The Water Distribution Dispute between Georgia, Tennessee, and Florida

Water is an essential liquid for humans, animals as well as plants. Insufficient supply of water may result in thirst, drought and famine, conflicts, and even deaths (Cribb). For hundreds of years, Georgia, Tennessee, and Florida have been in a serious dispute over the distribution of water, some of the reasons contributing to their fight include the following points.

The long time differences between Georgia and Tennessee, whereby Georgia claims that Tennessee may not be one of its southern neighbors (Winders 250). This conflict is all about Tennessee River, which flows at the border of both the states. This river has a significant value in that it supports agriculture and also provides a clean drinking water to both states. This long-term ideological difference has been in existence ever since the great American civil war of 1818 between the Northern states and the Southern states.

The Tennessee Valley Authority has somehow involved in corruption by covering the act of Tennessee ancestors grabbing land belonging to the boundary of these two states, and the situation has worsened the enmity between the states. There has been complains that some evidence was missing in the report written by the investigative department on the reasons for the dispute.

The survey that was carried out in some hundreds year back did not meet the requirements in that it favored one state over the other state. For instance the survey put Georgia-Tennessee border a mile away in the sense that Georgia State was deprived its rightful portion of land. This, however, led to mixed reactions from inhabitants of the two states and almost brought them to fight. If Georgia, for example, may try to claim their river, Tennessee may rise against them as they believe the river belongs to their state that in turn brings more conflict (Sherk 764).

On the other hand, a current attempt by the authority to distribute part of the water body belonging to Florida to their neighboring state of Georgia has resulted in bitterness between these states because Florida believe all the water is theirs. Georgians believe that their streams and rivers running through the forest contribute about a sixth of Tennessee water. This belief of the Georgians gives them hope that the river belongs to them too, something that their opponent cannot accept thus causing conflicts.

In conclusion, for these states to live in peace, love, and harmony, they should share their water resources equally as they all benefit either directly or indirectly from Tennessee River. They should, therefore, learn from experience that without the river they will still exist and work together as inhabitants of the two states of Georgia and Alabama.

These states should set up a water council so that in case of any dispute arising from either side of the boundary, the Council should hear it and come up with appropriate solutions to the problem. This council includes Georgia Water Policy Council, which has played an important role in reducing the dispute between the two sides.

In severe dispute situations, Arbitration should be allowed in which an impartial person require to be sent to research on the possible reasons for the conflict, after which he or she is supposed to report back to the Council recommending  possible solutions to end the war among the three states.

Lastly and more importantly, a proper boundary line should be laid out in these states based on their history of coexistence. This can be applied where the conflicting parties from each side of the three states should come into an agreement. If the latter solution is incapable of solving the problem, legislation should be applied (Wilke).