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Monday, 08 October 2007 |
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Duke Energy is required by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to release 700 million gallons a day into South Carolina from Lake Wylie, Badr said.
There is generally more than enough water to meet both states’ demands. But there were more than 200 days when water flow was below that level in 2001 and 2002. Already this summer, there have been 30 days when water flow could not sustain that requirement, he said.
“We would be glad to give the water to North Carolina’s two cities if we have more than what we need,” Badr said. “But if we don’t have more than what we need, we cannot give them any, and we want them to go find another source of water for their two cities during those times of water shortage.”
Disputes between states over water resources are nothing new.
Georgia, Florida and Alabama seemed on the verge of reaching an agreement to establish a commission that would oversee the two basins they share, but a stalemate reportedly prompted an ongoing legal battle.
South Carolina began seriously looking at its water supply following the 1998-2002 drought, during which saltwater threatened freshwater public-supply intakes in the Pee Dee River, and on the Savannah River, the level of Lake Thurmond dropped almost to the level of public-supply intakes.
Barry Beasley, DNR’s planning and research coordinator, noted in a 2004 report that the state could no longer take its water resources for granted.
He recommended a joint agreement between the Carolinas, which share two waterways, the Catawba and Great Pee Dee rivers, both of which flow downstream into South Carolina, as well as an agreement with Georgia, which shares the Savannah River with South Carolina, to establish a permitting program to regulate large withdrawals from surface waters.
Talks with Georgia have not been fruitful either, Badr said, though Georgia has not attempted to take a large amount of water from the Savannah River basin that would prompt legal action. Badr believes negotiations would speed up, however, if South Carolina wins its lawsuit against North Carolina.
The state is keeping a close watch on the Savannah River because of Atlanta’s immense growth in recent years. At 4 million strong, the city’s population is nearly that of the entire state of South Carolina.
With other waterways serving Atlanta essentially tapped out, “they have nowhere to go except the Savannah River,” said Allen of the Water Resource Center. “I and many others, we can’t see how Atlanta can possibly keep growing and not start drawing water out of the Savannah basin.”
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