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Water Wars

June 27th, 2018 by Jake Stofan
The U-S Supreme Court gave Florida a partial victory today in its decades long battle for water with the state of Georgia.
In Eastpoint, Florida on the shore of Apalachicola Bay, fresh water kept from flowing by the state of Georgia has devastated the fishing industry.
Oyster boats remain docked along the shore.
It once produced 90% of the oysters consumed in Florida, and 10% of the nation’s supply.
But six years ago the bay collapsed.
A  water starved Georgia turned off the spigot at Lake Lanier, so it could send the water to Atlanta.
“We need that freshwater to support the bay. It’s the lifeblood of the bay,” said Georgia Ackerman with Apalachicola Riverkeeper. “The nutrients that come down the river support not only the estuary of Apalachicola Bay, but fresh water continues down the west coast of Florida taking care of a very important commercial fishing industry.”
With less fresh water flowing, the bay has become more salty, bringing more predators.
Shannon Hartsfield represents the Franklin County Seafood Worker’s Association.
“Our salinity is staying so high in the bay its ridiculous,” said Hartsfield.
The case now goes back to a special master, where Florida will have to prove that it has been hurt more than Georgia will be hurt in the future it f it has less water.
With the oyster industry already devastated,, those who work the bay say this decision is likely too little too late.
“We have very few oysters to reproduce, and once thats gone, it’s over with,” said Hartsfield. “There’s no opportunity for jobs here. There’s no industry here for a job. So, there’s no hope here.”
Without a flow of freshwater into the bay and then into the gulf, the entire gulf fishery could be doomed.
Only a few dozen people oyster in the bay, down from more than 100 when drought forced Georgia to begin taking more water around 2010.

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