Arguments begin today in Florida’s federal lawsuit to cap Georgia’s water use from the Apalachicola Chattahoochee Flint River system.
The case will be heard by a special master named by the Supreme Court.
Arguments will be made in Portland, Maine.
The case was filed by Florida in 2014 and revolves around how water in the Apalachicola Chattahoochee Flint River system is shared by the states of Georgia, Florida and Alabama.
Florida argues that Georgia is taking too much water and hurting users downstream, particularly the Apalachicola Bay.
Florida feels that low water flows into the Bay has damaged the Apalachicola oyster industry and led to a Commercial Fisheries Disaster Declaration in 2013.
Florida wants the US Supreme Court to cap Georgia's water withdrawals at 1992 levels with even tigter restrictions during times of drought.
It also wants a special master to be appointed to oversee how the waters in the river basin are divided.
Arguments are expected to last for weeks, after which the special master overseeing the case will make a recommendation to the Supreme Court.
The court will then review his findings before issuing a final decision.
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