Friday March 29th, 2024 11:48AM

Florida-Georgia water wars return to the nation's high court today

By AccessWDUN Staff

Oral arguments are scheduled before the U.S. Supreme Court today for the ongoing lawsuit Florida has filed against Georgia over Georgia's use of water in the Apalachicola-Chattahoochee-Flint River (ACF) Basin.

The U.S. Supreme Court already heard from lawyers once in the past - back in 2018. That year, in a split decision, the justices assigned the case to a federal judge in New Mexico, who recommended the justices dismiss Florida's lawsuit. Instead, the high court agreed to hear the case a second time. 

Florida contends that Georgia uses too much water from the river basin, which includes the water in North Georgia's Lake Lanier, for consumption in the Atlanta area and for irrigation in South Georgia. The lawsuit contends Georgia's overuse of water in the basin has damaged Florida's oyster industry. Georgia contends Florida has mismanaged oyster harvesting and Georgia's water use has nothing to do with damage to the oyster industry. 

There is no word on a specific time the Justices will hear the case Monday. 

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