Managing one of Alabama’s most valuable resources

When I think about water resources in Alabama, I often remember the great times I’ve enjoyed out on our lakes with family and friends. In July, there is nothing quite like taking a cool dip in the fresh waters that surround us.

After all, at least one-sixth of the surface area of Alabama is comprised of lakes, reservoirs, ponds, wetlands, estuaries and flowing rivers and streams.

TVA manages the water supply throughout our region to support recreational opportunities – and also to ensure sustainable water supplies are available to run power plants, support wildlife and provide clean drinking water to residents.

The effective management of our water supply is paramount to Alabama’s agricultural industry as well. Members of our staff recently talked with the owners of Bridgeforth Farms, one of the largest farms in North Alabama that produces cotton wheat, corn, soybean, sorghum and canola.

The farm has been in the Bridgeforth family for five generations, after George Bridgeforth Sr., a freed slave, made his first purchase of land 12 years after the Civil War ended.

Current owners Gregory and Billy Bridgeforth, representing the fourth generation, and Lamont, Carlton and Kyle, representing the fifth generation, share an immense appreciation for this life-giving resource.

“Clean water is equally important as clean air,” Billy says. “TVA water management is vitally important to our farm.”

Bridgeforth Farms receives irrigation water from TVA’s Wheeler Reservoir, and about 98% of the farm’s irrigation is supplied by the Tennessee River.

Providing a sustainable supply of water to farms like Bridgeforth requires a keen understanding of resources, and careful planning and foresight to ensure water use aligns with the needs of farmers now and into the future.

In developing their Water Supply Report, TVA specialists analyze the amount of water being used in the region every five years. They then use this information to predict water supply levels 25 years out.

In 2022, a new version of the report provided key insights into how water is used today and how stakeholders may use it in 2045.

The forecasting helps TVA’s specialists analyze use and adjust programs to best support the region’s continued economic and population growth.

And a glimpse at water use in recent years tells the tale.

From 2015 to 2020, water withdrawals declined nearly 17%, with an additional 11% drop expected by 2045.

“Water use analyses allow TVA to effectively manage the integrated operation of the TVA river system,” TVA Water Resources engineer Jenny Sharkey says.

The reuse of water in the region also speaks to sustainability initiatives.

In 2020, for example, about 8.4 billion gallons of water were withdrawn each day, but the system returned about 98% for reuse, according to the Water Supply Report.

“The residents of the Valley are good stewards of the water,” TVA Water Supply program manager Gary Springston says.

The effective management of water –both use and reuse – undergirds TVA’s long-term goals of supporting the environment while strengthening economic development and energy infrastructure.

And it’s all designed for a noble purpose: Serve those who call this region home.

“The way we operate our integrated river system is for the people of the Valley,” says Amanda Turk, manager of Hydrologic Impacts and Risk Evaluation. “Our mission is for the people of the Valley.”

Ultimately, sustainable and clean water ensures farms like Bridgeforth can continue supplying high-quality products to customers.

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