Chattahoochee Riverkeeper

Our friends at Cox Enterprises are accepting nominations for the 2024 Cox Conserves Heroes until Aug. 29! Nine youth and adult volunteers, as well as nonprofits, making a positive impact on our environment could win up to $30K for the nonprofit of their choice. Nominate your hero today at https://bit.ly/cchpartner.

Another great paddle cleanup on the H***h! 🛶 We found an old chair, an abandoned kayak, and lots of trash as we paddled in the Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area for five miles from Garrard Landing to Island Ford. 14 volunteers removed 550 pounds of litter in a single trip!

Thanks to all the volunteers and our partners at the Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area for helping us work towards our goal of a .

Join our next cleanup! Learn more on our website: https://bit.ly/3GwkVGd

It’s been an exciting summer for our Water Warriors! From June to August, we welcomed aboard 15 high school students to shadow our staff as we cleaned out trash traps, collected water samples, ran lab tests, and patrolled the Chattahoochee River and its lakes and streams. These hands-on experiences empower students to learn more about water stewardship and the importance of environmental advocacy. Thanks to our participants for their energy and enthusiasm! 🙌

High school and college students can get involved with CRK during the school year, too! Visit our website to learn more and apply for the Water Warriors on Campus program: https://bit.ly/3IQqeBI

CRK is seeking a dedicated intern to join the Neighborhood Water Watch team at our metro Atlanta office! Gain experience conducting lab work, analyzing data, and tracking pollution to protect our local creeks and streams. 💧

Learn more and apply on our website: https://bit.ly/3PlbSwh

Shout out to these volunteers from KPMG for braving the heat to clean up Peachtree Creek! 👏 So far this year, CRK volunteers have removed more than 44 TONS of litter and debris from the Chattahoochee watershed.

Want to get involved in a cleanup? Learn how: https://bit.ly/3BhdCiY

Last Sunday we spent a gorgeous day on the Chestatee River in North Georgia! ☀️ Thanks to everyone who joined us for a fun six-mile paddle, and to our friends at Appalachian Outfitters for their support. Check out upcoming paddle outings and events on our website: https://bit.ly/3GwkVGd

Our partners at Orvis in Atlanta and Alpharetta raised $11,578 for the ***h campaign during Giveback Days! 🎉 These funds will go directly to our Becca Sue Klein All Kids Fish and Trash-Free Chattahoochee programs. Thank you to Orvis for their commitment to a healthy, forever-flowing Chattahoochee River!

We’ll see you again for Orvis Giveback Days in September!

It’s time to head back to school! 📚 Did you know you can help protect the Chattahoochee River on your high school or college campus? CRK’s Water Warriors on Campus program is a great opportunity for students to make a positive impact on the environment while developing leadership, communication, and outreach skills.

The program takes place from October 2024 to May 2025. Join the ranks of more than 150 Water Warriors and apply online today: https://bit.ly/3IQqeBI

We’re dedicated to protecting and preserving the Chattahoochee River for all the wildlife who call it home. Let’s admire our clientele!

On a recent river patrol, we spotted:
🐢 A snapping turtle & map turtles
🦅 A bald eagle, swallows, vultures, osprey, ducks, hawks & herons
🦋 Dragonflies, gnats, stonefly, damselfly & caddisfly larvae
🐟 Gar, bass, sunfish, & minnows
🐐 Goats & deer

What’s your favorite wildlife to spot on the H***h? 👀

We were honored to participate in the inaugural Peachtree with a Purpose charitable giving program in partnership with The Atlanta Journal-Constitution and Atlanta Track Club. On July 4, our staff attorney Stephanie Stutts proudly represented CRK in the Peachtree Road Race – and she crushed it! 💪 She finished the race and raised $1,280 to support CRK’s water protection efforts.

Thank you to Stephanie and everyone who supported her campaign this month! 🏃🏻‍♀️

⚠️ In Atlanta, high bacteria levels continue flowing from the R.M. Clayton wastewater treatment plant into the Chattahoochee River while dissolved oxygen levels plummet downstream. ⚠️

This week, water quality testing conducted by CRK found extremely high levels of harmful bacteria at the R.M. Clayton wastewater treatment plant’s outfall into the river. One sample revealed bacteria levels 35 times higher than the EPA recommendation for safe water recreation.

CRK continues to advise river recreators to exercise caution for a 60-mile stretch of the river from the plant’s outfall in Atlanta to Franklin, GA. When the risk of harmful bacteria exposure is high, remember to wash your hands after contacting the water, avoid fully submerging underwater, and use particular caution if young, elderly, or immunocompromised.

NOTE: This issue does NOT impact water quality upstream of the plant in the Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area. Check bacterialert.org for real-time bacteria estimates within the park.

We’re also continuing to monitor oxygen levels in the river downstream of the R.M. Clayton plant. On July 5 and July 18, dissolved oxygen levels near Fairburn, GA fell below 4.0 mg/L, violating standards set by the Clean Water Act.

These conditions cause stress to fish and other aquatic life in the river and could potentially result in a major fish kill if levels continue to fall.

We’ll continue monitoring as we call on the city to fix the R.M. Clayton plant and stop polluting the Chattahoochee River. For updates on this issue, visit our website: https://bit.ly/3W0NHHd

For 15 years in a row, CRK has received Charity Navigator’s exceptional 4/4-star rating for accountability, transparency, and financial health performance. When you donate to CRK, you can be confident that your gift will make a difference to the Chattahoochee River and all who depend on it. Learn more at www.chattahoochee.org.

Yesterday, Chattahoochee Riverkeeper told Phenix City it has 60 days to stop discharging illegal levels of pollution into the Chattahoochee River from the Phenix City Wastewater Treatment Plant or CRK will file a lawsuit in federal court for violations of the federal Clean Water Act and the Alabama Water Pollution Control Act. A 60-Day Notice of Intent to Sue is required under the Clean Water Act. If the city does not correct violations after 60 days, CRK will move forward with a federal lawsuit.

The move comes two weeks after CRK and SELC sent a similar notice to the City of Atlanta for ongoing pollution violations stemming from the R.M. Clayton Water Reclamation Center. Read more: https://bit.ly/4f1eEBX

Check out the video below to ride along with CRK on the river as it flows through Phenix City and Columbus!

Chattahoochee Riverkeepers protect Columbus water for the long haul. Inside their process

Our next Water Warriors Wander + Wonder event is Saturday, July 20 at Murphey Candler Park in Brookhaven! The program is a great opportunity for rising fifth, sixth, and seventh-grade students to learn something new while spending time outdoors. 🛶

Students will learn about the science of water with CRK staff, take a nature hike with our friends from Birds Georgia, and kayak on the lake with Paddle4Tomorrow. Lunch is included. Follow the link to sign your child up today! https://bit.ly/3WiaZs1

On the Chattahoochee River in Phenix City, Alabama, we continue to monitor the discharge from the city’s failing wastewater treatment plant. We have received reports of visibly undertreated sewage in the river and our testing this year has confirmed multiple spikes in bacteria levels at the plant’s outfall.

The results from our testing the morning of July 10 showed that bacteria levels were lower than earlier spikes, but still exceeded the EPA recommendation for safe water recreation. Recreators should be aware of the heightened risk of harmful bacteria exposure downstream of the plant. Exercise caution on the river from the plant’s outfall near State Docks Road in Alabama to the headwaters of Lake Eufaula. Avoid fully submerging underwater, wash your hands after contacting the water, and take particular caution with young children, the elderly, and the immunocompromised.

Note: Water quality is not impacted in the Columbus whitewater course upstream of the plant.

Visit our website for updates: https://bit.ly/3zLwp7U

Because of ongoing failures at Atlanta’s R.M. Clayton wastewater treatment plant, we are now seeing clear warning signs of an impending ecological disaster on the Chattahoochee River downstream of the plant. Nutrient pollution from the plant is contributing to very low oxygen levels in the river, which fish rely on to breathe.

On July 5, dissolved oxygen levels near Fairburn, Georgia fell below 4.0 mg/L, violating standards set by the Clean Water Act. This depletion of oxygen causes stress to fish and other aquatic life. If levels continue to fall amid hot summer temperatures, it could result in a major fish kill.

We’re continuing to monitor oxygen levels in the river downstream of Atlanta as we call on the city to fix the issues at the R.M. Clayton plant and stop the pollution from entering the river.

NOTE: This issue does NOT impact water quality upstream of the plant in the Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area. CRK continues to monitor bacteria levels at the R.M. Clayton plant’s outfall into the Chattahoochee River. Although we are seeing less frequent spikes in bacteria levels, we advise recreators to exercise caution on the river for 60 miles from the plant’s outfall to Franklin, Georgia. Exposure to E. coli bacteria can cause serious illness, especially in young children, the elderly and the immunocompromised.

If Atlantans were not thinking about their source of drinking water before this summer’s water crisis, they are now. The failure of multiple water pipes was a harsh reminder that water infrastructure and the decisions to keep it functioning affect our everyday lives. And it’s not just the drinking water that comes into our homes — the wastewater that goes down the drain and into the sewer system needs our full attention right now, too. Read more from Riverkeeper Jason Ulseth in the The Atlanta Journal-Constitution:

Opinion: Atlanta’s water woes reveal deeper issues Daily testing found E. coli levels an average of 340 times higher than the amount recommended for safe water recreation.

We love our interns! 💙

Stephanie is ready to in the Peachtree Road Race! 🏃🏻‍♀️ We’re honored to participate in the inaugural Peachtree with a Purpose charitable giving program in partnership with The Atlanta Journal-Constitution and Atlanta Track Club this Fourth of July.

Our staff attorney Stephanie Stutts will run the iconic 10K tomorrow in support of CRK’s important water protection efforts. Follow the link to support Stephanie and help her reach her fundraising goal: https://bit.ly/3KPXNUT

"The recent water crisis should be the catalyst that renews Shirley Franklin’s vision to prioritize all of the city’s water infrastructure. A physical and operational assessment of the water, sewer, and stormwater systems—conducted transparently—is needed," writes CRK's founding Riverkeeper Sally Bethea in her latest column. Read here:

Above the Waterline: What's the matter with Atlanta's pipes? Above the Waterline columnist Sally Bethea looks back at Atlanta's aging water system infrastructure and the need for repairs.

Tune into WABE News's Closer Look at 1 p.m. today to hear filmmaker Hal Jacobs and Riverkeeper Jason Ulseth talk about the Saving the Chattahoochee Documentary and CRK's latest efforts to save, protect, and defend the Chattahoochee River. The documentary will air Tuesday, July 2 at 8 p.m. on WABE TV, featuring an exclusive new conversation between Jason Ulseth and CRK's founder Sally Bethea that you won't want to miss!

https://www.facebook.com/wabeCloserLook

Closer Look with Rose Scott Closer Look with Rose Scott features discussions on the key stories and issues affecting Atlanta.

Happy Pride Month from Chattahoochee Riverkeeper! We celebrate all the LGBTQ+ members of our CRK family who are ***h recreating, volunteering, and keeping watch over our waters. We’ll see you at Atlanta Pride in October! 🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️

In honor of National Women’s Fly Fishing Day, let’s hear it for the women who never cease to amaze at the Becca Sue Klein All Kids Fish events! 👏 Whether it’s teaching kids how to tie knots, rig their lines, fight a fish, or leave our outdoor spaces better than we found them, these tenacious leaders are paving the way for the next generation of fly anglers and conservationists.

🎣 Want to support the Becca Sue Klein All Kids Fish program? Text ALLKIDSFISH to 41444 and follow the link to donate!

United Women on the Fly Georgia Women Flyfishing IFishiBelong

Tune into WABE-TV on July 2 at 8pm for a special showing of “Saving the Chattahoochee,” a documentary film by Hal Jacobs! You won’t want to miss the exclusive extended conversation between your Chattahoochee Riverkeeper, Jason Ulseth, and CRK’s Founding Riverkeeper, Sally Bethea, as they delve into the past, present, and future of the Chattahoochee River. https://bit.ly/3xED0jy

In Atlanta, the R.M. Clayton Water Reclamation Center treats millions of gallons of the city’s wastewater every day. When it’s working properly, the plant releases clean, treated water back into the Chattahoochee River. But right now the plant is in a state of disrepair, with critical failures at nearly all stages of water treatment.

CRK brought this issue to light in March and has been closely monitoring bacteria and nutrient levels in the Chattahoochee River near the R.M. Clayton plant. Although we have seen less frequent spikes in bacteria levels, we’re very concerned about the improperly treated wastewater discharging from the plant and we are in touch with the City of Atlanta to find a resolution to this serious issue.

We’re advising recreators to exercise caution on the river for 60 miles from the R.M. Clayton plant’s outfall to Franklin, Georgia. When the risk of harmful bacteria exposure is high, remember to wash your hands after contacting the water, avoid fully submerging underwater, and use particular caution if young, elderly, or immunocompromised.

NOTE: Water quality is not impacted upstream in the Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area.