Governors predict water pact by term's end

MONTGOMERY, Ala. --- The governors of Georgia, Alabama and Florida predicted Tuesday they will have a solution to their water sharing dispute before they leave office in one year.

Emerging from a private meeting, they provided no details on what a solution might look like. But they all expressed optimism that after nearly two decades, a solution can be found.

The three Republicans last met to discuss water sharing in December 2007 in Tallahassee, Fla. They also predicted success then, but the conflict grew and court rulings generally went against the interests of Georgia.

This time, they said, the outlook is different, partly because of a tight timetable before all three turn over their jobs to new state chief executives.

"We only have so much time left as governors of our respective states to accomplish this mission, and that's why we are as optimistic as we are that it's going to happen," Florida Gov. Charlie Crist said.

Georgia Gov. Sonny Perdue said having a deadline fosters cooperation.

"We agree that it would be shameful, frankly, if we let the learning curve that we have been on ... transfer to another generation of elected leaders," he said.

A federal judge ruled in July that Georgia has few legal rights to Lake Lanier, a federal reservoir on the Chattahoochee River and the main source of water for Atlanta. The judge gave the states and Congress until 2012 to agree on water sharing.

Alabama Gov. Bob Riley said negotiating teams from each state will work out details of water apportionment and conservation. The governors plan to present the plan to their state legislatures in the spring for approval. From there, the plan will go to Congress for approval before year's end.