In a major shift, farmers in southwest Georgia will soon be able to drill new irrigation wells after more than a decade of restrictions, following a legal battle with Florida over water rights.
A Hard-Fought Win for Farmers
Jason Cox, a peanut and cotton farmer in southwest Georgia, knows just how crucial water is to his operation. Without irrigation, his 3,000 acres of crops would not survive.
“I’d be out of business,” Cox said, speaking about the essential role water plays in his farming operation.
For over ten years, however, farmers like Cox faced a frustrating restriction: the inability to drill new wells to access the Floridian aquifer, the primary water source for their crops. This was part of a moratorium that Georgia imposed in 2012 in response to a severe drought and the collapse of the oyster fishery in Florida’s Apalachicola Bay. But now, Georgia officials have announced a reversal of that ban, much to the relief of many in the agricultural community.
New Wells on the Horizon
Governor Brian Kemp announced on Wednesday that the state’s Environmental Protection Division (EPD) will begin accepting applications for new agricultural wells starting April 1, 2025. This marks a significant step forward for farmers who have long been waiting for the opportunity to access additional water for their crops.
Jeff Cown, the director of the EPD, explained that the situation has changed since 2012. The initial moratorium was put in place amid the serious water shortages and the ongoing conflict with Florida over water use.
In 2013, Florida filed a lawsuit against Georgia, claiming that the state’s overuse of the Flint River’s water was hurting the Apalachicola River and the oyster fisheries downstream in Florida. However, in 2021, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in favor of Georgia, effectively rejecting Florida’s claims. The Court’s unanimous decision highlighted the lack of evidence showing that Georgia’s water usage had caused the environmental harm Florida had alleged.
Balancing Water Use and Conservation
While the ban on new wells is being lifted, Georgia officials have emphasized that this move will not lead to unchecked water consumption. Cown stated that new water withdrawals will be carefully regulated to ensure that conservation efforts are maintained. Specifically, no new withdrawals will be allowed from streams or lakes, and new wells will have to cease drawing water from the Floridian aquifer during severe droughts to protect local ecosystems, including the endangered freshwater mussels in the Flint River.
To further protect water resources, new irrigation systems will be required to use water more efficiently. These systems will be designed to reduce waste and will include electronic monitoring to ensure compliance with environmental standards.
The state has already taken steps in this direction by allowing farmers to withdraw water for crops like blueberries during freezing temperatures, a temporary measure to protect vulnerable crops from frost damage.
Reactions to the Policy Change
Gordon Rogers, head of the Flint Riverkeeper environmental group, welcomed the decision. Rogers has long argued that the ban on new wells was an admission of Georgia’s failure to properly manage its water resources. He believes that the state’s move towards more efficient water use, including incentives for farmers to reduce wasteful irrigation practices, represents a positive step forward.
Many farmers, including Cox, are excited about the possibility of drilling new wells on their land, ensuring their ability to continue farming without relying on neighboring water sources. Cox, who currently depends on a nearby farmer’s well, is particularly interested in tapping into the Floridian aquifer for his own operations.
Environmental Concerns Persist
Despite the positive shift, the issue of water management remains contentious. Florida’s environmental groups have long argued that the ecological health of the Apalachicola River and Bay has suffered due to overuse of water upstream in Georgia. While Florida’s lawsuit was dismissed by the Supreme Court, concerns about the long-term health of these ecosystems persist.
Florida’s Department of Environmental Protection and state Attorney General Ashley Moody did not respond immediately to requests for comment on Georgia’s decision. Similarly, a lawyer representing Florida’s environmental groups declined to comment on the matter.
For now, Georgia’s new policy stands, and for farmers like Jason Cox, it promises a future where access to water is no longer a barrier to success.
