OUR OPINION: Watch the Water

The drought in North Georgia has received national attention recently, including an article this week in The New York Times. In the worst case, experts estimate that Lake Lanier (the main source of water for metro Atlanta) could be empty within 90 to 121 days.

The current drought has broken every record, says state Climatologist David E. Stooksbury, and the situation will continue unless there is significant rainfall during the fall and winter.

Hmm ... if there isn't enough water in Atlanta, where do you think the powers that be will go to look for more? Remember, there are states out West where water is routinely piped for hundreds of miles to supply cities such as Albuquerque and Las Vegas.

South Georgia's water supply comes from the Floridan Aquifer and isn't as dependent on rainfall as Lake Lanier, although drought does affect the aquifer to some degree. Given the financial condition of some counties in this part of the state, it is easy to imagine local governments desperate enough to sell their water. And with the political clout concentrated in Atlanta, would the legislature stand in their way?

Every farmer in South Georgia should be keeping an eye on this situation, and so should everyone else whose livelihood depends on agriculture-related products.

Water looms as one of the most pressing issues of the next decade, and this drought only serves to highlight the urgency of the problem. We need to protect our resources in South Georgia; our future depends on it.

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