Georgia Watershed Directory A-E
Altamaha Riverkeeper
AP. O. Box 2642, 105 First Street W
Darien, Georgia 31305
Phone: 912-437-8164
Fax: 912-437-8765
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http://www.altamahariverkeeper.org
Watershed Information
Basin: Altamaha River
Streams: The Altamaha River watershed including the Oconee, Ocmulgee and the Ohoopee and their many tributaries.
Size of Watershed: 14,000 square miles
Contact:
Ms. Deborah Sheppard, Executive Director
Phone: 912-437-8164
Email:
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Mission:
The Altamaha Riverkeeper is working to restore and preserve the habitat, water quality and flow of the mighty Altamaha - from its headwaters in the Oconee, the Ocmulgee and the Ohoopee to its terminus at the Atlantic Coast.
Activities:
Education, advocacy, water monitoring through site visits, clean-ups and legal action, when necessary.
Issues:
The enforcement of local state and federal laws to protect water quality and flow, for example, Clean Water Act violations, sedimentation and erosion violations, violations of Best Management Practices in forestry, legal and illegal discharge of sewage.
Successes:
With the help of others... First time ever public hearing on Rayonier's NPDES discharge permit. Appealing of Rayonier's NPDES discharge permit, and appeal of three Coastal Marshland Protection Committee Decisions James Holland's recent awards from the Garden Club of Georgia, Georgia Wildlife Federation and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Over 350 sites visits to evaluate problems, participate in numerous educational programs, including science fairs, fairs and festivals, and frequently featured in numerous newspaper stories, consulted by the media for information and opinions throughout the watershed, featured in GPTV video.
Assistance Provided by the Group:
Working together on problems identified in the watershed.
Participation in Monitoring: Yes
Advocacy Organization: Yes
Paid Staff: 5
Number of Paying Members: 1000
Non-Profit Status: 501c3
Founded: 1999
Apalachee Monitoring and Watershed Alliance
Jim Weaver
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Watershed Information
Basin: Oconee River/ Apalachee River
Athens Grow Green Coalition
P.O. Box 1085
Athens, Georgia 30603
Phone: 706-206-8534
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http://www.athensgrowgreen.com
Watershed Information
Basin: Oconee River
Streams: Oconee
Contact:
Elizabeth Little
Mission:
The mission of the Athens Grow Green Coalition is to promote responsible community development and growth management policies and practices that protect natural resources, prevent sprawl, maintain a healthy economy, and preserve a high quality of life for all in the Athens region.
Activities:
Public education and lobbying on land use and environmental issues, and voter information on local candidates' environmental records.
Issues:
Growth management and land use.
Successes:
We campaigned successfully to convince the Athens-Clarke County Commission to pass a 75 foot riparian buffer ordinance covering most perennial streams in the fall of 2000; we assisted in developing new conservation subdivision regulations that are more protective of open space and sensitive environmental areas in 2003; we lobbied successfully to extend 75-foot buffer protection to all perennial and intermittent streams in 2004.
Assistance Provided by the Group:
We campaigned successfully to convince the Athens-Clarke County Commission to pass a 75 foot riparian buffer ordinance covering most perennial streams in the fall of 2000; we assisted in developing new conservation subdivision regulations that are more protective of open space and sensitive environmental areas in 2003; we lobbied successfully to extend 75-foot buffer protection to all perennial and intermittent streams in 2004.
Participation in Monitoring: No
Advocacy Organization: Yes
Paid Staff: 0
Number of Paying Members: 150
Founded: 2000
Broad River Watershed Association
Victor Johnson
P. O. Box 661
Danielsville, Georgia 30633-0661
Phone: 706-795-2184
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http://www.brwa.org
Watershed Information
Basin: Savannah River
Streams: Broad River, including mainstem and all tributaries
Mission:
To preserve the Broad River as a free-flowing river system and to support land use compatible with the maintenance of water quality, scenic rural character, and the preservation of sensitive natural and historic areas and wildlife habitat.
Activities:
Land protection through conservation easements; education and outreach through public forums, adopt-a-stream monitoring (in collaboration with local schools), and river clean-ups.
Issues:
Unplanned or poorly planned development that degrades water quality, wildlife habitat, scenic values, and sensitive natural or historic areas. Water supply development that involves stream impoundment. Riparian disturbance by roads, clearing, mining, and construction.
Successes:
December 2001: Acquisition of >135 acres of hardwood forest in the headwaters of the Broad River system; this land will be protected in perpetuity through a conservation easement. September 2001: Funding award from the North American Wetlands Conservation program, with matching funds from the Georgia Power Company, to protect riparian wetlands in the Broad River system through land aquisition and conservation easements.
Assistance Provided by the Group:
By developing and holding conservation easements, we collaborate with land owners to ensure perpetual protection of sensitive lands from development activities that would degrade the Broad River or its tributaries.
Participation in Monitoring: Yes
Advocacy Organization: No
Paid Staff: 0
Non-Profit Status: 501c3
Founded: 1991
Burnt Fork Watershed Alliance, Inc.
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
, Chairperson
2665 Spicer Lane
Decatur, Georgia 30033
Phone: 404-320-9187
Fax: 404-325-9117
http://burntforkcreek.tripod.com/
Watershed Information
Basin: Chattahoochee River
Streams: Burnt Fork Creek
Size of Watershed: The Burnt Fork Watershed encompasses an area of approximately 5 square miles in Dekalb County, Georgia that is, for the most part, bordered by LaVista Road and Lawrenceville Highway from Tucker to near Emory University in Decatur. Water from Burnt Fork Watershed drains into Burnt Fork Creek which flows through the business districts and neighborhoods of Northeast Dekalb County. The Burnt Fork Watershed is 1 of the 27 sub-watersheds that make up the Peachtree/Nancy Creek watersheds.
Mission:
The Burnt Fork Watershed Alliance seeks to bring citizens and businesses together in constructive conversation and action to create a future in which the health of the environment and economy are protected. We recognize that the economic viability and environmental integrity of the Burnt Fork Watershed are interwoven.
Activities:
Education, Monitoring, Creek Clean-Ups
Issues:
Impervious surfaces, flooding, erosion, CSX rail line, potential construction of Athens/Atlanta Commuter Rail
Successes:
Received a $5,000 grant from the State of Georgia
Participation in Monitoring: Yes
Advocacy Organization: Yes
Paid Staff: 0
Non-Profit Status: Apply Soon
Founded: 1999
Center for a Sustainable Coast
Mr. David Kyler, Executive Director
221 Mallory Street, Suite B
Saint Simons Island, Georgia 31522
Phone: 912-638-3612
Fax: 912-638-3615
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http://www.sustainablecoast.org
Watershed Information
Basin: Georgia - Coastal
Size of Watershed: 36,000 square miles
Phone: 912-638-3612
Email:
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Mission:
The Center works to protect the public interest in critical issues affecting coastal Georgia's growth, economy, and environment.
Activities:
education, technical assistance, advocacy, support and dissemination of research,
legal action as needed (litigation)
Issues:
1. ditching and draining wetlands, and other disturbances of flow conditions
2. point source pollution from various land-based activities.
3. non-point source pollution from forestry, agriculture, and urban development
4. air deposition from coal-burning power plants
5. rapid rise in demand for consumptive uses of water (e.g. power plants)
6. threats to natural resources and ecosystems, including those that support nature-based businesses, which have an estimated 40,000 jobs (one out of five) in this region.
Successes:
Publicity about water quality issues affecting productivity of coastal waters,
adversely affecting nature-based businesses such as commercial fishing & seafood processing-- based on water quality petition sent to EPD/DNR.
Assistance Provided by the Group:
editing and technical writing, mailing to 1300 individuals on our mailing lists, networking via Internet, posting messages/announcements and links on our website, posting information in our quarterly newsletter providing comment on and assisting in campaigns and public information/events,
Participation in Monitoring: No
Advocacy Organization: Yes
Paid Staff: 1.5
Non-Profit Status: 501c3
Founded: 1997
Chamblee Community Wildlife Habitat Association
Kay Packard, Coordinator, Chamblee Community Habitat Committee
3773 Captain Drive
Chamblee, Georgia 30341
Phone: 770-451-6079
Fax: 770-234-9058
Email:
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Watershed Information
Basin: Chattahoochee
Streams: Unnamed stream beginning under GM Doraville Plant and ending in Nancy Creek at Chamblee Methodist Church.
Size of Watershed: About 4 miles.
Activities:
We've had one clean-up - last October, but plan to do this more often. Will have one in the spring - the Environmental Club at Chamblee High School wants to get involved. Eventually would like to do the Adopt-A-Stream program in the area.
Issues:
Pollution and trash for the commercial area our stream flows through before reaching our neighborhood.
Successes:
Right now we are working on the Community Habitat Program with National Wildlife Federation. Our Chamblee Community Program has been chosen as a field trip for the National Wildlife Federation's Annual Meeting in March. They will do a 2-hour project at Chamblee High School as part of the trip. The watershed program came about as one of the projects connected with our Habitat Program. There are now only 3 in the nation - would love to be number 4! The mayor is proclaiming March 9 as Chamblee Community Habitat Day, with a Proclamation being presented to Mark Van Putten, President of NWF. I expected just 4-5 people at our first stream clean-up - we had 30, including most of a girl scout troop, and got out about 1,000 pounds of trash! Most pleased with the results of our first clean-up!
Participation in Monitoring: No
Advocacy Organization: No
Paid Staff: 0
Number of Paying Members: 0
Non-Profit Status: 501c3
Founded: 1998
Chattahoochee Cold Water Fishery Foundation
Chris Scalley, President
710 Riverside Road
Roswell, Georgia 30075
Phone: 770-650-8630
Cell: 770-597-8096
http://www.riverthroughatlanta.com
http://www.chattahoocheefoodwebs.org
Watershed Information
Basin: Chattahoochee River
Streams: Monitor exclusively on the main stem of the tailwaters.
Size of Watershed: 45 miles
Mission:
To preserve the Chattahoochee tailwater fishery through benthic macro invertebrate collections to monitor water quality and restore riparian zones within the river corridor.
Activities:
Hester Dendy substrate and Surbor samplers. We have volunteers analyze the contents of these and document diversity.
Issues:
Non point and thermal pollution along with point source which is mostly related to waste water treatment facilities.
Successes:
We are creating a dialog for the protection of the "undisturbed buffer" along the main stem of the river. MRPA was a law created to protect this vital riparian zone, but there is no enforcement by cities and counties. We plan to hold them accountable for this negligence.
Assistance Provided by the Group:
We provide data for the DNR and NPS for their invertebrate studies.
Participation in Monitoring: Yes
Advocacy Organization: Yes
Non-Profit Status: 501c3
Founded: 1998
Chattahoochee Hill Country Conservancy
Alan Merrill
6505-A Rico Rd.
Palmetto, GA 30268
Phone: 770-463-0809
Email:
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http://www.chatthillcountry.org
Watershed Information
Basin: Chattahoochee River
Mission:
The Chattahoochee Hill Country Conservancy is a nonprofit organization working to implement a sustainable land use plan that protects the ecological health and quality of life in a 65,000 acre area of south Fulton, northwestern Coweta, eastern Carroll and eastern Douglas counties. The Chattahoochee Hill Country does this by acquiring land for greenspace preservation and through the implementation of innovative land use tools.
Chattahoochee Riverkeeper, formerly the Upper Chattahoochee Riverkeeper
Sally Bethea, Executive Director
3 Puritan Mill
916 Joseph Lowery Blvd.
Atlanta, Georgia 30318
Phone: 404-352-9828
Fax: 404-352-8676
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http://www.chattahoochee.org
Watershed Information
Basin: Chattahoochee River
Size of Watershed: 8,770 square miles from the Chattahoochee National Forest in north Georgia to Lake Seminole on the Florida line.
Offices: Atlanta, Gainesville and LaGrange
Mission:
Our mission is to advocate and secure the protection and stewardship of the Chattahoochee River, its tributaries and watershed, in order to restore and conserve their ecological health for the people, fish and wildlife that depend on the river system.
Activities:
Chattahoochee Riverkeeper actively uses advocacy, education, research, communication, cooperation, monitoring and legal actions to protect and preserve the Chattahoochee and its watershed.
Issues:
The Chattahoochee, its lakes and tributaries are impacted by over-development; destruction of stream buffers, wetlands and floodplains; runoff from construction and industrial facilities; sewer system overflows; consumptive water withdrawals; and proposed dams.
Successes:
Won a federal lawsuit against the city of Atlanta for chronic sewage pollution (1997); the $2 billion sewer system overhaul will be mostly complete by 2014, with 99% of the volume of spills stopped. Created the Neighborhood Water Watch Program (2010) to engage volunteers in monitoring local streams for E. coli bacteria and other parameters - CRK is now recognized as the #1 Adopt-A-Stream group in Georgia. Helped negotiate and strengthen the state's industrial stormwater permit (2012) and created a new compliance program for the Chattahoochee watershed. Created "Tapped Out: The Drying up of Atlanta" (2008), a PowerPoint Program for general audiences. Published "Filling the Water Gap: Conservation Success and Missed Opportunities in Metro Atlanta" (2011, 2012). Brought state and federal attention to chronic water quality violations in Lake Lanier, which has forced a new (TMDL) cleanup plan for the lake. Created the Get the Dirt Out Program (2005) to keep muddy water from construction sites out of waterways, and trained thousands of citizens, local officials and developers on regulations and best practices. Established the only floating classroom in Georgia (2000), which annually brings 4000+ students on board our 40-foot catamaran on Lake Lanier for performance-based learning.
Assistance Provided by the Group:
Technical assistance on a wide variety of water-related issues, including adopt-a-stream training, stormwater control workshops, watershed assessments, water quality monitoring (bacteria, nutrients, dissolved oxygen, etc.), watershed protection regulations and policies, legislative strategies, and river restoration projects.
Participation in Monitoring: Yes
Advocacy Organization: Yes
Paid Staff: 12
Number of Paying Members: 6,000+
Non-Profit Status: 501c3
Founded: 1994
Chattahoochee RiverWarden
Roger Martin, Executive Director
P.O. Box 985
Columbus, GA 31902
706-649-2326
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http://www.chattahoocheeriverwarden.org
Watershed Information
Basin: Chattahoochee River
Stream: Chattahoochee River from West Point Lake to the Florida state line
Mission:
The Chattahoochee RiverWarden is a non-profit organization that uses science, education and advocacy for the protection and stewardship of the middle Chattahoochee River and its tributaries
Issues:
Proposed Construction & Demolition Landfill less than a mile from the Chattahoochee in Sandy soils with no liner or leachate collection system,
ACF Water Wars, Inter-Basin Transfers, GA Regional Water Councils, NPDES Permits and reviews, Storm Water Best Management Practices
Participation in Monitoring: Yes
Advocacy Organization: Yes
Paid Staff: Yes 1 FL 1 PT
Number of Paying Members: 200
Non-Profit Status: 501(c) 3
Founded: 2010
Chattooga Conservancy
Mr. Buzz Williams, Executive Director
8 Sequoia Hills Lane
Clayton, Georgia 30525
Phone: 706-782-6097
Fax: 706-782-6098
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http://www.chattoogariver.org
Watershed Information
Basin: Chattooga River
Streams: The Chattooga River watershed.
Size of Watershed: 200,000 acres
Mission:
To promote good land stewardship in the Chattooga watershed.
Activities:
All of the above, plus direct action.
Issues:
Public lands 70% (forest fragmentation, habitat destruction, roadless areas and wild lands degradation, . Private 30% (road building and development, sedimentation and water quality).
Successes:
Organized Citizens for Rabun's Heritage that has successfully stalled a 115 kilovolt powerline through Rabun Co. The issue has generated a County Ordinance against the project and has brought the issue or unrestricted power of eminent domain authority to the state legislature.
Assistance Provided by the Group:
Citizen organizing
Participation in Monitoring: Yes
Advocacy Organization: Yes
Paid Staff: 4
Number of Paying Members: 1000
Non-Profit Status: 501c3
Founded: 1991
Cobb County Water System Watershed Stewardship Program
Ms. Jennifer McCoy, Watershed Stewardship Program Manager
662 South Cobb Dr.
Marietta, GA 30060
Phone: 770-528-1480
Fax: 770-528-1483
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http://www.cobbstreams.org
Watershed Information
Basin: Chattahoochee River and Etowah River
Streams: Nickajack, Sweetwater, Olley, Noses, Powder Springs, Butler, Proctor, Noonday, Rubes
Size of Watershed: 345 Square Miles
Mission: The mission of the Watershed Stewardship Program is encouraging watershed stewardship, helping volunteer groups to connect with the landscape and each other, fostering active citizenship within our community, providing opportunities for lifelong learning.
Activities:
Adopt-A Stream, Storm Drain Marking, School Outreach, Stream Cleanups, Water Festivals, Teacher Training, Rain Barrels
Issues:
Non-Point Source Pollution
Successes:
Train over 2000 volunteers each year on watershed monitoring activities.
Assistance Provided by the Group: Community stewardship grants and tools for monitoring and education
Participation in Monitoring: Yes
Advocacy Organization: No
Paid Staff: 3
Number of Paying Members: 0
Non-Profit Status: Government
Founded: 2001
Conasauga River Alliance
Josh Smith
PO Box 234
Varnell, GA 30756
Phone: 706-876-2514
Fax: 706-625-9943
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http://www.conasaugariver.org
Watershed Information
Basin: Coosa River
Streams: All tributaries within the watershed in Tennessee and Georgia.
Size of Watershed: 500,000 acres
Mission:
To work cooperatively with individuals and organizations interested and committed to improve and protect the quality of the Conasauga River.
Activities: Non-point source pollution reduction projects, habitat restoration, river cleanups, education and community outreach, bacteriological monitoring.
Issues: Habitat loss, resource usage, endangered species, failing septic systems, livestock access to streams
Successes: Inter-organizational cooperation, media awareness, community involvement, septic system repair projects.
Assistance Provided by the Group: Technical and financial assistance for best management practices, outreach activities.
Participation in Monitoring: Yes
Advocacy Organization: Yes
Paid staff: 1.5
Non-Profit Status: 501c3
Founded: 1997
Coosa River Basin Initiative
Joe Cook
408 Broad Street
Rome, Georgia 30161
Phone: 706-232-2724
Fax: 706-235-9066
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http://www.coosa.org
Watershed Information
Basin: Coosa River
Streams: Conasauga, Coosawattee, Oostanaula, Etowah, Chattooga and Coosa Rivers
Size of Watershed: 4,579 square miles in Georgia
Mission:
To inform and empower citizens to protect, preserve and restore North America’s most biologically diverse river basin.
Activities:
Advocacy, Monitoring, Education and Restoration
Issues:
Non Point Source pollution, NPDES Permit violations and renewals, Interbasin Transfers, Protection of Endangered Species, Water Conservation, Recreational Use of Rivers
Successes:
Sponsored the successful ACT Mountains to Sea Expedition, Stopped carpet manufacturers from dumping indigo dye in the Chattooga River, Forced the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to set Total Maximum Daily Loads (TMDLs) of pollutants for impaired waterways, Secured $500,000 for land protection in the Upper Etowah River Basin, Corrected numerous non-point source pollution problems from agriculture and construction practices. Annually, we educate 2000-plus students, maintain active Georgia Adopt-A-Stream and Alabama Water Watch water monitoring programs and remove tens of thousands of pounds of trash from our waterways.
Assistance Provided by the Group:
We organize volunteer opportunities through clean-ups and restoration
projects, give presentations to school groups and civic organizations
about environmental issues, assist citizens in correcting pollution problems in their neighborhoods, organize campaigns against polluters, and act as a watchdog for government environmental policies.
Participation in Monitoring: Yes
Advocacy Organization: Yes
Paid Staff: 2.5
Number of Paying Members: 2500
Non-Profit Status: 501c3
Founded: 1992
Coosawattee Watershed Alliance
Dave Teffeteller
PO Box 252
Ellijay, GA 30539
Cell: : 706-635-2147
Email Dave Teffeteller
Website: www.cooswatteewatershedalliance.org
Watershed Information
Basin: Coosa River
Environment Georgia
Ms. Jennette Gayer
817 West Peachtree St. N.W, Ste. 204
Atlanta, Georgia 30308
Phone: 404-892-3573
Fax: 404-892-5201
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
www.EnvironmentGeorgia.org
Mission:
We all want clean air, clean water and green spaces. But it takes independent research and tough-minded advocacy to win concrete results for our environment, especially when powerful interests stand in the way of environmental progress. That's the idea behind Environment Georgia. We focus exclusively on protecting Georgia's air, water and green spaces. We speak out and take action at the local, state and national levels to improve the quality of our environment and our lives. Founded: 2006
