Water sharing negotiations to continue between three southeastern states

November 14, 2001 — Three states working on a water-sharing agreement postponed their deadline for the second time Tuesday, pushing the negotiations into 2002.

Georgia, Florida and Alabama, the states involved in the long-standing dispute over source water, have until Jan. 15 to come up with proposals for how they will share water in the Apalachicola-Chattahoochee-Flint river system for the next 30 years, the Associated Press reported.

Talks stalled in the summer after Florida withdrew its latest proposal. Georgia and Florida have not been able to agree on flow rates between reservoirs in Georgia and the Apalachicola Bay in Florida.

As a result, Georgia and Alabama have not been able to come to agreement on the Alabama-Coosa-Tallapoosa river system. Georgia and Alabama are both trying to secure adequate water to support its population growth, while Florida is trying to protect aquatic life in the Apalachicola river and bay.