The Coosa River is formed by the junction of the Oostanaula and Etowah Rivers Tributary Network One of the most surprising characteristics of a river system is at Rome, Georgia. It flows westward 30 miles in Georgia before reaching the COLLECTING WATERVILLE the intricate tributary network that BLUE SPRINGS SYSTEM MILL CR. Alabama state line and then merges with the Tallapoosa River 18 miles makes up the collecting system. OLDFORT This detail does not show the entire northeast of Montgomery to form the Alabama River. The Alabama merges network, only a tiny portion of it. RED CLAY CONASAUGA Even the smallest tributary has its with the Tombigbee north of Mobile to form the Mobile River and reaches TENNGA own system of smaller and smaller JACKS R. COHUTTA CONASAUGA R. the Gulf of Mexico at Mobile Bay. tributaries until the total number COAHULLA CR. CISCO becomes astronomical. Most of BEAVERDALE VARNELL the earth’s surface is some type SUMAC CR. SUMAC of drainage system. TUNNEL HILL CRANDALL WARING MOUNTAINTOWN CR. TRANSPORTING ETON SYSTEM CHERRYLOG NOBLE HOLLY CR. DALTON CHATSWORTH SPRING PLACE TAILS CR. MILL CREEK LAFAYETTE PHELPS RAMHURST ELLIJAY DISPERSING VILLANOW ROCK CR. SYSTEM MOUNT CARMEL TILTON
CONASAUGA R. CARTECAY R. ETOWAH R. A River System CENTERPOST WEST FK. CARTERS LAKE HILL CITY NICHOLSVILLE A river system is a network of connecting MENTONE CARTERS AMICALOLA HAMMONDVILLE PINE CHAPEL TALKING ROCK CR. EAST FK. FALLS channels. Water from rain, snow, groundwater VALLEY HEAD SUGAR VALLEY OAKMAN WHITESTONE TRION DAMASCUS and other sources collects into the channels REDBUD CLOUDLAND COOSAWATTEESALACOA CR. CR. and flows to the ocean. A river system has EVERETT RANGER BLAINE WEST FK. EAST FK. TALKING ROCK three parts: a collecting system, a transporting SPRINGS CASH AMICALOLA CR. FISHER MENLO SUMMERVILLE OOSTANAULA HINTON JUNO system and a dispersing system. CROSSROADS LUDVILLE JASPER The Coosa River corridor is home REEVES SONORAVILLE FORT PAYNE BERRYTON CURRYVILLE FARMVILLE FLOYD SPRINGS LILLYPOND FAIRMOUNT MARBLEHILL to a wide variety of birds, mammals, ARMUCHEE CR. DAWSONVILLE LYERLY PINE LOG CR. JAMESTOWN CRYSTAL SPRINGS PLAINVILLE TATE LANDRUM ADAMSBURG CAGLE reptiles and fish. FUNKHOUSER NELSON COLLBRAN LITTLE R. ARMUCHEE FOLSOM Monarch Butterfly BLANCHE CHATTOOGA R. LEBANON DOG TOWN HOLLAND ADAIRSVILLE CHATTOOGAVILLE SHANNON PINE LOG RYDAL BALL GROUND BIG WILLS CR. SILVER CITY DAWSON PORTERSVILLE WALESKA SHOAL CR. LAVENDER OOSTANAULA R. HALLS MATT LITTLE RIVER MT BERRY WHITE Amicalola Falls drops COLLINSVILLE GAYLESVILLE KEITHSBURG COAL MOUNTAIN SAND ROCK COOSA DYKES CR. NORTH CANTON 729 feet, making it CASSVILLE LATHEMTOWN CEDAR BLUFF COOSA RIVER KINGSTON FREE HOME ROME CASS OAKLAND SUTALLEE CANTON ETOWAH R. the highest waterfall ETOWAH R. HEIGHTS CR. STAMP LEESBURG BIG CEDAR CR. LINDALE HOLLY in the state. SILVER CREEK KEENER WEISS CARTERSVILLE SPRINGS BIRMINGHAM CENTRE MILL CR. RESERVOIR EUHARLEE VICTORIA LEBANON EMERSON CAVE SPRING STILESBORO ALLATOONA WILSONIA WOODSTOCK ROCKLEDGE LAKE CR. TAYLORSVILLE RESERVOIR CRABAPPLE TERRAPIN CR. FORNEY LAKE REECE CITY COLOMA ACWORTH MOUNTAIN PARK HOWELTSON PORTLAND
GADSDEN ARAGON NOONDAY CR. ROCK RUN BLACKWELLS ATTALLA KENNESAW HOKES BLUFF BLUFFTON PRIOR CEDARTOWN ROCKMART Kingfisher GALLANT PUMPKINVINE CR.
The Coosa is a L CANOE CR. TECUMSEH RACCOON CR. SPRING GARDEN popular location for RAINBOW CITY PLEASANT GAP NEW HOPE LOST MOUNTAIN STEELE ESOM HILL fishing for catfish. SOUTHSIDE PALESTINE PIEDMONT DALLAS PIEDMONT SPRINGS BORDEN SPRINGS YORKVILLE PRICES COLWELL FELTON WHITNEY TALLAPOOSA RIVER COOSA RIVER DUKE ASHVILLE WEST WELLINGTON JACKSONVILLE DRAKETOWN WELLINGTON MUSCADINE CR. BIG CANOE CR. TALLASSEEHATCHEE CR. BUCHANAN SPRINGVILLE BEAVER CR. OHATCHEE ST CLAIR SPRINGS ALEXANDRIA SHOAL CR.RAGLAND MIDDLETON WEAVER WHITE PLAINS FRUITHURST TALLAPOOSA TEMPLE MUSCADINE VILLA RICA CANE CR. EDWARDSVILLE BREMEN BLUE MOUNTAIN WACO ODENVILLE ANNISTON WATTSVILLE CHOCCOLOCCO BOWDON JUNCTION Water-skiing is a popular BRANCHVILLE EULATON IRON CITY JAKE recreational activity on DE ARMANVILLE HEFLIN MT ZION COOKS RIVERSIDE LINCOLN KANSAS Coosa River lakes. OXFORD MOODY SPRINGS EASTABOGA TURKEY CR. PELL CITY BROMPTON SILVER RUN BIRMINGHAM JONESVILLE CROPWELL CHOCCOLOCCO CR.JENIFER CARROLLTON L. TALLAPOOSA R. KELLEYWOLF CR. CR.EASONVILLE CHEAHAMUNFORD CR. BOWDON SHOAL CR. COHOBADIAHRANBURNE CR. VICTORY DUNAVANT HOPEFUL INDIAN CR. VANDIVER NEW LONDON CURRY McELDERRY TALLAPOOSA RIVER STERRETT CHINNEBY GRAHAM TYUS TALLADEGA DELTA CALCIS RENFROE IRONATON VEAL TALLADEGA CR. NEWELL BEAR CR. The Watershed VINCENT LANIERS EPHESUS A ridge of high ground borders every river system. PYRITON PLANTERSVILLENOTTINGHAM WOODLAND This ridge encloses what is called a watershed. Short-eared Owl WESTOVER BARFIELD HARPERSVILLE ALPINE ERIN WINTERBORO CLAIRMONT SPRINGS Beyond the ridge, all water flows into another river RENDALIA LINEVILLE WEDOWEE WEDOWEE CR. system. Just as water in a bowl flows downward to ENITACHOPCO CR. a common destination, all rivers, creeks, streams, CHILDERSBURG POTASH BON AIR SYCAMORE ASHLAND CRAGFORD TENANT ponds, lakes, wetlands and other types of water WILSONVILLE TALLASEEHATCHEE CR.WEST FK EAST FK bodies in a watershed drain into the river system. A watershed creates a natural community where MELLOW VALLEY MALONE every living thing has something in common – the COLUMBIANA SYLACAUGA SHADY MILLERVILLE LEVEL ROAD FAYETTEVILLE GROVE HILLABEE CR. source and final disposition of their water. CAHABA R. ALMOND FORESTER CHAPEL GANTTS QUARRY Tennessee HOLLINS DICKERT TALLADEGA SPRINGS OVERBROOK WADLEY SHELBY SKEGGS CROSSROADS MOTLEY ROANOKE Watersheds PECKERWOOD CR. PARKDALE STEWARTVILLE ABANDA 1 MT OLIVE DOUBLEHEAD Within the GOODWATER HACKNEYVILLE DAVISTON MILLTOWNSTROUD 5 CHIKASANOXEE CR. 2 Coosa Watershed NEW SITE Coosa WEOGUFKA FIVE POINTS 1. Conasauga PAINT CR. 3 4 PENTON Savannah 2. Oostanaula LAY LAKE BRADFORD WHITE PLAINS 3. Chattooga KELLYTON ALLEN CR. CHATAHOSPEE CR. Oconee 4. Etowah WEOGUFKA CR. ALEXANDER CITY BUFFALO Chattahoochee 5. Coosawattee HATCHET CR. COOSA RIVER ROCKFORD HISSOP DUDLEYVILLE LAFAYETTE WALNUT CR. JACKSONS GAP LOMAX Tallapoosa Ocmulgee SWAMPCOTTAGE CR. GROVE Ogeechee CLANTON LAKE MITCHELL N. FK.SANDY CR. NIXBURG DADEVILLE Altamaha Flint COOPER CAMP HILL MARTIN LAKE CHESTNUT CR. WEOKA CR. EQUALITY S. FK.SANDY CR. VERBENA Satilla MOUNTAIN CREEK TITUS SEMAN JORDAN GOLD HILL MOUNT WIND CR. Suwannee SHOAL CR. JEFFERSON CENTRAL RED HILL JORDAN LAKE CHANNAHATCHEE CR. SOUGAHATCHEE CR. DEXTER SANTUCK ECLECTIC OPELIKA St. Marys KENT Ochlockonee AUBURN REELTOWN LOACHAPOKA TUMKEHATCHEE CR. Georgia’s 52 CHUBBEHATCHEE CR. Georgia’s 14 NOTASULGA Secondary Watersheds River barges utilize a system of locks and dams on the CAHABA R. CARRVILLE Primary Watersheds WETUMPKA TALLASSEE The state’s 14 primary watersheds are divided Alabama River to transport cargo 244 river miles to the TALLAPOOSA Georgia has 14 primary watersheds: Altamaha, RIVER into 52 secondary watersheds, shown here. confluence of the Coosa and Tallapoosa Rivers. UPHAPEE CR. Chattahoochee, Coosa, Flint, Ochlockonee, Those 52 watersheds are further divided into Ocmulgee, Oconee, Ogeechee, Satilla,
CHEWACLA CR. 395 even smaller watersheds and those into MILSTEAD TUSKEGEE Savannah, St. Marys, Suwannee, Tallapoosa SELMA SOCIETY HILL 1,960 watersheds. Theoretically, you can MONTGOMERY and Tennessee. SHORTER continue dividing watersheds until each CUBAHATCHEE CR. ALABAMA RIVER MOUNT MEIGS CALEBEE CR. OPINTLOCCO CR. one is the size of the “Tributary Network” OLD TOWN CR. illustrated above. CECIL Mountains CHESSON HARDAWAY Rugged Appalachian and Cumberland MATHEWS DOWNING MITCHELL ARMSTRONG Mountains BUGBALL CR.FORT DAVIS FITZPATRICK LINE CR. Piedmont Rolling red clay hills
• Rome SHOPTON UNION SPRINGS The Fall Line HECTOR 50 million Coosa R. HIGH RIDGE years ago the ocean came Tallapoosa R. to here
Coastal Plain Alabama R. Fertile farm lands,
environmentally rich Mobile R. wetlands and swamps
ALABAMA R.
Nature’s Organization The Coosa River System Mother Nature gave Georgia two natural The junction of the Oostanaula and Etowah Rivers at Rome, Georgia form organizing principles that determine the the Coosa River. Their headwaters, which rise in the Blue Ridge Mountains, Bobcats courses and characteristics of its rivers. include the Conasauga, Coosawattee, Cartecay and Ellijay Rivers as well as One is its watersheds. The other is the scenic mountain streams flowing along steep, narrow, forested valleys state’s 3 distinct regions: the Mountains, the among high, rounded mountains. The Oostanaula River is 47 miles long Piedmont and the Coastal Plain. Rivers that and has a relatively flat slope. The Etowah River is 150 miles long; rising originate in the Mountains or Piedmont are in the Blue Ridge Mountains, it falls steeply for about 60 miles, then more “alluvial” rivers that carry heavy loads of silt. moderately for the remaining distance to its junction with the Oostanaula. Rivers that begin in the Coastal Plain are Allatoona Dam, completed on the Etowah in 1955, impounds Allatoona dark, clear streams, often referred Reservoir. From Rome, the Coosa flows southwesterly about 286 miles to American explorer and naturalist William Bartram visited the Coosa basin to as “blackwater” rivers. Sometimes alluvial join with the Tallapoosa River in forming the Alabama River. The Alabama rivers merge with Coastal Plain rivers. The during his exploration of the American Southeast in 1775 and 1776. River flows 314 miles to join the Tombigbee River and become the Mobile Coosa, with its headwaters in the Georgia Mountains, is an alluvial river. River north of Mobile. The Mobile River flows 45 miles to enter the Gulf of Mexico at Mobile Bay. Total distance from the beginning of the Coosa in Rome to Mobile Bay is approximately 645 miles.
Native Americans built villages and TOMBIGBEE R. ceremonial mounds Cooper’s along the Coosa Hawk and its tributaries. Fisherman catch a variety of freshwater species in the Coosa River and its tributaries.
MOBILE RIVER
TENSAW R.
MOBILE
MOBILE BAY
The Coosa River Paddling Club sponsors
FISH R. an annual whitewater festival. In Georgia and Alabama, 13 dams – some with navigational locks that allow the passage of river barges – control the flow of the Alabama-Coosa-Tallapoosa River system. Raftsmen guided giant timbers down the Coosa to sawmills where the logs were cut into boards.
DAUPHIN ISLAND Steam-powered paddleboats The Oostanaula and transported Etowah Rivers, both of agricultural products and which start in Georgia’s Spanish conquistador Blue Ridge Mountains, passengers on the Coosa River. Hernando de Soto come together in Rome explored the region Alligator to form the Coosa. around the Coosa and Etowah rivers in August, September and October of 1540.
The 14 posters in the Georgia Rivers Poster Project were made possible by a public/private partnership between the Pollution Prevention Assistance Division, Georgia Department of Natural Resources and . The rivers in the series are the Altamaha, Chattahoochee, Coosa, Flint, Ochlockonee, Ocmulgee, Oconee, Ogeechee, Satilla, Savannah, St. Marys, Suwannee, Tallapoosa and Tennessee. Ordering information for all posters may be found at www.cipublishing.com/posters or 404.525.2285.