The U.S. Supreme Court ruled Monday that it would not review the decades-old water war between Georgia, Alabama and Florida.

The decision not to hear the case means that a ruling by the United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit stands and Lake Lanier can be used as a water supply for Georgia, a huge victory for the state in the ongoing battle.

In June 2011, the appeals court threw out a 2009 ruling by Senior U.S. District Judge Paul Magnuson, who had found it was illegal for the Corps of Engineers to draw water from Lake Lanier to supply water to the residents of metro Atlanta.

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"It is my hope that we can finally put this decades-long legal dispute to rest and work together with our sister states -- in meeting rooms, not courtrooms -- to develop a fair and equitable water sharing plan and promote a strong and vibrant Southeastern region,” said Georgia Attorney General Sam Olens in a morning release.

“By denying a hearing of the decision of the Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals in the tri-state water case, the nation’s highest  court has affirmed that drinking water was always an authorized use of Lake Lanier,” Gov. Nathan Deal said in a statement. "We can now move forward with this issue behind us, have the governors work together and come to a long-term agreement that will provide for the water needs of all three states."

The court of appeals gave the Army Corps of Engineers one year to make a final plan for water allocation from Lake Lanier.

Stay with Channel 2 Action News and WSBTV.com for updates on this developing story.

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