110-510: Gwinnett County ( / ɡ w ɪ ˈ n ɛ t / gwih- NEHT ) is located in the north central portion of the U.S. state of Georgia . It forms part of the Atlanta metropolitan area , being located about 9 miles (14 km) northeast of Atlanta city limits. In 2020 , the population was 957,062, making it the second-most populous county in Georgia (after Fulton County ). Its county seat
220-491: A primary language , while 7.82% (795,646) spoke Spanish, and 6.55% (666,849) spoke languages other than English or Spanish at home, with the most common of which were Vietnamese, Chinese, and Korean. In total, 14.38% (1,462,495) of Georgia's population age 5 and older spoke a mother language other than English. According to the Pew Research Center , the composition of religious affiliation in Georgia
330-476: A white flight out of the county. In 2018, Stacey Abrams became the first Democrat to win Gwinnett County in a gubernatorial election since 1986 when Joe Frank Harris swept every county statewide. The Democratic trend became even more apparent in 2020, when Joe Biden won the county by 18.2 points, the best showing for a non-Georgian Democrat since Kennedy's 73.50%. Raphael Warnock earned 62.8% of
440-669: A AAA rating. If Georgia were a stand-alone country, it would be the 28th-largest economy in the world, based on data from 2005. Tri-state water dispute The tri-state water dispute is a 21st-century water-use conflict among the U.S. states of Georgia , Alabama , and Florida over flows in the Apalachicola-Chattahoochee-Flint River Basin and the Alabama-Coosa-Tallapoosa River Basin . The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has regulated water flow for
550-627: A British royal colony , making it the last and southernmost of the original Thirteen Colonies . Named in honor of King George II of Great Britain , the Georgia Colony extended from South Carolina down to Spanish Florida and westward to French Louisiana along the Mississippi River . On January 2, 1788, Georgia became the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution . Between 1802 and 1804,
660-531: A coastline on the Atlantic Ocean, Georgia is also vulnerable to hurricanes , although direct hurricane strikes were rare during the 20th century. Georgia often is affected by hurricanes that strike the Florida Panhandle , weaken over land, and bring strong tropical storm winds and heavy rain to the interior, a recent example being Hurricane Michael , as well as hurricanes that come close to
770-556: A county administrator who oversees daily operations of the county's twelve executive departments. Gwinnett County has a police department that operates under the authority of the Board of Commissioners. Some of the local Gwinnett city budgets have recently come under increasing scrutiny of the General Funds allocated to police services. Cities such as Duluth have allocated as much as forty percent of their city budgets, reaching some of
880-684: A decision which still stands. In 1861, all three of Gwinnett County's representatives at the Georgia Constitutional Convention (1861) in Milledgeville voted against secession. Towards the end of the war, Union troops foraged in Gwinnett County as part of the Atlanta Campaign . The Freedmen's Bureau was active in Gwinnett County during Reconstruction . In 1871, the courthouse in Lawrenceville
990-708: A diversity of landscapes, flora, and fauna. The northern part of the state features the Blue Ridge Mountains , which are part of the broader Appalachian Mountain range. Moving south, the Piedmont plateau stretches from the foothills of the Blue Ridge to the Fall Line , an escarpment that marks the transition to the Coastal Plain in the southern region of the state. The highest elevation in
1100-641: A federal judge from Minnesota, in 1997, the parties created two compacts: the Apalachicola - Chattahoochee - Flint ( ACF ) between Alabama, Florida, and Georgia; and the Alabama - Coosa - Tallapoosa (ACT) between Alabama and Georgia. Georgia had sued the Corps for wrongfully prohibiting Lake Lanier to be used for water consumption for metropolitan Atlanta, but a federal judge ruled that the project had not been authorized for that purpose. During negotiation of
1210-649: A governor appointed by the king of Great Britain . The Province of Georgia was one of the Thirteen Colonies that revolted against British rule in the American Revolution by signing the 1776 Declaration of Independence . The State of Georgia's first constitution was ratified in February 1777. Georgia was the 10th state to ratify the Articles of Confederation on July 24, 1778, and was
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#17327726459081320-576: A list of potential hydropower projects. One of the suggested dams was the Buford Dam on the Chattahoochee River to create a reservoir (now known as Lake Lanier ) in north Georgia. In addition to providing hydroelectric power, the dam could provide a steady water supply to Atlanta if, in the future, the city needed additional water resources. The city did not contribute to construction of the dam or reservoir. Additional objectives for
1430-781: A national leader in the civil rights movement . King joined with others to form the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC) in Atlanta in 1957 to provide political leadership for the Civil Rights Movement across the South. The civil rights riots of the 1956 Sugar Bowl would also take place in Atlanta after a clash between Georgia Tech 's president Blake R. Van Leer and Governor Marvin Griffin . On February 5, 1958, during
1540-505: A population of more than 6.3 million people in 2023, is the sixth most populous metropolitan area in the United States and contains about 57% of Georgia's entire population. Other major metropolitan areas in the state include Augusta , Savannah , Columbus , and Macon . The Province of Georgia was established in 1732, with its first settlement occurring in 1733 when Savannah was founded. By 1752, Georgia had transitioned into
1650-592: A portion of western Georgia was carved out to create the Mississippi Territory , which eventually became the U.S. states of Alabama and Mississippi . Georgia declared its secession from the Union on January 19, 1861, joining the ranks of the original seven Confederate States . After the Civil War , it was the last state to be readmitted to the Union on July 15, 1870. In the late 19th century, during
1760-531: A state-wide office. Julian Bond , a noted civil rights leader, was elected to the state House in 1965, and served multiple terms there and in the state senate. Atlanta Mayor Ivan Allen Jr. testified before Congress in support of the Civil Rights Act, and Governor Carl Sanders worked with the Kennedy administration to ensure the state's compliance. Ralph McGill , editor and syndicated columnist at
1870-718: A three-year negotiation period to begin among the states of Georgia, Alabama, and Florida. In October 2009, Judge Magnuson ruled against Georgia in response to an appeal by the state on the July ruling. In June 2011 the Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals reversed the 2009 district court decision and confirmed the USACE's authority to regulate Lake Lanier for Atlanta's water supply. The Corps responded in June 2012 with plans for further analysis and evaluation of proposals from
1980-690: A training mission flown by a B-47 , a Mark 15 nuclear bomb , also known as the Tybee Bomb , was lost off the coast of Tybee Island near Savannah. The bomb was thought by the Department of Energy to lie buried in silt at the bottom of Wassaw Sound . By the 1960s, the proportion of African Americans in Georgia had declined to 28% of the state's population, after waves of migration to the North and some immigration by whites. With their voting power diminished, it took some years for African Americans to win
2090-404: A transportation hub, in 1991 UPS established its headquarters in the suburb of Sandy Springs . In 1992, construction finished on Bank of America Plaza , the tallest building in the U.S. outside of New York or Chicago. On February 19th, 2003, Georgia adopted its current state flag , resembling the state's first official flag. In 2024, it was announced that Atlanta would host multiple games during
2200-506: A variety of pines, oaks, hollies, cypress , sweetgum , scaly-bark and white hickories , and sabal palmetto . East Georgia is in the subtropical coniferous forest biome and conifer species as other broadleaf evergreen flora make up the majority of the southern and coastal regions. Yellow jasmine and mountain laurel make up just a few of the flowering shrubs in the state. White-tailed deer are found in nearly all counties of Georgia. The northern mockingbird and brown thrasher are among
2310-582: Is Lawrenceville . The county is named for Button Gwinnett , one of the signatories of the Declaration of Independence . Gwinnett County is the most ethnically-diverse county in Georgia, with significant populations of Black , Hispanic , and Asian residents. As of the 2020 Census , no ethnicity constitutes more than a third of its population. In 1813, Fort Daniel was created during the War of 1812 in territory that would become Gwinnett County. The county
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#17327726459082420-495: Is 112 °F (44 °C) in Louisville on July 24, 1952, while the lowest is −17 °F (−27 °C) in northern Floyd County on January 27, 1940. Georgia is one of the leading states in frequency of tornadoes , though they are rarely stronger than EF1 . Although tornadoes striking the city are very rare, an EF2 tornado hit downtown Atlanta on March 14, 2008, causing moderate to severe damage to various buildings. With
2530-499: Is felt chiefly in the mountainous areas of the northern part of the state, which are farther away from the ocean and can be 4,500 feet (1,400 m) above sea level. The USDA plant hardiness zones for Georgia range from zone 6b (no colder than −5 °F (−21 °C)) in the Blue Ridge Mountains to zone 8b (no colder than 15 °F (−9 °C) ) along the Atlantic coast and Florida border. The highest temperature ever recorded
2640-417: Is now named Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL). The busiest and most efficient airport in the world, it accommodates more than a hundred million passengers annually. Employing more than 60,000 people, the airport became a major engine for economic growth. With the advantages of cheap real estate, low taxes, right-to-work laws and a regulatory environment limiting government interference,
2750-549: The Atlanta Constitution , earned admiration by writing in support of the Civil Rights Movement. In 1970, newly elected Governor Jimmy Carter declared in his inaugural address that the era of racial segregation had ended. In 1972, Georgians elected Andrew Young to Congress as the first African American Congressman since the Reconstruction era . In 1980, construction was completed on an expansion of what
2860-421: The 1980 census , 1,584,303 people from Georgia claimed English ancestry out of a total state population of 3,994,817, making them 40% of the state, and the largest ethnic group at the time. Today, many of these same people claiming they are of "American" ancestry are actually of English descent, and some are of Scots-Irish descent; however, their families have lived in the state for so long, in many cases since
2970-773: The 2020 United States census . This was an increase of 1,024,255, or 10.57% over the 2010 figure of 9,687,653 residents. As of 2010 , the number of illegal immigrants living in Georgia more than doubled to 480,000 from January 2000 to January 2009, according to a federal report. That gave Georgia the greatest percentage increase among the 10 states with the biggest undocumented immigrant populations during those years. Georgia has banned sanctuary cities . In 2018, The top countries of origin for Georgia's immigrants were Mexico , India , Jamaica , Korea , and Guatemala . There were 743,000 veterans in 2009. According to HUD 's 2022 Annual Homeless Assessment Report , there were an estimated 10,689 homeless people in Georgia. In
3080-692: The 2026 FIFA World Cup , which further substantiated the economic investment and growth in the city and state. Beginning from the Atlantic Ocean, the state's eastern border with South Carolina runs up the Savannah River , northwest to its origin at the confluence of the Tugaloo and Seneca Rivers . It then continues up the Tugaloo (originally Tugalo) and into the Chattooga River , its most significant tributary . These bounds were decided in
3190-545: The American Civil War , were almost exclusively enslaved. The Great Migration of hundreds of thousands of blacks from the rural South to the industrial North from 1914 to 1970 reduced the African American population. Georgia had the second-fastest-growing Asian population growth in the U.S. from 1990 to 2000, more than doubling in size during the ten-year period. Indian people and Chinese people are
3300-930: The Apalachicola , the Chatot , the Yuchi , the Chiaha, the Chickasaw , the Okmulgee, the Shawnee and the Timucua . Today there are no federally recognized tribes in Georgia, but there are three state-recognized tribes. Many inhabitants of Georgia identify as being Native American alone (32,151 people in 2010 census and 50,618 in 2020) or Native American in combination with one or more other races (51,873 people in 2010 census and 163,423 in 2020). Many Georgians also reported belonging to various Native American tribes in 2010 census,
3410-579: The Chattahoochee River near West Point . It continues downriver to the point where it joins the Flint River (the confluence of the two forming Florida's Apalachicola River ); the southern border goes almost due east and very slightly south, in a straight line to the St. Mary's River , which then forms the remainder of the boundary back to the ocean. The water boundaries are still set to be
Gwinnett County, Georgia - Misplaced Pages Continue
3520-563: The Confederacy (with secessionists having a slight majority of delegates) and became a major theater of the Civil War . Major battles took place at Chickamauga , Kennesaw Mountain , and Atlanta . In December 1864, a large swath of the state from Atlanta to Savannah was destroyed during General William Tecumseh Sherman 's March to the Sea . 18,253 Georgian soldiers died in service, roughly one of every five who served. In 1870, following
3630-615: The Eastern Continental Divide , has been Georgia's capital city since 1868. It is the most populous city in Georgia, with a 2020 U.S. census population of just over 498,000. The state has seventeen cities with populations over 50,000, based on official 2020 U.S. census data. Along with the rest of the Southeast, Georgia's population continues to grow rapidly, with primary gains concentrated in urban areas. The U.S. Census Bureau lists fourteen metropolitan areas in
3740-722: The NHL Nashville Predators and the MLB Atlanta Braves play home games and talent scout in the area. In 2016, the Georgia Swarm of the National Lacrosse League relocated from Minnesota and began playing games at Infinite Energy Arena . The team won the league championship in 2017. Georgia Force of Arena Football League had also played at Arena at Gwinnett Center before the team folded in 2012. Gwinnett also hosts
3850-479: The North Georgia mountains , receives moderate to heavy precipitation, which varies from 45 inches (1,100 mm) in central Georgia to approximately 75 inches (1,900 mm) around the northeast part of the state. The degree to which the weather of a certain region of Georgia is subtropical depends on the latitude, its proximity to the Atlantic Ocean or Gulf of Mexico , and the elevation. The latter factor
3960-538: The Reconstruction era , Georgia became the last Confederate state to be restored to the Union . With white Democrats having regained power in the state legislature, they passed a poll tax in 1877, which disenfranchised many poor black (and some white) people, preventing them from registering. In 1908, the state established a white primary ; with the only competitive contests within the Democratic Party, it
4070-766: The Southern Baptist Convention with 1,759,317; the United Methodist Church with 619,394; and the Roman Catholic Church with 596,384. Non-denominational Evangelical Protestant had 566,782 members, the Church of God (Cleveland, Tennessee) has 175,184 members, and the National Baptist Convention, USA, Inc. has 172,982 members. The Presbyterian Church (USA) is the largest Presbyterian body in
4180-692: The Tennessee River . Georgia consists of five principal physiographic regions : The Cumberland Plateau , Ridge-and-Valley Appalachians , Blue Ridge Mountains , Piedmont , and the Atlantic coastal plain . Each region has its own distinctive characteristics. For instance, the region, which lies in the northwest corner of the state, includes limestone, sandstone, shale, and other sedimentary rocks, which have yielded construction-grade limestone, barite, ocher, and small amounts of coal. The state of Georgia has approximately 250 tree species and 58 protected plants. Georgia's native trees include red cedar ,
4290-407: The civil rights movement . Atlanta was chosen to host the 1996 Summer Olympics , celebrating the centennial of the modern Olympic Games . Since 1945, Georgia has experienced significant population and economic expansion, aligning with the larger Sun Belt trend. Between 2007 and 2008, 14 of Georgia's counties were listed among the 100 fastest-growing in the United States. Georgia is defined by
4400-571: The 160 bird species that live in the state. Reptiles include the eastern diamondback , copperhead , and cottonmouth snakes as well as alligators; amphibians include salamanders , frogs and toads . There are about 79 species of reptile and 63 amphibians known to live in Georgia. The Argentine black and white tegu is currently an invasive species in Georgia. It poses a problem to local wildlife by chasing down and killing many native species and dominating habitats. The most popular freshwater game fish are trout , bream , bass , and catfish , all but
4510-420: The 1797 Treaty of Beaufort , and tested in the U.S. Supreme Court in the two Georgia v. South Carolina cases in 1923 and 1989. The border then takes a sharp turn around the tip of Rabun County , at latitude 35°N , though from this point it diverges slightly south (due to inaccuracies in the original survey, conducted in 1818). This northern border was originally the Georgia and North Carolina border all
Gwinnett County, Georgia - Misplaced Pages Continue
4620-562: The 18th century from rice-growing regions of West Africa led to the development of Gullah -Geechee language and culture in the Low Country among African Americans. They share a unique heritage in which many African traditions of food, religion and culture were retained. In the creolization of Southern culture, their foodways became an integral part of Low Country cooking. Sephardic Jews, French-speaking Swiss people, Moravians, Irish convicts, Piedmont Italians and Russian people immigrated to
4730-625: The 1997 compacts, Georgia also entered into negotiations with the Corps to allow part of Lake Lanier to be used for water consumption. In 2004, both Alabama and Florida challenged these agreements due to the preeminence of the suit filed by Alabama in 1990. The 1997 compacts, however, were not successful; they were allowed to expire in 2003 and 2004, for the ACF and the ACT, respectively. The states could not agree on minimum flow requirements, general operation standards, and consumption caps. Georgia argued that if
4840-573: The 4th state to ratify the United States Constitution on January 2, 1788. After the Creek War (1813–1814) , General Andrew Jackson forced the Muscogee (Creek) tribes to surrender land to the state of Georgia, including in the Treaty of Fort Jackson (1814) , surrendering 21 million acres in what is now southern Georgia and central Alabama, and the Treaty of Indian Springs (1825) . In 1829, gold
4950-532: The ACF negotiations have been to ensure adequate water levels of the Chattahoochee River through the Alabama cities of Phenix City and Columbia , perpetuation of waste assimilation and water use permits in the middle regions of the Chattahoochee River, continuation of the Corps' projects such as hydropower and flood control, preservation of water levels of Alabama's West Point Lake and Lake Eufaula , and ensuring that neither current or future plans adversely affect
5060-560: The Apalachicola Bay area and generate millions of dollars for the region, while providing thousands of jobs. Unlike Georgia, where the issue over the use of freshwater is based on supplying a growing human population with potable water, Florida is faced with economic challenges and severe losses if the water from upriver is diminished. As all three states have portions of the ACF river basin, ACT river basin, or both within their borders, Georgia, Alabama, and Florida are involved in
5170-560: The Army Corps of Engineers, followed by the state of Florida later that year. Alabama challenged the Corps' recommendation of the reallocation of the water supply, arguing that the Corps' recommendation had favored Georgia's interests and had ignored the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969 and the impact of its recommendation on the environment. In its suit, Florida cited the critical effect of
5280-512: The Atlanta metropolitan area became a national center of finance, insurance, technology, manufacturing, real estate, logistics, and transportation companies, as well as the film, convention, and trade show businesses. As a testament to the city's growing international profile, in 1990 the International Olympic Committee selected Atlanta as the site of the 1996 Summer Olympics . Taking advantage of Atlanta's status as
5390-644: The Atlanta region and further negotiation regarding the reallocation of portions of Lake Lanier to supply the needs of metro Atlanta. Nathan Deal , Governor of Georgia in 2011, wanted to resolve the conflict with Alabama by finding new solutions to Atlanta's need for water. Alabama uses water of the ACF River Basin for a variety of purposes, including agriculture, industry, fisheries, recreation, preservation of habitats and biodiversity , power generation, navigation, and water quality, all of which may be limited by Atlanta's growing usage. Alabama's goals during
5500-492: The Georgia coastline, brushing the coast on their way north without ever making landfall. Hurricane Matthew of 2016 and Hurricane Dorian of 2019 did just that. Due to anthropogenic climate change , the climate of Georgia is warming. This is already causing major disruption, for example, from sea level rise (Georgia is more vulnerable to it than many other states because its land is sinking) and further warming will increase it. Atlanta , located in north-central Georgia at
5610-504: The Gwinnett Lions Rugby Football Club, a Division 3 Men's Rugby Team competing in the Georgia Rugby Union . The county maintains a regional airport under the name Gwinnett County Airport , formerly Briscoe Field. The closest major airport serving the region is Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport . In 2015, Peachtree Corners conducted a Livable Centers Initiative (LCI) survey which indicated public desire for more multi-use trails. Beginning in 2016, Peachtree Corners has been in
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#17327726459085720-465: The Supreme Court's ruling in Worcester v. Georgia (1832) that U.S. states were not permitted to redraw Indian boundaries, President Jackson and the state of Georgia ignored the ruling. In 1838, his successor, Martin Van Buren , dispatched federal troops to gather the tribes and deport them west of the Mississippi . This forced relocation, known as the Trail of Tears , led to the death of more than four thousand Cherokees. In early 1861, Georgia joined
5830-405: The US that has demographically changed the most rapidly. As recently as 1990 , over 90% of Gwinnett County's population was white . By 2007, the county was considered majority-minority county. As of the 2020 United States census , there were 957,062 people, 301,471 households, and 230,960 families residing in the county. In 2010, the median income for a household in the county was $ 63,219 and
5940-437: The United States, the BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir Atlanta , located in the suburb city of Lilburn . Georgia is home to large Sikh religion population with 4 gurudwaras (Sikh religious worship places). Georgia is home to several historic synagogues including The Temple (Atlanta) , Congregation Beth Jacob (Atlanta) , and Congregation Mickve Israel (Savannah) . Chabad and the Rohr Jewish Learning Institute are also active in
6050-436: The basin, including how operations will accommodate the water supply demand of Metro Atlanta through 2050. Environmental groups argued that the plan would hold too much water in reserve, reducing environmental flows downriver. In August 2021, U.S. District Court Judge Thomas Thrash dismissed the case, ruling that the Corps was within its powers to make a water supply assurance to Metro Atlanta and had satisfactorily considered
6160-430: The closest large city and one that has developed rapidly since the late 20th century, greatly increasing its water consumption. The water flows are also regulated to support a variety of uses by states downriver, including preservation of marine life under the Endangered Species Act , and support for major seafood industries. In 1938, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers produced a report for the U.S. Congress that suggested
6270-423: The colonial period, that they choose to identify simply as having "American" ancestry or do not in fact know their own ancestry. Their ancestry primarily goes back to the original thirteen colonies and for this reason many of them today simply claim "American" ancestry, though they are of predominantly English ancestry. Historically, about half of Georgia's population was composed of African Americans who, before
6380-399: The colony's settlement, known as the Oglethorpe Plan , which envisioned an agrarian society of yeoman farmers and prohibited slavery. The colony was invaded by the Spanish in 1742, during the War of Jenkins' Ear . In 1752, after the government failed to renew subsidies that had helped support the colony, the Trustees turned over control to the crown . Georgia became a crown colony , with
6490-399: The county to the northwest is a part of the Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area chain. Allocation of water from the regional reservoir , Lake Lanier , at the extreme north of the county, has been subject to the Tri-state water dispute . The southern and central portions of Gwinnett County are located in the Upper Ocmulgee River sub-basin of the Altamaha River basin. Most of
6600-412: The county's northern edge, from south of Peachtree Corners to north of Buford , is located in the Upper Chattahoochee River sub-basin of the ACF River Basin (Apalachicola-Chattahoochee-Flint River Basin). The county's eastern edge, north and south of Dacula , is located in the Upper Oconee River sub-basin of the same Altamaha River basin. Gwinnett County is often cited as one of the counties in
6710-463: The county, provided that such legislation does not conflict with state or federal law, or state or federal Constitutions. Gwinnett County, Georgia is governed by a five-member Board of Commissioners, which exercises both legislative and executive authority within the county. The Chair of the Board is elected county-wide and serves full-time. The four other commissioners are elected from single-member districts and serve part-time positions. The board hires
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#17327726459086820-400: The county. The department also runs recreational and educational programs. The parks system has won many awards such as the gold medal in 2008 from American Academy for Park and Recreation Administration and National Recreation and Park Association. They were also finalists in 1999, 2006, and 2014. The system has also been cited to use STEM by NRPA . Gwinnett County Public Schools operates
6930-438: The dam included reducing flooding downriver during heavy rains and allowing for easier navigation on related Georgia waterways. Congress authorized the construction of Buford Dam in 1946, and the dam was completed in 1957. As Atlanta's population continued to grow from the time the dam was built, especially since the late 20th century, its consumption and need for water has grown. At the same time, both Alabama and Florida used
7040-456: The dam's operations on endangered species and NEPA violations by the Corps of Engineers. Alabama and Florida later filed amended briefs to the 1990 Alabama suit, stating that an endangered aquatic species was being threatened due to a decrease of water levels downriver. After the 1990 lawsuit was filed in Alabama, the parties decided to suspend legal procedures in an effort to reach an agreement suitable to all three states. After arbitration by
7150-453: The entire Chattahoochee River, from Lake Lanier in Forsyth County, Georgia , to Alabama and Florida. The states filed suit in 1990 in their conflict over the water supply; federal courts has affirmed the Corps' authority to negotiate the conflict. As the Lake Lanier project was authorized by Congress, each of the three states is entitled to an equal portion of the water; the project was never envisioned only to benefit metropolitan Atlanta ,
7260-412: The flow standards are met, then minimum flow requirements are unnecessary. Georgia and the Corps of Engineers reached an agreement to reduce the state's water usage from Lake Lanier, but in 2008, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia ruled that this type of change in the agreement required Congressional approval and could not be made by the USACE. At various times, the governors of each of
7370-426: The following month, a new special master was appointed. The case was argued again on February 22, 2021 and on April 1, the court unanimously ruled to dismiss the case. In April 2017, Alabama and environmental groups sued the Army Corps of Engineers to challenge their recently adopted Master Water Control Manual and Environmental Impact Statement for the ACF Basin. The manual details Corps operations of reservoirs in
7480-459: The full environmental impact has not been assessed. Draft Programmatic EISs for the two basins were published in 1999, but were never formalized. No Record of Decision (ROD) was ever published. Florida also has major environmental issues related to the flow in the ACF basin. The Apalachicola Bay provides 35 percent of the freshwater flow to the eastern Gulf of Mexico , and it is vital to the richly productive estuaries in this region. The key to
7590-415: The goal of preserving the water quality and other environmental factors. Alabama is concerned about environmental effects under drought, if the waters of the ACF and the ACT river basins are diminished to use Lake Lanier to supply water for Atlanta's consumption. These two river basins are the habitat for countless numbers of fish and other aquatic life, which need a proper amount of water to thrive. If
7700-665: The highest levels in the nation. Solutions to high spending being discussed include additional “investment in mental health, housing, youth development and living wages would stabilize communities and prove more effective than policing.” In addition to the Board of Commissioners, county residents also elect persons to the following positions: Sheriff, District Attorney, Probate Court Judge, Clerk of State/Superior Court, Tax Commissioner, State Court Solicitor, Chief Magistrate Judge (who appoints other Magistrate Court judges), Chief Superior Court Judge and Superior Court Judges, and Chief State Court Judge and State Court Judges. Gwinnett County has
7810-528: The issue. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers constructed Lake Lanier under authorization and appropriations by Congress, and controls its flow of water for multiple purposes, so it is involved in the dispute. Concerned with the environmental effects on the two river basins, the Tri-State Conservation Coalition—a league of more than 45 organizations, including the Alabama Rivers Alliance, Southern Environmental Law Center , American Rivers, Lake Watch of Lake Martin, and Upper Chattahoochee Riverkeeper—is involved with
7920-400: The largest Asian groups in Georgia. In addition, according to census estimates, Georgia ranks third among the states in terms of the percent of the total population that is African American (after Mississippi and Louisiana ) and third in numeric Black population after New York and Florida. Georgia also has a sizeable Latino population. Many are of Mexican descent. Georgia is the state with
8030-691: The largest of which was the Cherokee (21,525 people). Other tribes reported in Georgia in 2010 included for example the Muscogee (2,370 people), the Choctaw (1,419), the Sioux (1,027), the Seminole (664) and more. Georgia's 2018 total gross state product was $ 602 billion. For years Georgia as a state has had the highest credit rating by Standard & Poor's (AAA) and is one of only 15 states with
8140-427: The largest public school system in the state of Georgia. Members of the Board of Education are elected from special election districts in the county. For most of the time from 1964 to 2012, the county was a Republican stronghold in presidential elections. The only Democrat to carry the county in this period was former Georgia governor Jimmy Carter in 1976, who carried Gwinnett County during his sweep of every county in
8250-441: The last of which are produced in state hatcheries for restocking. Popular saltwater game fish include red drum , spotted seatrout , flounder , and tarpon . Porpoises , whales, shrimp , oysters , and blue crabs are found inshore and offshore of the Georgia coast. The majority of the state is primarily a humid subtropical climate . Hot and humid summers are typical, except at the highest elevations. The entire state, including
8360-422: The median income for a family was $ 70,767. Males had a median income of $ 48,671 versus $ 39,540 for females. The per capita income for the county was $ 26,901. About 8.7% of families and 11.0% of the population were below the poverty line , including 15.1% of those under age 18 and 8.1% of those age 65 or over. Under Georgia's "home rule" provision, county governments have free rein to legislate on all matters within
8470-425: The needs of Alabama and Florida. Georgia has indicated that the need for fresh water to use for human consumption is its primary concern in the issue. Experts in the metro Atlanta area assert that the people of metro Atlanta require and can safely extract 705 million gallons (2.67 Gl ) of fresh water per day from a number of reservoirs and water basins around northern Georgia until the year 2030. Georgia states
8580-495: The north, South Carolina to the northeast, the Atlantic Ocean to the southeast, Florida to the south, and Alabama to the west. Of the 50 United States , Georgia is the 24th-largest by area and eighth most populous . According to the U.S. Census Bureau , its 2023 estimated population was 11,029,227. Atlanta , a global city , is both the state's capital and its largest city. The Atlanta metropolitan area , with
8690-548: The original thalweg of the rivers. Since then, several have been inundated by lakes created by dams, including the Apalachicola/Chattahoochee/Flint point now under Lake Seminole . An 1818 survey erroneously placed Georgia's border with Tennessee one mile (1.6 km) south of the intended location of the 35th parallel north. State legislators still dispute this placement , as correction of this inaccuracy would allow Georgia access to water from
8800-476: The post- Reconstruction period, Georgia's economy underwent significant changes, driven by a coalition of influential politicians, business leaders, and journalists, notably Henry W. Grady , who promoted the " New South " ideology focused on reconciliation and industrialization . In the mid-20th century, several notable figures from Georgia, including Martin Luther King Jr. , emerged as key leaders in
8910-549: The process of constructing 11.5 miles of multi-use trails within the city limits. In 2016, Suwanee unveiled the first Bike Share program in Gwinnett County. 33°58′N 84°02′W / 33.96°N 84.03°W / 33.96; -84.03 Georgia (U.S. state) Georgia is a state in the Southeastern region of the United States . It borders Tennessee to the northwest, North Carolina to
9020-668: The public schools for residents in Gwinnett County, with the exception of residents inside the Buford city limits, which are served by the Buford City School District . There are 143 schools in the district—21 high schools, 29 middle schools, 80 elementary schools and 13 specialty schools, making it the largest school district in Georgia. There is a charter school in Peachtree Corners, International Charter Academy of Georgia . Minor-league affiliates of
9130-503: The second-highest total of these extralegal executions of any state in the South. The overwhelming number of victims were black and male. Political disfranchisement persisted through the mid-1960s, until after Congress passed the Voting Rights Act of 1965 . An Atlanta-born Baptist minister who was part of the educated middle class that had developed in Atlanta's African-American community, Martin Luther King Jr. , emerged as
9240-489: The state during the colonial era. As of 2011 , 58.8% of Georgia's population younger than 1 were minorities (meaning they had at least one parent who was not non-Hispanic white) compared to other states like California with 75.1%, Texas with 69.8%, and New York with 55.6%. The largest European ancestry groups as of 2011 were: English 8.1%, Irish 8.1%, and German 7.2%. As of 2021 , 85.62% (8,711,102) of Georgia residents age 5 and older spoke English at home as
9350-489: The state is Brasstown Bald , reaching 4,784 feet (1,458 m) above sea level, while the lowest point is at the Atlantic Ocean . Except for some elevated areas in the Blue Ridge, Georgia predominantly experiences a humid subtropical climate . Among the states located entirely east of the Mississippi River, Georgia ranks as the largest in terms of land area . Before settlement by European colonists , Georgia
9460-595: The state, with 300 congregations and 100,000 members. The other large body, Presbyterian Church in America , had at its founding date 14 congregations and 2,800 members; in 2010 it counted 139 congregations and 32,000 members. The Roman Catholic Church is noteworthy in Georgia's urban areas, and includes the Archdiocese of Atlanta and the Diocese of Savannah . Georgia is home to the second-largest Hindu temple in
9570-423: The state. By the 2022 Public Religion Research Institute 's study, 71% of the population were Christian; throughout its Christian population, 60% were Protestant and 8% were Catholic. Jehovah's Witnesses and Mormons collectively made up 3% of other Christians according to the study. Judaism , Islam , Buddhism , and Hinduism collectively formed 4% of the state's non-Christian population; New Age spirituality
9680-529: The state. However, the Republican edge narrowed, and then eventually was eliminated, in the 2010s as the county, as well as the rest of the Atlanta metro area, became larger and more diverse. In 2016, Hillary Clinton became the first Democrat to win Gwinnett County in 40 years and the first non-Georgian Democrat to do so since John F. Kennedy in 1960, doing so by 5.9 points. This was due to changing demographics, with white college educated voters, as well as
9790-561: The state. The population of the Atlanta metropolitan area added 1.23 million people (24%) between 2000 and 2010, and Atlanta rose in rank from the eleventh-largest metropolitan area in the United States to the ninth-largest . The Atlanta metropolitan area is the cultural and economic center of the Southeast ; its official population in 2020 was over 6 million, or 57% of Georgia's total population. The United States Census Bureau reported Georgia's official population to be 10,711,908 as of
9900-482: The stated goals. During the drought of 2007, the state of Georgia had statewide water restrictions, but the city of Phenix City , Alabama failed to enact water restrictions on their customers. During the early part of the process, Alabama was, compared to Georgia and Florida, somewhat ill-equipped to address some of the arguments presented by Florida and Georgia. The state did not pass a comprehensive Water Resources Act until 1993, more than two years after their lawsuit
10010-462: The third-lowest percentage of older people (65 or older), at 12.8 percent (as of 2015 ). The colonial settlement of large numbers of Scottish American , English American and Scotch-Irish Americans in the mountains and Piedmont, and coastal settlement by some English Americans and African Americans, have strongly influenced the state's culture in food, language and music. The concentration of African slaves repeatedly "imported" to coastal areas in
10120-457: The three states have met, but these meetings have resulted only in deadline extensions for agreement. When U.S. Interior Secretary Ken Salazar visited Georgia in 2009, he said that he would not force the states into any agreement, but he would help them come to an agreement. U.S. District Judge Paul Magnuson , brought in as a neutral arbiter, ruled in July 2009 that metropolitan Atlanta would be prohibited from taking water out of Lake Lanier for
10230-427: The three states involved. The interstate water dispute becomes an intrastate issue for Georgia because of the major quantities of water needed for supporting population growth in the metro Atlanta. The growth of Atlanta has also increased water consumption for maintaining lawns and golf courses, which other parties to the rivers do not want to support. Lake Lanier's downstream users in Georgia maintain that an increase in
10340-589: The three states. In 2013, Florida filed an original action against Georgia in the Supreme Court of the United States , requesting equitable apportionment of waters in the ACF Basin. On November 3, 2014, the Supreme Court granted Florida leave to file the complaint, and the case went before a special master before being argued on January 8, 2018 . On June 27, 2018, the case was remanded and in
10450-784: The vote here in the 2022 Senate runoff election , substantially improving upon Biden's result. Gwinnett County is one of six "reverse pivot counties", counties that voted Republican in 2008 and 2012, and voted Democratic in 2016 and 2020. The county's main newspaper is the Gwinnett Daily Post . The Spanish language newspaper El Nuevo Georgia has its headquarters in unincorporated Gwinnett County, near Norcross. Telemundo Atlanta and The Atlanta Journal-Constitution are both based in Gwinnett. Gwinnett County Parks and Recreation operates and maintains parks, playgrounds, swimming pools, golf courses and recreation centers in
10560-683: The water consumption of metro Atlanta results in a decrease of available water for users in south Georgia. Farmers in Southwest Georgia and homeowners on West Point Lake perceive metro Atlanta as competition for water. For the past two decades, Georgia's leadership has failed to produce significant agreements with Alabama and Florida. Many people blame the leaders of the state for this failure. The old course of "Conflict, Conceal, and Capture" has not resulted in any progress. In December 2009 Governor Sonny Perdue 's Water Contingency Planning Task Force recommended greater water conservation in
10670-526: The water from Lake Allatoona and the Etowah River in North Georgia could sustain the water needs of the metro Atlanta area. Georgia's main concern is whether or not they have the capability to supply over 5.6 million people in the metro Atlanta area with potable water . Because of Georgia's need to supply a booming population with safe, usable water, Georgia's circumstance is unique to
10780-458: The water levels fall too low, such aquatic species may suffer. Endangered species of both sturgeon and mussel live in the basins, and reducing the water supply to the basins would put these endangered species at risk. NEPA requires submission of an environmental impact statement (EIS) before any action with potentially major environmental effects can take place. No EIS has been published for changes to allocation of water from Lake Lanier, indicating
10890-468: The waters from Lake Lanier, which were critical to a variety of uses, including important economic industries. In 1989, the Corps of Engineers released a report concluding that some of the water being used for hydroelectric power at Buford Dam should, instead, be used to supply Atlanta with water for human consumption. As a result of the COE's recommendation, Alabama filed a lawsuit in 1990 against Georgia and
11000-470: The way to the Mississippi River , until Tennessee was divided from North Carolina , and the Yazoo companies induced the legislature of Georgia to pass an act, approved by the governor in 1795, to sell the greater part of Georgia's territory presently comprising Alabama and Mississippi . The state's western border runs in a straight line south-southeastward from a point southwest of Chattanooga , to meet
11110-764: Was 2% of the religious population. Approximately 23% of the state was irreligious . Population percentage of Georgia in the United States 2010: 3.14% 2020: 3.23% Tribes which historically lived in what is now Georgia include the Muscogee (including the Hitchiti subgroup), the Cherokee , the Oconi , the Guale , the Yamasee and the Apalachee . Other tribes which at various times lived in or migrated through Georgia include
11220-533: Was 70% Protestant, 9% Catholic, 1% Mormon, 1% Jewish, 0.5% Muslim, 0.5% Buddhist, and 0.5% Hindu. Atheists , deists , agnostics, and other unaffiliated people make up 13% of the population. Overall, Christianity was the dominant religion in the state, as part of the Bible Belt . According to the Association of Religion Data Archives in 2010, the largest Christian denominations by number of adherents were
11330-561: Was another way to exclude black people from politics. They constituted 46.7% of the state's population in 1900, but the proportion of Georgia's population that was African American dropped thereafter to 28%, primarily due to tens of thousands leaving the state during the Great Migration . According to the Equal Justice Initiative 's 2015 report on lynching in the United States (1877–1950), Georgia had 531 deaths,
11440-681: Was burned by the Ku Klux Klan in an attempt to avoid prosecution for their crimes, which included the shooting of a Black election manager in Norcross . Early in the county's history, gold mining was a minor industry. The Gwinnett Manufacturing Company, a cotton textile factory, operated in Lawrenceville in the 1850s through 1865, when it burned. The Bona Allen Company in Buford, Georgia produced saddles, harnesses and other leather goods from 1873 to 1981. The northeastern part of Gwinnett County
11550-538: Was created in 1818 by an act of the Georgia General Assembly , Gwinnett County was formed from parts of Jackson County (formerly part of Franklin County ) and from lands gained through the cession of Creek Indian lands. Named for Button Gwinnett , one of the signatories of the Declaration of Independence , the first county election was held at the home of Elisha Winn, and the first Superior Court
11660-763: Was discovered in the North Georgia mountains leading to the Georgia Gold Rush and establishment of a federal mint in Dahlonega , which continued in operation until 1861. The resulting influx of American settlers put pressure on the federal U.S. government to take land from the Cherokee Nation . In 1830, President Andrew Jackson signed into law the Indian Removal Act , sending many eastern Indian nations to reservations in present-day Oklahoma, including all of Georgia's tribes. Despite
11770-485: Was filed against the Corps. The newly created Office of Water Resources was not fully staffed until 1997. But it has worked to catch up. As another downstream user of the ACF River Basin, Florida wants and needs enough freshwater to reach the Apalachicola Bay of Northwestern Florida to maintain shrimping and other seafood industries, which provide significant income for the state. These industries are vital to
11880-675: Was held in his barn. The county seat was later placed at Lawrenceville. In 1831, a group of white men were tried and found guilty in Lawrenceville for violating Georgia law by living in the Cherokee Nation without a valid passport from the Governor. Two of the men appealed to the US Supreme Court in Worcester v. Georgia , which resulted in a ruling stating that only the federal government had jurisdiction over native lands,
11990-581: Was inhabited by the mound building cultures. The Province of Georgia was founded by British General James Oglethorpe at Savannah on February 12, 1733, a year after its creation as a new British colony. It was administered by the Trustees for the Establishment of the Colony of Georgia in America under a charter issued by (and named for) King George II . The Trustees implemented an elaborate plan for
12100-405: Was removed in 1914 to form a part of the new Barrow County . According to the U.S. Census Bureau , the county has a total area of 437 square miles (1,130 km), of which 430 square miles (1,100 km) is land and 6.4 square miles (17 km) (1.5%) is water. The county is located in the upper Piedmont region of the state. It is located along the Eastern Continental Divide . A portion of
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