Speak Out

As the summer heats up and we turn our attention to enjoying the recreational opportunities afforded by our state's waterways — whether on the Alabama Gulf Coast, our many lakes and reservoirs or the Alabama Scenic River Trail — it's important to keep in mind how valuable and yet vulnerable these resources are.

Ten percent of the nation's rivers pass through Alabama. While it may appear that the recent rains are alleviating the effects of last year's drought, much of our state is still reeling from its impact. In fact, the U.S. Geological Survey continues to report that most of Alabama is seeing below-average stream flows. Ground-water levels in Huntsville are far below normal, and in Montgomery ground-water levels have reached a new record low. According to the Office of State Climatology, Alabama will need 3.5 to 11.5 inches of rain to break the drought, as assessed by the Palmer Drought Index.

We've come a long way since last summer when more than 70 percent of the state fell into the severe drought category. Unfortunately, this is not the last drought we will endure.

Alabama must commit to developing a water-management plan that will guide the state's decisions in periods of lengthy drought and persistent downpours to ensure that future generations also reap the benefits of our water resources. With this goal in mind, we met this week with other members of the Alabama Legislature's Permanent Joint Legislative Committee on Water Policy and Management.

Created by the passage of SJR28 — bipartisan legislation we were pleased to sponsor — the committee met at Auburn University to begin the process of studying Alabama's water resources and assessing our future water needs. That meeting provided an initial port of call on what will be a lengthy journey toward preserving a resource that touches every Alabamian and requires our ongoing focus and commitment.

Water sustains every aspect of Alabamians' livelihoods, from agriculture to tourism and from hydropower to recreation. Without a reliable supply of water, our farmers cannot grow the food to put on our state's and our nation's tables, and our waterways cannot provide adequate navigation for the businesses that provide our jobs. Homeowners and boaters experienced similar effects from a lack of water during the dry months of 2007. We must commit to developing water-conservation practices and technologies that will keep Alabama economically viable and well positioned.

To do this, we must first work on developing a comprehensive statewide water-management plan.

We've seen how the lack of water can affect communities along our waterways, both via our own personal experiences and through the eyes of our constituents. We've also seen Alabama's potential for explosive economic growth. Three of our cities are listed among Expansion Management's 2007 list of "America's 50 Hottest Cities for Manufacturing Expansions and Relocations," and eight Alabama-based corporations made the 2007 Forbes 1000 list. The proper maintenance of our waterways can ensure we continue to grow and strengthen our economic foothold.

As fuel prices climb and congestion plagues our roadways and rail lines, navigable waterways will continue to provide economical freight transport attractive to businesses. Our network of rivers provides businesses with a fuel-efficient alternative that also reduces air and noise pollution. We Alabamians, in turn, reap the benefits of job creation and stimulation of our local communities' economies.

Our recognition of the many critical roles water plays in Alabama spurred us to sponsor SJR28, and now we are committed — as chair and vice-chair of the Permanent Joint Legislative Committee on Water Policy and Management — to developing a consensus-based water-management plan that takes into account the needs of every Alabamian and serves our citizens well in the future.

We look forward to engaging with stakeholders from across the state in this collaborative process. Investing in our waterways now is an investment for our future.

State Sen. Kim S. Benefield, D-Woodland, represents the 13th District. State Rep. Greg Canfield, R-Birmingham, represents the 48th District.