SR 584: State-wide Water Management Plan; ratify amendments

Georgia's original comprehensive water management plan was developed by the Environmental Protection Division of the Department of Natural Resources, adopted by the Water Council in 2008, and ratified by the General Assembly that year. State law (O.C.G.A. § 12-5-525) requires the legislature to ratify the plan and any later amendments before they take effect. The Water Council reconvened in September 2025 to consider updates and adopted amendments to the plan on December 9, 2025. This resolution formally ratifies those amendments, giving the updated plan legal force and effect. It also states that if any part of the plan ever conflicts with a statute passed by the General Assembly, the statute wins. The resolution would take effect once the Governor signs it or it becomes law without a signature.

• Ratifies the amendments to the state-wide water management plan that the Water Council adopted on December 9, 2025.
• Gives the amended, nonstatutory plan legal force and effect once ratified.
• Establishes that any conflict between the plan and a current or future state statute is resolved in favor of the statute.
• Sets the resolution's effective date as the date the Governor signs it or it becomes law without signature.
• Repeals any prior laws or parts of laws that conflict with this resolution.

The Environmental Protection Division and the Water Council, which develop and maintain the plan; state agencies and local governments that manage water resources under the plan; and Georgia water users generally, since the plan guides state-wide water policy.

Without ratification, the Water Council's 2025 updates to the state's water management approach would not carry legal force. Approval means the amended plan becomes the operating framework state and local agencies use to manage Georgia's water resources going forward.

• Paragraph (1) ratifies the specific amendments adopted by the Water Council on December 9, 2025 and filed with the Environmental Protection Division's director.
• Paragraph (2) gives the amended nonstatutory plan force and effect once ratified.
• Paragraph (3) provides that any irreconcilable conflict between the plan and a statute is resolved in favor of the statute, whether the statute is current or enacted later.
• Paragraph (4) sets the effective date as approval by the Governor or becoming law without such approval.
• Paragraph (5) repeals conflicting laws and parts of laws.

1. 2026-01-27Senate Read and Referred (Senado)
2. 2026-01-21Senate Hopper (Senado)

• Drew Echols (R, SD-049)Patrocinador principal
• Bo Hatchett (R, SD-050)
• Shawn Still (R, SD-048)
• Russ Goodman (R, SD-008)
• Lee Anderson (R, SD-024)

• water management
• environmental policy
• Georgia water resources
• state agencies