BAKER CO., GA (WALB) -
Leaders from across Georgia got a unique up close look at the Flint River Tuesday. Business, government, and environmental leaders canoed down the Flint as part of the Institute for Georgia Environmental Leadership class.
Today the Flint River had the lowest flow ever in its recorded history on this date. 731 cubic feet per second in Newton, so this canoe trip shows why water stewardship is such a vital challenge for the entire state.
This is the 11th year for the annual Institute for Georgia Environmental Leadership.
The 24 leaders represented business, education, environmental organizations, government and civic groups. They are getting a close up look at the Flint's natural beauty, and the threat the river faces from so many different sources.
"What we're looking for is people to come together and explore environmental issues and problems in the state. And really think about different kinds of solutions," said Rob Williams, senior fellow at the Center for Ethics and Corporate Responsibility at the Robinson College of Business at Georgia State University.
As the canoes slipped into the water, it was impossible to see how low the flow on the Flint is. Linda Disantis is an attorney who represented Atlanta in their waste water legal issues, and her husband negotiated for Georgia in the Water Wars with Alabama and Florida.
She says water will be a key issue as Georgia continues to grow, especially Atlanta.
"It's just going to be challenging because as the city continues to grow, which I think it will despite the recession, I think it will still be the demands on the city's water supply system. And learning to handle that is really challenging."
Roger Bowman, Gulfstream Aerospace Sustainability Manager, knows his business will need water and wants to make sure they are part of a solution rather than a problem. "We have many sites around the country, and it turns out most of them are in water stressed areas. And it's important for us to be good stewards of the water resources we have control over. And demonstrate our position in the community."
The water flow has fallen to historic lows, while the demands from agriculture and growing populations show the challenges on the Flint River now during the drought, and it could get worse. That's why these groups of leaders are brought in, to understand the problems and try to find solutions to protect the river's future.
The group paddled about 16 miles down the Flint River to CoveyRise Plantation, taking about 4 hours. Later this week they will meet with South Georgia farmers and industry leaders, to learn more about the region.
The IGEL group also travels to other rivers around Georgia, so they can have a good education on the water issues facing the state, and help influence future legislation to protect the resources.
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