Florida River Named Most Endangered in the Country
April 12th, 2016 by flanewsFlorida is home to the most endangered river in the entire country according to a newly released report. As Matt Galka tells us, it’s another chapter in the ongoing water wars between Florida and our neighbor to the North, Georgia.
It’s bad news for the biggest river in Florida.
“We’re here today to announce the number one most endangered river for 2016, the Apalaichicola, Chatahoochee, Flint River Basin,” said Ben Emanuel with American Rivers.
The Apalachicola is part of a basin that tops the nation as the most threatened – in large part thanks to water wars between Florida and Georgia – with not enough water flowing south from Atlanta.
Oyster fisherman Shannon Hartsfield says his community in Franklin County that relies on the river and the Apalachicola Bay is fading fast.
“The industry is suffering because the spouse has to go out of town to work, somes even packed up and moved their whole families. We’re down from less than half of what the industry used to be,” he said.
A coalition of riverkeepers and state and federal officials called for action now to try and settle the three decades old feud over water.
“The ramifications of potentially losing another section of the Gulf of Mexico will effect us across the nation,” said U.S. Rep. Gwen Graham (D-Tallahassee).
The water flow battle could ultimately end up being decided in the U.S. Supreme Court later this year.
But many are hoping that Florida, Georgia, and Alabama can come to a mutual settlement out of court that benefits the people of each state.
“Problems are going to exist after that court case unless the Governor’s come together for an open, transparent, citizen based solution that is grounded in science,” said Flint Riverkeeper Gordon Rogers.
Florida sued Georgia over the water hogging in 2013. Currently, Florida and Georgia are in mediation for the case filed in the Supreme Court over the lack of water flowing into the basin from Atlanta.
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