Boyd and Nelson Call for Comprehensive Study of Apalachicola River Basin

Senator Bill Nelson and Congressman Allen Boyd are calling for a comprehensive study of the Apalachicola-Chattahoochee-Flint River System to find out what effects the current Corps of engineers water management plans are having on the River basin, especially the Apalachicola River and Bay. The lawmakers on Wednesday filed legislation that would require the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to enter into an agreement with the National Research Council to conduct a 2 year basin-wide assessment. They are also circulating a letter amongst the members of the Florida Congressional Delegation asking that the Corps accept the study – they hope the Corps will accept the letter which would allow the study to begin sooner. The study would seek scientific information on the Apalachicola River and Bay and the impact of freshwater flow on the ecology of the river and the bay. The study would also provide an assessment of water availability, supply options, demand-management alternatives, and socioeconomic factors that influence uses in the ACF River System. The end result, they hope, would be a water management plan that recognizes the needs of all users along the River System. While the study would give the government a better idea of how its actions affect the Bay, it will not stop the Corps current plans of cutting water flow into the Apalachicola River to 5000 cubic feet per second while they refill a number of lakes and reservoirs along the river system. Many of the reservoirs have seen their water levels drop because of an ongoing drought in the southeast. The Congressman and Senator also circulated a letter on June 5^th asking that the Corps of Engineers not to begin the new water management program, but they have not yet received a response to that letter. Senator Bill Nelson said “We cannot sit back and watch as the river and bay decline, The Apalachicola River is suffering under the current way of doing business. We need a solution that takes into account the environmental sensitivities and real water needs of the citizens of the three surrounding states. This study is a first step toward reaching that goal.”