Released the Office of the SC Attorney General.
(COLUMBIA, S.C.) - The United States District Court for South Carolina today entered judgment against the Savannah District of the United States Army Corps of Engineers to stop it from implementing a plan to destroy the New Savannah Bluff Lock and Dam in the Savannah River near North Augusta.
The Savannah District proposed to tear down the Lock and Dam structure to create a fixed weir system as a fish passage to mitigate for impacts to sturgeon from the Savannah Harbor Expansion Project. However, the proposal would have lowered the pool and river levels several feet resulting in a significant adverse effect on recreation and endangering the security of water supply to municipal and industrial users. The State filed the lawsuit against the Corps of Engineers to stop the detrimental impact to the State's and citizens' interests.
"Today's order is a victory for protecting State's natural resource," Attorney General Wilson said. "This is an important decision that protects and preserves the water supply and recreation in the Savannah River."
The order requires the Savannah District to develop a mitigation plan that maintains the water levels to avoid impacts on water supply and recreation.