GFB News Magazine

Public Policy Update Spring 2025

by Adam Belflower

Posted on March 10, 2025 3:23 AM

In fall 2024, the Georgia Environmental Protection Division (EPD) announced access to new agricultural water withdrawal permits for farmers in the Lower Flint River Basin and Sub-Area 4. This announcement is a significant win for farmers in Southwest Georgia and builds on the work EPD has done in recent years to provide new access to farmers under the constraints of the 2012 suspension. Georgia Farm Bureau applauds the work of EPD Director Jeff Cown and the EPD Watershed Protection Branch to promote the growth of agriculture in Southwest Georgia by granting new access to water. 

Lower Flint River Basin & Sub-Area 4

In 2012, due to litigation between Georgia and Florida, EPD placed a moratorium on new agricultural water withdrawal permits in the Lower Flint River Basin. Although the U. S. Supreme Court ruled in favor of Georgia, concluding that Georgia farmers were not abusing the water supply and were allowing a reasonable supply to pass to our neighbors, EPD kept the moratorium in place because species of endangered mussels live in the Lower Flint River Basin. The EPD wanted a better understanding of the impact new withdrawals would have on these mussels. 

EPD’s stated goal has been to protect Georgia farmers from violating the Endangered Species Act, which would risk the ability of any farmer to irrigate in the region, while finding ways to promote the growth of agriculture. 

With a better understanding of the hydrological connectivity of the region and over a decade of research, EPD has found a path for farmers to begin drilling new wells. Beginning April 1, farmers in the Lower Flint River Basin and Sub-Area 4 region will be able to apply for drought-restricted or volumetric-limited permits for agricultural water withdrawal. 

Farmers may choose between a volumetric permit, subject to the annual volumetric limit, or a drought-restricted permit, which would be suspended during the most critical droughts as determined through a series of monitoring wells in the region. 

On new permits, farmers would be required to install meters for EPD to ensure compliance with the permit’s regulations. Because of the hydrologic sensitivity of the region, this is necessary to protect new and existing users of all agricultural water withdrawal permits. 

EPD is offering multiple tools to ensure all users in the basin comply. Through internal adjustments, irrigated acre corrections, permit corrections and modifications, or new modified permits, EPD wants to help farmers access an appropriate supply of water and avoid legal ramifications for excessive withdrawals from the Flint Basin. 

If you are a farmer in the Lower Flint River Basin, you may want to consider if one of the new modified permits is best for your operation. Contact the Georgia EPD Southwest District Office at (229) 430-4144 or visit  www.epd.georgia.gov/water-withdrawal-permitting for more information on compliance for existing users and full details on new modified permits.

Adam Belflower is Georgia Farm Bureau’s State Affairs Manager. He may be reached at  acbelflower@gfb.org or 478-474-0679, ext. 5259.