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Flint River Named #2 Most Endangered River in U.S.

Low River Flows Threaten Georgia Wildlife, Recreation and Communities

  The Flint River is threatened by declining river flows and outdated water management that is drying up the river system. From Metro Atlanta to the farm country of Southwest Georgia, there are insufficient management policies to keep healthy flows running in the river. As a result, river flows have declined, and some major tributary streams now run dry even in non-drought years.           

The consequences of continually low flows in the Flint River and its tributaries are dire. The Flint drainage shelters a great variety of native fish as well as five federally protected mussel species, all of which will be negatively impacted by the persistence of diminished flows. In addition, low flows drastically reduce the availability of recreational opportunities on the Flint River, and consequently pose a threat to local tourism-dependent economic activity.

            American Rivers and its partners are working to reverse the various causes of low flows throughout the basin and restore the health of the Flint. They also called on the state of Georgia to protect the Flint properly during drought to safeguard the river’s health. Recent legislative attention to the Flint River Drought Protection Act is a testament to the seriousness of water quantity issues in the lower Flint River basin of Southwest Georgia and throughout the entire basin from Atlanta to the Florida state line. American Rivers and Flint Riverkeeper have just completed an assessment of low-flow problems in the upper portion of the Flint River basin, pointing the way toward solutions for that part of the river system.

            “For nearly 40 years the Flint River system has been subjected to a state water withdrawal permitting system that has failed to protect flows in the river,” said Flint Riverkeeper Gordon Rogers. “The past management of the Flint does not meet a standard of good stewardship, but now is the time to turn things around and work together toward restoration. This river can be healed.”  Rogers is Executive Director and Riverkeeper for Flint Riverkeeper, an organization of families, farms, and businesses dedicated to the restoration and protection of the Flint.

            “The farming economy of Southwest Georgia relies on the waters of the Flint River and the Floridan Aquifer,” said Robin Singletary. “We want to be smart about our use of this resource. Seeing streams run dry does not bode well for the future of the agricultural economy in this area of the state.” Singletary is the owner of CoveyRise Plantation in Camilla, a member of the Flint Riverkeeper Board of Directors, and holds agricultural water-withdrawal permits in the lower Flint River basin.

            “We encourage citizens to act now to ensure the Flint River and our communities thrive and leave a lasting legacy for our children and grandchildren. This is not someone else’s issue—every person in the Flint River basin is impacted,” said Pam Young, Executive Director of the Southern Conservation Trust, a land conservation nonprofit that serves the Southern Crescent of Metro Atlanta.

            The Flint River provides water for at least one million people, 10,000 farms, world-class fishing, seven unique species, and flocks of boaters who come to experience the river’s 300 miles of exceptional paddling.  Last year, the Apalachicola-Chattahoochee-Flint river system was named one of America’s Great Waters by the America’s Great Waters Coalition, an alliance of groups from the local to the national level involved in protecting and restoring the health of American water resources.

            The annual America’s Most Endangered Rivers report is a list of rivers at a crossroads, where key decisions in the coming months will determine the rivers’ fates.  Over the years, the report has helped spur many successes including the removal of outdated dams, the protection of rivers with Wild and Scenic designations, and the prevention of harmful development and pollution.

 

Cost of County Health Insurance Increasing Ordinance Being Implemented at Sprewell Bluff

By Matt Sharpe

            The Upson County Board of Commissioners held at a called meeting Tuesday, April 23, before their regularly scheduled meeting to discuss the county’s current health insurance program.  After much discussion with Cigna representatives, the BOC approved by a 5-0 vote to renew their insurance coverage for employees.  Unfortunately for the county and its employees, the cost is going up.  The one-year renewal agreement will be a 10 percent increase for the county and a ten percent increase for the employees.  The increase is approximately $114,000 for the county and it will go into effect July 1, 2013.  The total expenditure for the health insurance after the renewal is $1.259 million for Upson County.  Blue Cross was the other bidder for the insurance and their renewal program was for $1.325 million. 

            With a 5-0 vote the BOC approved the establishment of a GIS Committee for the county.  County Manager Jim Wheeless stated that over the past few months’ department heads with the county have been meeting with Jim Davis of the Upson County Tax Assessors Office to discuss how their GIS system can be utilized with other departments within the county system.  The GIS system is a mapping system used by the tax assessor’s office that is designed to analyze and manage the different types of geographical data.  A phase in plan would be used throughout the county divisions to help incorporate the system with departments such as 911, Building and Zoning, and the Emergency Management Agency. 

            The Upson County Sprewell Bluff Park is up and running and being managed by the county.  Commissioner Steve Hudson stated that the bluff has rules and guidelines and the topic of making the rules an ordinance has come up with Upson County Sheriff Dan Kilgore.  He said that the ordinance that is going into effect will be implemented at all of the county parks.  Currently the rules at the bluff can’t be enforced by the sheriff’s department since they are not classified as an ordinance.  Hudson added that the ordinance is currently being drawn up and will be available for the commissioners to look over at an upcoming BOC meeting.

 

Reception for Local Committee and Officials Reception Held  By Matt Sharpe

            Former local officials and committee members gathered for a reception at Memorial Hall (Thomaston-Upson Senior Center) on Tuesday afternoon.  The reception was part of the annual Georgia Cities Week and Make Thomaston Shine Week.  This year marked the 10th anniversary of Make Thomaston Shine week, a weeklong dedication of local officials and members of the community to help clean up Thomaston.  The gathering was to honor and thank those who have severed on committee's and/or boards for the City of Thomaston.  Pictured are a few of the committee members and former local officials as they gathered for the annual group picture at the Senior Center. 

           

American Rivers named the Flint River among America’s Most Endangered Rivers of 2013, shining a national spotlight on the need for collaborative work to protect and restore river flows to sustain water supplies for communities and farms, recreational opportunities, and fish and wildlife habitat.  The Flint River came in as the second most endangered river in the United States.  Coming in as the Most Endangered River in the country was the Colorado River.

            “We are saddened to see the Flint listed as America’s #2 Most Endangered River for the second time in the early part of this century (previously listed in 2009),” said Flint Riverkeeper Gordon Rogers.  “It is time for our leaders to offer real solutions versus the wastes of taxpayer dollars and takings of property and property rights that they have proposed up until now.  New reservoirs that condemn folks’ property, and boondoggle aquifer storage and recovery projects managed by former state employees, are not a way forward. The way forward is to do two things: 1) make sure that all interested parties are involved in detailed solutions . . . . farmers, utility managers, industry, fisherfolk, paddlers, property owners; and 2) revise the Flint River Drought Protection Act to address the entire Flint River watershed, all tributaries, all permit types, holding the State accountable for maintaining minimum flows during periods of less rainfall.”

            “The America’s Most Endangered Rivers report is a call to action to save rivers that are facing a critical tipping point,” said Ben Emanuel of American Rivers. “We all need healthy rivers.  They provide our drinking water, support the economies of our communities, and promote public health and quality of life. We hope stakeholders along the Flint River will work together to ensure sufficient river flows for today and the future.”