Restoration Archives - Coosa River Basin Initiative

Biodiversity in the Upper Coosa River Basin

January 11, 2024

The Upper Coosa River Basin, covering 5,500 square miles that extends across parts of Georgia, Alabama, and Tennessee, is characterized by its intricate network of rivers, tributaries, and wetlands. The basin is home to the Coosa River, a major waterway that meanders through the Appalachian foothills, creating a mosaic of habitats that support a wide variety of flora and fauna and recreation opportunities. Despite all of its beauty, the Coosa River is considered one of the most endangered rivers in…

Breaking Down the Facts About Microplastics

September 28, 2023

Advocacy, Blog Posts, Education, Restoration, Water Monitoring

Imagining a world without plastics may feel impossible considering what a staple they are in today’s society, yet their large scale production and use only dates back to the 1950s. Since then, their production has surpassed most other man-made materials. It has been estimated that between the 1950s and 2015, approximately 6300 million metric tons of plastic waste has been manufactured, 60% of which currently resides in landfills or the environment, including our water. While many people have heard about…

The Importance of Macroinvertebrates

August 21, 2023

Blog Posts, Education, Restoration

What Are Macroinvertebrates? Macroinvertebrates serve as the ecological cleaning services in aquatic ecosystems. While the name may sound unfamiliar at first glance, Northwest Georgia is home to many macroinvertebrates you likely know, such as Crayfish, Mayflies, Dragonflies, Clams, Mussels, and more! While here these small and sometimes bothersome creatures may seem like little more than pests, they’re actually crucial to our rivers’ ecosystems. These organisms affect even our local water sources such as the Coosa River Basin and serve an…

What Keeps Our Rivers Strong? Mussels!

August 10, 2022

Education, Restoration

In the streams and rivers of Northwest Georgia resides an unassuming but powerful champion of freshwaters. These heroes come in many shapes and sizes, can live up to 100 years in the right conditions, and go by many names including Oval Pigtoe, Rayed Pink Fatmucket, and Little Spectaclecase. They clean up the rivers, provide food to wildlife, and create safe habitats for aquatic critters. If you grew up along the rivers and creeks of North America you’ve almost certainly met…

RFP: Dill Creek Bridge Replacement Design

December 10, 2021

Press Releases, Restoration

Coosa River Basin Initiative is seeking proposals for design work to replace the bridge over Dill Creek in Murray County on Old CCC Camp Rd. This project involves multiple local, state, and federal stakeholders. Interested parties should Contact Us to receive topo maps, a Statement of Work outlining our needs, as well as Schedule of Items to be used for the proposed project budget. Additional materials including existing survey data will also be shared. Interested parties should submit finished proposals…

Restoring the Coosa River Basin

June 10, 2021

Restoration

If you are interested in supporting the restoration of the Coosa River Basin, become a member or donate today. The rivers of the Coosa River Basin are a gem of Northwest Georgia. Their beauty is paralleled by their abundance – our river basin is one of the most biodiverse regions in North America. It is the historic home to 43 mussel species, 32 species of snails, and 100 different fish species, including 12 species that are only found in this…