I agree with so much of this opinion that I think it's worth quoting at length. This was written by Dusty Nix of the Ledger-Enquirer in Columbus under the title: "Ruling was all but inevitable". There are some dubious historical points made but his conclusion is accurate:

"Without congressional approval for some other arrangement, Atlanta has to stop drawing water from Lake Lanier in three years.

That's not much time for a major American city (and, water disputes aside, Georgia's most important one) to come up with one whopper of a Plan B. So be it.

It's long past time for Georgia to get serious about water allocation and conservation, to look in earnest for alternative sources and, perhaps most important of all, to start thinking about statewide riparian responsibilities as well as metro riparian rights.

Obviously, this is not over. Georgia political leaders, from the governor and lieutenant governor to the state's congressional delegation, are stewing over what to do next.

It's inconceivable that Atlanta would ultimately have its Chattahoochee tap turned off altogether. But maybe just the idea is enough to get the state back to the table in earnest, negotiating fairly and realistically for the interests of Georgia. All of it."

So to summarize his and my thoughts:

• Its time for serious water conservation.
• Our political leaders have failed us so far.
• Atlanta won't get its water turned off but hopefully this decision will focus minds and produce a resolution to these decades old water wars.