Perdue Pleased with Army Corps Drought Measures

By Odette Yousef

Atlanta, GA – Georgia leaders are pleased with the US Army Corps' decision today to reduce water flows into Florida, and to let Georgia retain rainwater.

Via conference call from Montreal, Governor Sonny Perdue said:

PERDUE: It's really the confirmation and affirmation of really good news for us.

The reduction in flows from the Apalachicola Chattahoochee Flint Basin into Florida isn't huge. But officials say the ability to store new rainfall, rather than release it downstream, is.

Carol Couch, Director of Georgia's Environmental Protection Division, says it's the right move, even if there's not much rain predicted for the winter:

COUCH: This is not ultimately the silver bullet that gets us out of a potential severe and dire situation next year, but it is the prudent and appropriate thing to do now.

The Corps of Engineers says the new measures will be flexible, allowing it to adapt to daily changes in the drought.

Meanwhile, the governors of Georgia, Florida, and Alabama still plan to meet on December 11 to work out a long-term solution to the tri-state water war.