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HR 4:Tennessee River Solves Georgia’s Water Crisis

Sponsored in the House by Reps. Harry Geisinger, Speaker Pro Tem Jan Jones, Majority Leader Larry O’Neal, Minority Leader Stacey Abrams, Majority Whip Edward Lindsey, Minority Whip Carolyn Hughley, and an additional 61 Co-Sponsors
FACTS
The State of Georgia has a long-term water
supply crisis. Demand will outstrip supply in Metro-Atlanta within the next 15 to 20 years.
    • The 2004 TVA Study found that the Tennessee River is the nearest water source large enough to meet future water needs for Metro Atlanta and Northwest Georgia (The Tennessee River has 1 billion gallons of excess capacity per day according to TVA EIS Reservoir Operations Study)
    • SR 822 (Act 798) of 2008 reconfirmed that the GA-TN border is at the actual 35th parallel, which crosses the Tennessee River at Nickajack, and not the flawed survey line one mile too far south (Georgia has never ratified the flawed survey)
  • The Army Corps has warned that
    1. The ACF basin does not have enough water to meet current needs
    1. Lake Lanier may not be able to meet Georgia’s full request for water
    1. Lake Lanier does not have enough water for water supply plus other required uses without causing more frequent and severe fluctuations in levels
PROPOSAL
HR 4 trades Georgia’s ratification of the flawed survey, except its western end, for Tennessee’s ratification of the border at the actual 35th parallel at the Tennessee River. This agreement confirms Georgia’s water rights in the Tennessee River and Tennessee’s control of most of the disputed strip including key Chattanooga suburbs.
BENEFITS TO ALL GEORGIANS
An IBT from the Tennessee River would augment Lake Lanier, the Chattahoochee River, Lake
Allatoona, the Etowah-Coosa-Tallapoosa basins, (then downstream from Atlanta) the Flint basin, Ocmulgee basin, and Oconee basin.
This solution answers water problems for Metro Atlanta and Northwest Georgia, and it improves water quality in all these lakes, rivers, and basins by increasing assimilative capacity and helping downstream areas of Georgia (including Southwest Georgia farmers).
    • Passage of HR 4 and acceptance by Tennessee confirms Georgia’s riparian rights to the Tennessee River at Nickajack. Consequently, future water withdrawal permits would be subject to Georgia laws, not Tennessee’s, and administered by the Georgia EPD rather than the Tennessee DEC
    • An IBT from the Tennessee River would protect the Savannah River and all downstream users on the Savannah including the new Savannah harbor expansion
    • Water from the Tennessee River helps solve our Tri-State Water War with Alabama and Florida because both would receive
HR 4:Tennessee River Solves Georgia’s Water Crisis
Sponsored in the House by Reps. Harry Geisinger, Speaker Pro Tem Jan Jones, Majority Leader
Larry O’Neal, Minority Leader Stacey Abrams, Majority Whip Edward Lindsey, Minority Whip Carolyn Hughley, and an additional 61 Co-Sponsors
Sponsored in the Senate by President Pro Tem David Shafer
2030 Metropolitan North Georgia Water Planning District Projections

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