Upper Chattahoochee Upper Chattahoochee RiverkeeperRiverkeeper

Kristina RobertsonKristina Robertson4/14/20114/14/2011

Clemson UniversityClemson UniversityENR 613ENR 613

http://www.chattahoochee.org/past-projects.php

The trouble with water – and there is trouble with water – is that they aren’t making any more of it’. - Marq de Villers, 2000. Water.

The BeginningThe Beginning

19641964 Fishermen meet to discuss the pollution of the Hudson Fishermen meet to discuss the pollution of the Hudson

RiverRiver Bob Boyle suggests the use of existing laws to stop Bob Boyle suggests the use of existing laws to stop

violationsviolations• Rivers and Harbors act of 1888 Rivers and Harbors act of 1888 • Refuse Act of 1899 Refuse Act of 1899

Created the Hudson River Fishermen’s Association Created the Hudson River Fishermen’s Association (HRFA). (HRFA).

http://www.riverkeeper.org/about-us/our-story/riverkeeper-timeline/#post_7123

19721972 Clean Water Act passedClean Water Act passed Tom Whyatt is appointed as the first RiverkeeperTom Whyatt is appointed as the first Riverkeeper

1985 - 19861985 - 1986 Robert F Kennedy Jr. becomes the Riverkeeper’s Robert F Kennedy Jr. becomes the Riverkeeper’s

Chief Prosecuting Attorney Chief Prosecuting Attorney HRFA and Riverkeeper merge HRFA and Riverkeeper merge

http://www.riverkeeper.org/about-us/our-story/riverkeeper-timeline/#post_7140

19991999 Kennedy becomes the head of The National Kennedy becomes the head of The National

Alliance of River, Sound and BaykeepersAlliance of River, Sound and Baykeepers Renamed Waterkeeper AllianceRenamed Waterkeeper Alliance

PresentPresent Waterkeeper AllianceWaterkeeper Alliance

• supports the over 200 waterkeeper organizations supports the over 200 waterkeeper organizations worldwide worldwide

• dedicated to protecting community’s right to clean water dedicated to protecting community’s right to clean water

http://www.waterkeeper.org/ht/d/sp/i/181/pid/181

Waterkeeper Campaigns Waterkeeper Campaigns Clean EnergyClean Energy

exposing the truth behind the coal industry exposing the truth behind the coal industry protection of our food systems from mercury protection of our food systems from mercury

contaminationcontamination Polluted RunoffPolluted Runoff

strengthening storm water laws and regulations strengthening storm water laws and regulations Pure Farms, Pure WaterPure Farms, Pure Water

protection of rural watersheds working with farmers, protection of rural watersheds working with farmers, environmentalists and political leaders environmentalists and political leaders

Defending Clean Water Defending Clean Water block attempts to weaken the current environmental block attempts to weaken the current environmental

protections of the Clean Water Act protections of the Clean Water Act

Waterkeeper RegionsWaterkeeper Regions WorldwideWorldwide

AfricaAfrica AsiaAsia AustraliaAustralia Canada Canada EuropeEurope Latin AmericaLatin America USAUSA

• Great LakesGreat Lakes• North AtlanticNorth Atlantic• GulfGulf• PacificPacific• South Atlantic South Atlantic

http://www.waterkeeper.org/ht/d/sp/i/238/pid/238/cat_id/1163/xcids/1163

Upper Chattahoochee Riverkeeper Upper Chattahoochee Riverkeeper (UCR) (UCR)

Established in 1994Established in 1994 Part of the South Atlantic Part of the South Atlantic

regionregion Was the 11th licensed Was the 11th licensed

program in the program in the Waterkeeper AllianceWaterkeeper Alliance

5,000 members that 5,000 members that advocate for the advocate for the protection and restoration protection and restoration of the Chattahoochee of the Chattahoochee River Basin River Basin The Riverkeeper's guide to the Chattahoochee River :

from its origin at Chattahoochee Gap to Apalachicola Bay

Chattahoochee Watershed Chattahoochee Watershed provides drinking water provides drinking water

for approximately 3.5 for approximately 3.5 million people million people

drains an area of 8,770 drains an area of 8,770 square miles and is part square miles and is part of the Appalachicola-of the Appalachicola-Chattahoochee-Flint Chattahoochee-Flint Basin Basin

flows 430 miles to its flows 430 miles to its union with the Flint River union with the Flint River at Lake Seminole and the at Lake Seminole and the Florida borderFlorida border

http://www.chattahoochee.org/watershed.php

UCR Tools Advocacy

Water conservation and planning Education

Floating classroom• The Lake Lanier Aquatic Learning Center on the Chota Princess II for grades K-12

Get the Dirt Out Workshops • controlling runoff from construction sites

Certification Classes • Erosion and Sediment Control

Research Communication

User friendly website Numerous programs and interaction opportunities

http://www.chattahoochee.org/index.php

Cooperation Report a Problem

• Citizen "hotline" program

Monitoring Monthly river patrols BacteriAlert program

• Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area total coliform and E. Coli

Lake Lanier Clean Water Campaign• Chattahoochee river's confluence with Peachtree Creek

Dissolved oxygen

Legal actions Enforcements Legislature Tri-State Water Wars

http://www.chattahoochee.org/index.php

UCR Projects Riparian Restoration & Education Project/Soque River

Restoration Project Prevent the further erosion into the Soque River. Use a restoration technique that is unique to Georgia. Improve habitat and stream health. Demonstrate that it is more cost-effective to prevent problems

http://www.soque.org/flora.html

Source Water Protection Program in Habersham County Provide sediment source assessment of the watershed. Evaluate the effectiveness of the current water supply plan to protect

Clarkesville's drinking water supply Designate a strategy to protect this drinking water supply from future

collection of silt Educate watershed residents concerning protection options

Biodiversity: Assessment of Threatened Fish Species work with UGA’s Institute of Ecology enhance knowledge of the

aquatic species found in the headwaters provide information about the occurrence and distribution of aquatic

fauna lay the foundation for future studies and implementation of

conservation policies

Upper Chattahoochee Riverkeeper’s mission

“is to advocate and secure the protection and stewardship of the Chattahoochee River, its tributaries and watershed, in

order to restore and preserve their ecological health for the people and

wildlife that depend on the river system”

Sources Brown, Fred. "The Riverkeeper's Guide to the ..." Google

Books. Web. 21 Mar. 2011. <http://books.google.com/books?id=WOzQtZ-wqZ4C>.

Upper Chattahoochee Riverkeeper. 2009. Web. 21 Mar. 2011. <http://www.chattahoochee.org/index.php>.

"Water Quality | Riverkeeper." Riverkeeper - NY's Clean Water Advocate. Web. 3 Apr. 2011. <http://www.riverkeeper.org/news-events/news/water-quality/>.

Waterkeeper Alliance. Web. 3 Apr. 2011. <http://www.waterkeeper.org/ht/d/sp/i/183/pid/183/cat_id/283/cids/283>.