Ga.'s Water Crisis: Water sharing plan takes shape -- Dividing limited supplies: Newly formed planning districts will determine where, how Ga. grows.

From the AJC:

While much of Georgia remains gripped in a historic drought, a state body on Tuesdayadopted a framework to divide limited water supplies.

Now the work can begin. Decisions made in 11 newly formed planning districts will determine where and how Georgia continues growing. Upstream or down, they will have to work together.

The first hurdle is the General Assembly, which will have a chance to approve or rewrite the proposal starting next week.

[T]he perception persists that the proposal is not strong enough to prevent metro Atlanta from sticking straws in the Flint River and other waterways.

Gil Rogers, an attorney with the Southern Environmental Law Center and a member of a coalition of environmental groups opposed to the plan, said, "We think growth needs to occur where the water is, not the other way around."

Most of the work going forward will be handled by 11 regional councils, with decision-making power in each resting with 25 people appointed by the governor, lieutenant governor and speaker of the House of Representatives. About one-third of the seats will be set aside for local elected leaders.

The proposal, despite hiccups early on, satisfied the business community, which expressed their support through the Metro Atlanta Chamber of Commerce, the Georgia Chamber of Commerce, the Georgia Agribusiness Council and the Georgia Poultry Federation. The Association County Commissioners of Georgia also signed on.