h run t roug s ia’s rivers share t h River rg hei eo r me it of G ssa Advocates ges

Above: The fl ows 344 miles from the region just south of Atlanta to the southwestern corner of the state. Left: Gordon Rogers displays a big shoal bass he caught while fl y-fi shing on the Flint River at the Big Lazer Creek Wildlife Management Area. DICK BRYANT DICK

By Amber Lanier Nagle

ome remember being are much cleaner than a few baptized in the cool waters decades ago, since the passage of of the in the Clean Water Act in 1972 and a

S ROGERS QUINT Southeast . Others remi- major lawsuit brought and settled nisce about casting their fishing by Chattahoochee Riverkeeper, but lines into Southwest Georgia’s Flint we still have a lot of work ahead of alongside a father or grandfather or falling into North Geor- us,” says Gordon Rogers, a self-described “river nerd” who grew gia’s from a rickety rope swing. In Georgia, our up near the in Southeast Georgia. He’s been the relationship with the 70,000 miles of rivers and streams winding executive director of Flint Riverkeeper Inc. since 2009. “Today, through our state is somewhat of a love story. we have an alarming ‘flow’ problem, and it isn’t all attributed to Not only home to an abundance of trout, catfish, bass drought conditions. It has more to do with intentional water and bream, our rivers showcase lanky herons, bushy-headed withdrawal.” kingfishers, dragonflies, alligators, beavers and a web of wildlife He notes that the Flint River, which stretches from the whose existence depends on the natural flowing waters. upper Piedmont region south of Atlanta to the wetlands of the We, too, rely upon the health and vitality of the rivers— Gulf Coastal plain in the southwestern corner of the state, has a message Georgia’s river advocates emphasize. Here are a few been dewatered by 50 percent in recent years. things they want everyone to know. “Even in very wet years, we are experiencing flows similar to former drought flows across the state,” Rogers says. We’ve made great strides, but ... But restoration efforts are underway. Metro Atlanta and The downstream of metro Atlanta Georgia’s agriculture community have made significant once resembled a cesspool—a byproduct of ancient, overload- investments in technologies designed to put water back into the ed infrastructure that sometimes discharged sewage into the rivers, and people finally are understanding that their actions city’s creeks, which then empty into the river. Today, the can help keep rivers healthy. Chattahoochee is one of the state’s many river-cleanup success Tips include never pouring grease down drains and using stories. minimal amounts of pesticides and herbicides per the instruc- “The Chattahoochee and other Georgia waterways tions on the packages. “And join a local riverkeeper group,” he says.

20 Georgia Magazine October 2019 GWYNETH MOODY / GEORGIA RIVER NETWORK

JOE COOK Fall Float. Withlacoochee River during A family cools off inthe waterways since 1999. plucked 111millionpounds ofgarbage from 32,000milesof throughout thestate. More than 464,000volunteers have Division’s Rivers Alive program hostscleanups fallweekend can participate inacommunity cleanup.” river Chapman says. “Nearly everyone,regardless ofage orability, and flowing. has avested interestbelieves everyone inkeeping clean rivers of theCoosa RiverBasin Initiative (Upper Coosa Riverkeeper), Demonbreun-Chapman, theexecutive director andriverkeeper protect andrestore thestate’s rivers, lakes andstreams. Jesse Everyone getinvolved can the Withlacoochee River Georgia. insouth-central Georgia duringacleanup event. Right: Above: He mentions that Environmental theGeorgia Protection “Everyone can achampion be oftheriver,” Demonbreun- Riverkeepers andwatershed groups monitor, defend, Volunteers pulltrash anddebrisfrom theEtowah River inNorth River kayaks linethebanksof their neighbors decided to drill oneday.”their neighbors to drill decided the rivers, streams andtheirprivate water well safe wouldbe if Demonbreun-Chapman says. wanted to make “They sure that town hall meetings, listenedandvoicedtheir own opinions,” bill into law inMay 2018. oil can extracted be inthefuture. Gov. Nathan signed the Deal private landowners have say some onhow andwhere gas and Law Center andothers to shape state regulations ensuringthat landowners,with state lawmakers, Environmental theSouthern water ofNorthwest Georgia, Demonbreun-Chapman worked fissures to extract oilorgas) could possibly contaminate the process ofusing pressurized liquidto force subterranean open “People began paying attention. They showedupto In that 2016,after folks becameconcerned fracking (the But there are otherways involved to get aswell.

GWYNETH MOODY / GEORGIA RIVER NETWORK A snorkeler enjoys Fall Float intheFlint River. www.georgiamagazine.org 21

GWYNETH MOODY / GEORGIA RIVER NETWORK JOE COOK 22 ficials andletthemknow how oftheprocess.” you part Be feel. protecting our water resources,” hesays. “Know your of- elected on matters that them, affect matters especially asimportant as . water legislative updates at protectgeorgia.org/sign-up.html inGeorgia. He notes thatpolicy can people sign upto receive groupsbased andothers whoare committed to clean-water gia Water Coalition, agroup oforganizations, companies, faith- near Toccoa. to develop water trails, including theTugaloo RiverWater Trail and 18developing water trails.” ers,” Moody says. “We have 18established water trails inGeorgia advocate foreconomically vitalandclean flowing rivers. organizationbased that enjoy, and helpspeople with connect ter trails andoutreach RiverNetwork, at theGeorgia anAthens- gia’s Broad herfamily. Today, Riverwith she’s thedirector ofwa- says Moody, Gwyneth whogrew uppaddling Northeast Geor- Explore Georgia’s waters Georgia Magazine lakes orestuaries. improve ofstreams, sections wetlands, and communities canmonitor and/or sothat individuals technical support The site provides manuals, training and stream.georgia.gov Georgia Adopt-A-Stream, adopta with locations anddescriptions. Browse thelistingofGeorgia’s rivers subjects/rivers/georgia.htm National Park, nps.gov/ Service water andgroundwater resources. for andcaring tecting Georgia’s surface statewide that are committed to pro- Dozen lists. Joinothergroups andclubs Browse theannualClean13andDirty Georgia WaterCoalition, gawater.org water trails across Georgia. Browse theestablishedanddeveloping nomically vitalandclean owing rivers. withandadvocateConnect for eco- Georgia River Network , garivers.org event thisfall. involvedGet withawaterway cleanup Rivers Alive, riversalive.georgia.gov For more information “It is so important for everyone to“It lettheirvoices heard be important foreveryone isso He’s anactive member oftheleadership team fortheGeor- “Its crystal-blue waters“Its are crystal-blue beautiful,” shesays. “And italso She says that herorganization isworking stakeholders with “Water trails, orblueways, are like hiking trails inour riv- you“If spend aday onthe river, ortwo you’ll fallinlove,” October 2019 October Forest andKelly Bridge. County,Dawson downstream oftheDawson Paddlers fi ontheEtowahnd serenity River in Adairsville. as well.” arethey protected they’re so here forfuture generations to enjoy manyutilized forso ofour aspects lives. water,drinking you andbetter understand how see are rivers wastewater] andmunicipal foragricultural irrigation, industry andpass pumpson ariver withdrawing andreturning [treated lifeblood ofour communities,” Moody says. you “When paddle communities.Georgia recreation that boasts significant industry for benefits economic and that’s notall.Water trails andanoutdoor tourism boost engaged citizens whowant protection river to helpwith efforts, andpersonal.”up close on thewater,” ofnature shesays. thewonder experience “They andhear andsunsets theflap ofabeaver’stacular sunrises tail est along theroutes. maps, lengths, access points, classifications andpoints ofinter- has it.” associated alotofCherokee with history Amber Lanier Nagle is afreelance in who lives writer are“Rivers here forour enjoyment, to ensure butneed we “Recreating helpsusrealize onrivers that are they the Paddling astretch ofwater has into transformed people water trails“The draw spec- into people to see therivers All water trails are listedat gawatertrails.org , along with