Thirsty Georgia Considers Annexation of Tennessee for River Water

Politicians in Georgia are pushing a resolution that would redraw the state's border with Tennessee so that a plentiful river would lie within the boundaries of water-poor Georgia.

1 minute read

February 11, 2008, 5:00 AM PST

By Nate Berg


"A resolution in Georgia's legislature proposes to move the Tennessee-Georgia boundary about a mile to the north of where it now lies."

"If the border is redrawn, the new state line would fall across Nickajack Reservoir. That would allow parched Georgians to tap into the waters of the dammed Tennessee River."

"Georgia has been battling Florida and Alabama in federal court for about 18 years over water rights. Last summer, Lake Lanier, which supplies Atlanta's water, shriveled to historic lows."

"The resolution, which has passed early hurdles but has not received final passage, claims that the boundary was erroneously surveyed in 1818 and that Georgia has never accepted it. The resolution calls for the creation of a "Georgia-Tennessee Boundary Line Commission" that would perform joint surveys and change the line to the "definite and true" boundary line: exactly following the 35th parallel."

Friday, February 8, 2008 in The Tennessean

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