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This week, American Rivers released "America's Most Endangered Rivers: 2009 Edition." This report identifies ten rivers facing uncertain futures and Georgia's Flint River is #2 on the list.

Well loved by anglers, boaters and Georgia families, the Flint River is one of the state's most valuable natural treasures. A two-year drought has revived calls to dam the Flint, even though more effective water supply solutions would save Metro Atlanta as much as $700 million. The Flint River dams were first proposed in 1945, and were vetoed by Jimmy Carter when he was governor. Congress must deny attempts to authorize new dams on the Flint, and Metro Atlanta must make water efficiency the backbone of its water supply strategy.

Congressmen Nathan Deal (R-GA) and Lynn Westmoreland (R-GA) are seeking $10 million to study the need for dams and others on the Upper Flint. If built, the proposed dams would bury more than 50 river miles, destroy fishing and boating opportunities, and waste massive amounts of taxpayer dollars.

Last summer, the first draft of the metro Atlanta water district's latest water supply plan called for two dams on the Flint after 2035 though the dams were removed from subsequent plans after public outcry.

Instead of damming the Flint to try to relieve Atlanta's water supply problems, the state should implement water efficiency solutions. Water efficiency measures cost $0.46 to $250 per 1000 gallons, while dams can cost $4000 per 1000 gallons - even more if you include maintenance and operation costs. That means dams are up to 8500 times more expensive than water efficiency solutions.

Water efficiency is a much more reliable water supply strategy in a climate-challenged world. Building a dam doesn't guarantee that rain will fall and fill the reservoir. Further, dams are fixed in place and reservoirs hold a limited amount of water. Even when we do get sufficient rains to fill reservoirs, these pools can lose tremendous amounts of water to evaporation.

Counties and municipalities across the southeast region are already benefiting from water efficiency. In 2000, nearby Greensboro, North Carolina implemented new water rates that bill wasteful use at a higher rate than conservative use. In seven years, average household consumption has dropped 22 percent. Georgia's DeKalb County recently enacted a program that replaces outdated toilets and other fixtures with water efficient versions. If applied to all of its older and less water-efficient homes, this program would secure nine million gallons of water per day while costing taxpayers only a tenth as much a dam. The rest of Metro Atlanta needs to show the same leadership or risk being left behind.

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