JCHS & JCPS Collaborate on Tri-State Water Study

On September 17, Jasper County High School students visited Rachael Pitts’ second grade class to teach them about the Tri-State Water Wars.

Over the summer, a group of 11 middle and high school students participated in the Water Wars STEAM Camp. Taught by Elizabeth Proctor and Bonnie Garvin, the students explored the issues surrounding the Tri-State Water Wars. The controversial topic seeks to answer the question: Who owns water?

For many years, Georgia, Alabama, and Florida have fought over which state should have the most access to the Chattahoochee River. Georgia argues the river starts in their state and because of Atlanta’s large population, it is necessary to use most of the water. Alabama argues it needs access to the water as its aquifers are running dry. In addition, it has power plants that need the water to run. Florida argues a need to increase fresh water flow from the Chattahoochee is needed in the Apalachicola Basin to farm oysters.

Georgia students are required to learn about this issue as early as second grade. Seven of the high school students who learned about the issue chose to share their knowledge and teach other students about the issue. The students read articles, participated in a mock Supreme Court debate, and concluded the lesson with a water balloon fight.

JCHS students plan to make materials they developed available to other teachers via the website Teachers Pay Teachers as a free resource. This project is designed to educate students about issues facing the southeast. However, we all need to be educated stewards of this precious, limited resource.