Alabama, Georgia and Florida have reached a tentative agreement for sharing water from the Apalachicola-Chattahoochee-Flint river system. Officials said it appears to meet their future growth needs through 2050.

The AP reported the agreement would dictate how much water is available to the states for drinking, industry, recreation and other purposes. Georgia and Alabama want water for future growth, while Florida's interests lie mainly in protecting fish and oysters in the Apalachicola River and Bay. If it were accepted, a 60-day comment period would follow with public hearings in all three states. The states will meet by March 18 to vote on formally accepting the proposal, the Tallahassee Democrat reported.