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Hindsight is 20-20 when it comes to water rights
Posted By katie allison granju
Jack Neely on Georgia’s bid to “retake” part of the Tennessee River:
Atlanta, which has never known what it’s like to live with a big crazy river, grew. Knoxvillians watched, with some alarm, the arrogant little toy town come to dominate the region, get the big stores and the big airports and the big rock ’n’ roll shows and the big-salary jobs. We didn’t say, “Hey, no fair, give us some of your wonderful flatland.”
If Atlanta now finds itself in a place without sufficient fresh water, all I can do is paraphrase my mom’s way of thinking about regrettable choices: You should have thought about that before you put your megalopolis there.
But, say we feel charitable about it, and I think we have a reason to. As far as I’m concerned, I’d be proud to let Atlanta have access to Knoxville’s downstream water, after we’re all done with it. There’d be something deeply satisfying about that. They can borrow our toothbrush, too. Don’t bother to return it.
Feb 28th, 2008
