Greg Bluestein,
AP, "Georgia Seeks Disaster Declaration", Oct 28,
2007, writes, "(Gov. Sonny) Perdue asked the president to exempt Georgia from
complying with federal regulations that dictate the amount of water released
from Georgia's reservoirs to protect federally protected mussel species
downstream".
The Georgia, Alabama, Florida "water war" is just another of
many "wars" throughout the history of our earth, for its limited
natural resources. A "water
war" is certainly not the optimal avenue toward reaching the optimum river
stage, but is probably a valid gauge as to a probable critical river
stage on the horizon, a critical stage having been reached or, sadly,
the optimum critical stage transcended and its resources already
overextended.
Throughout our earth, all rivers should eventually and
ideally reach a water flow of optimum benefit to all; a flow reached through
careful study of costs versus benefits to the population and environment.
Nationally, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is responsible for
monitoring national river stages to insure optimum benefit to all
and should include "never exceed" stage provisions to prevent capacity over
extension that would prompt "water
wars".
Many centuries-old, beautiful and productive rivers in Europe
thrive magnificently today due to this optimal stage having been reached,
recognized and respected. Many other rivers throughout
the world, sadly, have been swallowed up by reckless over extension of their
capacities.