or yoga.

[Riverpirate]

I really hate to speak for/type for Gordon. I will encourage him to join our group as I think this group more than any other is all for protecting our rivers. Especially our local Flint. And further I encourage each of you to join the Flint River Keeper Organization or another river keeper organization.
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I fish from a kayak because it is more fun than Tai Chi or yoga.

[nielson]

Whether or not Mr. Rogers joins the conversation directly isn't that important other than he probably is more informed about the issue than the most of us - surely more informed than me.

What would help though is if others here would join the discussion and share their thoughts and knowledge about the issue. I intend to continue to participate as long as I don't just end up talking to myself.

Over the last couple days, I've done a little bit of research into the issue and I'll share what little I've learned. Hopefully others will add to the discussion and help us all reach a more informed decision. When I learn more, I'll post it as well. And just for your information, I remain undecided but am keeping an open mind.

Here's some of what I have learned:

1. Interbasin water transfers is not a new concept. My understanding is that in North America it has been practiced for over 100 years. I didn't dig deep enough to discover the lessons learned but suspect they are out there. Same is true for other parts of the world.

2. The Atlanta area already practices a form of interbasin transfer. The bulk, or perhaps all, of Atlanta's water comes from Lanier (Chattahoochee basin), treated, used and then some of what is not evaporated or enters the ground water system is retreated (sewage treatment) and put back into other basins (not just the Chattahoochee) just due to the variety of basins that comprise the Atlanta area.

Jim

[Riverpirate]

Jim my concern is this:

Interbasin transfer allows the transfer of water from a dammed Flint river reservoir to Atlanta which is something that has been proposed. The lasy thing I want is a dam on the Flint to pump water back to Atlanta. That is selfish I suppose but so be it.
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I fish from a kayak because it is more fun than Tai Chi or yoga.

[nielson]

"The last thing I want is a dam on the Flint to pump water back to Atlanta. That is selfish I suppose but so be it."

I share the same gut reaction but I try to not follow my gut instincts if there's some time to think about it and get some more info to form a more rational opinion.

Your pal, Jim

[Riverpirate]

Take your time. I know you. You will come around and do what is best for the resource I am sure.
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I fish from a kayak because it is more fun than Tai Chi or yoga.