WTVM.com and WTVM News Leader 9, Columbus, GA | Water War Could Hurt Chattahoochee
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A water war could threaten what you drink and what you can do on the River in West Georgia and East Alabama.
Local experts argue new legislation in Washington could syphon off the future of the Chattahoochee River. Congressman like Bob Barr in Georgia still say it's a good idea.Dredging has been done for a century on rivers like the Chattahoochee. It's taking sand and anything else out of the water. This is w ater that, nature leaders remind us, is a precious natural resource we need to stay alive, especially from the Chattahoochee River.
"When you turn on your faucet, you got to realize that water supply probably comes from the river, so it's important to protect it," Jim Phillips said. He's the Chattahoochee River keeper.
The possibility of stopping the process of dredging altogether scares Phillips. He said it could dry our river up even more and ruin the natural flow of water needed for any recreation.
"If there's no dredging downstream, will the politicians in Atlanta make the case, well, you really don't need the water," Phillips said, adding Atlanta may be tempted to take water they need from Muscogee County.
Columbus leaders said no dredging would also be a big obstacle in having a marina in South Columbus. It would also hurt recreation like fishing and boating on the river.
"I've been out here for a long time," Marvin Hunt said, from the Riverwalk. "Me and my dad used to go out here fishing. I like it here a lot."
The argument against dredging is that it's sometimes harmful to the environment and millions of dollars is spent every year to dredge when few barges come through the Chattahoochee.
"While dredging is harmful, we certainly think we can improve those dredging practices a lot," River keeper Phillips said.
The legislation introduced this week involves three rivers that run together, the Chattahoochee, Flint to the east of us, and Apalachicola in Florida.
The Chattahoochee river keeper agrees there needs to be a better to get rid of the sand and dirt that comes out of the rivers, but eliminating it altogether, he said, is wrong, economically and environmentally.
Still, stopping dredging would not affect getting power or resources for steam plants, according to representatives with Georgia Power.
The same kind of legislation about dredging failed last year, but this time, support from President Bush is expected. Several Congressmen, including Bob Barr, did not return our calls on Thursday.
-by Jason Dennis
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