Georgia Water/Laws/Flint River Drought Protection Act

Flint River Drought Protection Act, O.C.G.A. § 12-5-540

Summary of the Act
The purpose of this Act is to maintain in-stream flow in times of drought by providing incentives for farmers to take acres out of irrigation. It allows EPD to pay farmers to stop irrigating. After a drought is declared, EPD can hold a voluntary seller’s auction, allowing farmers to offer prices per acre at which they are willing to stop irrigating. If the target is not achieved, EPD has authority to make further reductions on a “non-voluntary” basis.

History of the Act
A 2001 auction eliminated irrigation from surface water on 33,101 acres at an average price of $135 per acre and a total cost of $4.5 million. The funding came from Georgia’s share of the tobacco settlement money.