MOULTRIE, Ga. — Back in the early 1970s, South Georgia boasted an unlimited water supply when trying to attract industry. But that no longer holds true. In fact there’s a thing called “The Water Wars” going on in Southwest Georgia that greatly impacts the Flint River Basin and the farming regions that dominate that area.

A portion of Colquitt County (northwest sector) is in the Flint River Basin but most of the county and points eastward are in the Suwannee River Basin. And those close to the water situation in South Georgia say it’s only a matter of time before the issues being expressed in the Flint River Basin crop up in the Suwannee basin.

“I’m working closely with the folks in Florida to try to prevent some of those issues like we’re seeing over in the southwest,” said Cliff Lewis, assistant branch manager of Environmental Protection Division’s Watershed Protection Division.

Colquitt County Extension Agent Jeremy Kichler agrees that it’s just a matter of time before water issues become more contentious in Colquitt and surrounding counties.

Lewis said Florida folks, also in the Suwannee basin, already are expressing concerns.

South Georgia farmers are keeping an eye on the “Waters Wars” case because it will impact the agriculture industry adversely.

Water management in Georgia has been a key issue since 1988 when irrigation permits were first imposed. At the moment, Georgia farmers have to have permits to sink an irrigation well. It has to be approved by the EPD if the farmer is going to pump more than 100,000 gallons per day.

“And almost all irrigation units will pump that much,” said Lewis. “Even drip irrigation for orchards.”

So far in the Suwannee basin, which covers most of Colquitt County’s heavily irrigated vegetable acreages, no limits have been applied. Permits can still be obtained.  However, Lewis said over in the Flint basin, there’s a moratorium on irrigation wells.

Basically, the water wars is a contest between Georgia and Florida. Florida alleges that Georgia mismanages its water, and it diminishes the amount of water flowing into the Gulf of Mexico and the quality of that water, particularly as it relates to seafood harvesting. Three major streams — the Chattahoochee River, Flint River and Spring Creek converge in Lake Seminole in extreme Southwest Georgia. From that lake, the Appalachicola River flows into the Gulf. Parallel to that, the Ochlocknee River, with headwaters in Colquitt County, also flows into the Gulf. Alabama, Georgia and Florida are connected to this issue.

A “special master” in Portland, Maine, was appointed by the Federal Courts to come up with a recommendation to the U.S. Supreme Court on how to settle this matter.

“The special master told us to go back into negotiations with Florida and try to come up with a solution. We have until Jan. 26,” said Lewis.

Water issues were among the topics at a recent gathering of farmers during a conference and trade show on Jekyll Island.

“No matter what decision the court finally hands down, the verdict will directly impact farmers’ ability to use water in this state. This court decision is not just some legal exercise or concept. This decision will affect you and me – our farms, our land, our crops, our livelihoods,” said Gerald Long, Georgia Farm Bureau president said. Long is from Decatur County, which is in the heart of the Flint River Basin.

Georgia Governor Nathan Deal said his office is actively involved in the efforts to settle the Water Wars issue.

Deal said that numerous attempts have been made to reach a water-sharing agreement with the state of Florida, without success.

Despite growing by more than 1 million people over the past decade, metro Atlanta is withdrawing less water, Deal said, noting that per capita consumption has decreased by about 30 percent over the same period of time.

“I assure you that Georgia has worked on your behalf and on behalf of all Georgians to take proactive steps to protect your interests and those of your fellow citizens,” Deal said. “You have a right to know the things that impact your work and your livelihood. I assure you I will not and I have not turned my back on the largest industry in the State of Georgia.”

Deal discussed his decision in 2015 to move responsibilities of the Georgia Soil and Water Conservation Commission to the Environmental Protection Division (EPD). He explained that the EPD is the only state agency with enforcement authority that would be recognized in the courts. He took criticism over this decision, but said the move was made to protect farmers’ interests, in hopes that the special master will take the state’s proactive steps to conserve water into consideration.

“I believe it is better for the state to regulate its own issues than to wait for the Supreme Court to tell us what to do,” Deal said in a report from the Jekyll Island meeting. “That’s why I refuse to sacrifice agricultural interests in this war. I will not turn my back on you, nor will I ignore our state’s economic interests in this fight,” Deal said in a Georgia Farm Bureau press release.

Meanwhile, Lewis said the situation has not reached such contentious levels with the Suwannee basin, but with half of the basin located in Georgia and half in Florida, he expects it’s only a matter of time before the situation gets more serious.

His duties with EPD include monitoring the water withdrawal on area farms as well as issuing irrigation system permits. Meters are put on irrigation units to determine how much water is being pulled out of the aquifer.

Not only do irrigation wells come under EPD watchcare, but so do ponds if that pond is on a stream coming into a property or if it creates a stream flowing out of that property. Permits are required to built such ponds. The more water pulled out by wells or is impounded by ponds, the less water goes into Florida.

Lewis said the approval process for ponds and well irrigation is to assure that their installation does not impede a neighbor’s water usage nor is it detrimental to wildlife.

“It generally takes a couple of weeks for a study to be made. We may say it’s okay to install or we might say that it’s okay with certain conditions,” said Lewis.

Colquitt County has many thousands of acres under irrigation either from center pivots or from holding ponds. Lewis said the Suwannee basin has more ponds than any other area of the state. At one time, it was estimated that Colquitt County had more man-made ponds than any other Georgia county. An aerial view of the county alludes to this estimation.

Lewis said not only are industry, agriculture and recreation tied into this issue, but he said the Endangered Species Act is a major player as well.

“If someone complains that a species is being harmed by a lack of water, a federal judge could issue an injunction on water usage until a study could examine the case,” Lewis said.