- ATLANTA — A federal judge on Friday ruled against Georgia in the state’s water dispute with Alabama and Florida, deciding that Atlanta must stop withdrawing water from a massive federal reservoir within three years unless if can get approval from Congress.
U.S. District Court Judge Paul Magnuson said Lake Lanier wasn’t built for water supply and the state’s withdrawals are illegal. He acknowledged it would be impossible to immediately stop using the lake because it is metro Atlanta’s main water supply. But he said if the state can’t get permission from Congress within three years, the withdrawals must end. The article, which appeared in the Tallahassee Democrat, can be seen HERE. Another article by Bruce Ritchie tells how this affects the Apalachicola River in Florida. The article appeared in FloridaEnvironments.com and can be read HERE.
