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Coosa River Basin Initiative

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Recent Posts

What Keeps Our Rivers Strong? Mussels!
EPA Releases New Health Advisories for PFAS in Drinking Water. What Does it Mean for Your Health?
CRBI, Harbin, Hardy Promote Safe Summer Recreation With the Launch of ‘Swim Guide’
Big News on Coal Ash from EPA
Creature Feature: Great Blue Heron

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State regulators poised to set Georgia Power's toxic coal ash storage legacy - Georgia Recorder https://t.co/7V3my6Di8P1 year

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Did you know? There was a time in the 1800's and

Did you know? There was a time in the 1800's and early 1900's that otters were almost wiped out because of the fur trade? Luckily, conservation efforts protected this beautiful, and ecologically significant species from extinction.

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) have be

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) have been a hot topic in recent public health discussions. With rising concerns over their presence in the rivers of our watershed, CRBI has been keeping a close watch on data being released about the PFAS and how to safely and effectively regulate their usage in manufacturing moving forward. We are always seeking to balance the health of our community with sustainable development and growth. If you want to learn more about these "forever chemicals" you can read more about PFAS on our blog at coosa.org.

LEGISLATIVE UPDATE! Your action is needed. On Jan

LEGISLATIVE UPDATE! Your action is needed.
On January 19, the Georgia EPD released Twin Pines Minerals LLC’s draft plan for mining near the Okefenokee Swamp. There is scientific evidence that this mining operation would negatively affect the water and wildlife in the Okefenokee and we are working with the Georgia Water Coalition to #protecttheokefenokee.
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HERE'S WHAT YOU CAN DO!
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1) Follow the link in our bio to send a letter to your legislator voicing your concerns.
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2) A 60-day public commenting period allowing concerned citizens to voice concerns to Twin Pines’ proposal is NOW OPEN. EPD is allowing comments through two scheduled virtual public meetings on February 21 and 23 at 6 PM EST. You can register for the virtual meeting via the link in our bio now!

“If people concentrated on the really important

“If people concentrated on the really important things in life, there’d be a shortage of fishing poles.” - Unknown 🎣

Flash Sale! 🤩 Spread the water love! 💧Our sw

Flash Sale! 🤩 Spread the water love! 💧Our sweatshirts are marked down for a few days only. 🎉Grab one for you and a friend at coosa.org/shop!

Georgia's Legislative Session is open through Marc

Georgia's Legislative Session is open through March. This year CRBI is focusing on two legislative priorities that directly impact clean water and wildlife, a mining proposal in the Okefenokee Swamp and the ground application of waste.

CRBI supports legislation that would prevent mining on Trail Ridge in the Okefenokee Swamp because scientists are concerned that mining will impair the swamp's hydrology and its incredibly diverse ecosystem.

Twin Pines LLC wants Georgians to allow a mining operation that risks permanently damaging the Okefenokee Swamp.

TAKE ACTION! Do you part to protect an incredible Georgia landmark and natural resource by following the link in the bio. You can watch a documentary about the swamp, Sacred Waters, and write a letter to your legislator.

#protecttheokefenokee #wildlife #gawildlife #cleanwater #georgiaoutdoors

Georgia EPD has a new resource for PFAS monitoring

Georgia EPD has a new resource for PFAS monitoring on their website. This interactive map gives data from winter of 2021 for our watershed and they include detailed information about health advisories and what PFAS is.

💧If you’ve been following us or the news on PFAS you know that the EPA released new health advisories for PFAS last year stating that any amount of PFAS is unsafe for human health.

💧Our watershed has known contamination of these harmful chemicals from carpet and textile manufacturers. We are continuing to monitor the watershed and doing all we can to keep our water drinkable, swimmable, and fishable.

💧We believe that safe, drinkable water is everyone’s right and we will do our diligence to protect that. If you’d like to see more we’ve linked the website in our bio.

“We have flown the air like birds and swum the s

“We have flown the air like birds and swum the sea like fishes, but have yet to learn the simple act of walking the earth like brothers.” - The Quest for Peace and Justice, 1964, Dr. Martin Luther King

Honoring the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King today.

More mussels! The Coosa Moccasinshell (Medionidus

More mussels! The Coosa Moccasinshell (Medionidus parvulus) is a federally endangered species of mussel who is native to the waters of of Holly Creek and the Conasauga River in Northwest Georgia. From the Georgia Department of Natural Resources, here are some things to know about this tiny and mighty creature:

💧 Its habitat is small streams to large rivers with sand, gravel, or cobble substrates and swift flowing shoal areas.

💧 Studies suggest that they brood glochidia (mussel babies) over winter and utilize darters (particularly Percina spp.) as host fish.

💧They are threatened by excess sedimentation due to inadequate riparian buffer zones, development, and agriculture covers. Poor agricultural practices as well as industrial and sewage discharge are believed to also degrade water quality.

If you would like to learn more about the mussels of our watershed, how they reproduce, the crucial role they play in our ecosystem, and what we're doing to protect this endangered species head to the blog at coosa.org to read more!

Resource: GADNR www.georgiabiodiversity.org

They clean up the rivers, provide food to wildlife

They clean up the rivers, provide food to wildlife, and create safe habitats for aquatic critters.

Freshwater mussels are integral to clean water. They have been called the ‘livers of the rivers’ because of their vital role in filtering algae, plankton, detritus, bacteria, and toxins out of the water. Even though they aren’t moving around much, they are moving lots of important debris out of our watersheds.

Read all about them on our blog as Coosa.org

Chilly days + cozy sweatshirts = 🥰 Even better

Chilly days + cozy sweatshirts = 🥰

Even better when the cozy sweatshirts support clean water! Head to coosa.org/shop to get your Catfish Banjo sweatshirt today!
Art by @destiny_wit
Model @ferngolly_

Have you seen these signs around the watershed? L

Have you seen these signs around the watershed? Lake sturgeon were reintroduced by DNR to re-establish the native sport fish to Georgia waters and conserve this rare species of fish. Sturgeon are historically native to our watershed but had been locally extinct until their reintroduction.

The success of reintroduction can be tricky and depends on the cooperation of state and federal agencies and citizens working together. As citizens, do your part by handling any sturgeon caught gently and releasing them asap without causing harm. And report your sighting to the Georgia Department of Natural Resources. Note the date and location of your sighting, photograph the fish if possible, and provide your name and phone number so biologists can contact you about your sighting.

We're always on the lookout for books that help in

We're always on the lookout for books that help inspire and educate the next generation of river keepers! This book, The Mess That we Made written by Michelle Lord and illustrated by Julia Blattman does a magnificent job teaching children the impact of trash and plastic pollution on water and the wildlife that depends on it for life. Focusing on the Great Pacific Garbage Patch, it highlights the impacts of human pollution and inspires us on what can be done to take positive action for a more sustainable future. We hope the kids in your life enjoy it as much as ours do!

We had a lovely day in the field planting native s

We had a lovely day in the field planting native species at a restoration site along Holly Creek near Chatsworth, Georgia yesterday. 🌱Riparian buffers of native plants protect the creek from sediment from run off and protects the land from erosion. 💧We chose to work on Holly Creek because it is home to many endangered species of fish and mussels which are negatively impacted by sediment in the water. When we work with the wildlife and the ecosystem we also create more sustainable land for long term agricultural use. 👨‍🌾 a win - win for everyone!

The Oostanaula River flows from the Conasauga and

The Oostanaula River flows from the Conasauga and Coosawattee Rivers in Northwest Georgia through Rome and into the Coosa River, eventually spilling into the Gulf of Mexico. Until 2016 it was the primary source of drinking water for the city of Rome. Unfortunately, this water is no longer drinkable due to PFAS being found at unsafe levels within its water. PFAS is a chemical that has polluted the rivers from carpet manufacturing upstream. It is a known carcinogenic that has been shown to suppress immunity and cause numerous other health problems. CRBI participated in a groundbreaking study with @waterkeeperalliance last year to test for PFAS levels upstream, and continues to monitor PFAS contamination in our watershed. You can read the water keepers report linked in our bio and a deeper explanation of PFAS on our blog at coosa.org.

A rare winter treat this far South. But we are en

A rare winter treat this far South. But we are enjoying a holiday season snow on the Coosa in Rome, Ga. Did you see snow on your section of the watershed? Send us photos!

Holly Creek has been a focus of CRBIs restoration

Holly Creek has been a focus of CRBIs restoration efforts over the last couple of years. The creek flows through the North Georgia mountains near Chatsworth before spilling into the Conasauga River. Holly Creek’s incredible diversity and location make this creek a key part of the Upper Coosa River Basin. It is home to at risk and endangered species like the Blue Shiner, Alabama Moccasinshell, Coosa Moccasinshell, Finelined Pocketbook, Georgia Pigtoe, Southern Clubshell, Southern Pigtoe, Triangular Kidneyshell. It is also an important water source for agriculture. Historically, the creek’s heath has been compromised by sediment run off from years ofimproper. Our focus has been to re-establish proper river banks and healthy buffer zones to prevent runoff and land loss into the creek. Long term the buffers will prevent sediment which is dangerous for aquatic critters and erosion which leads to a loss of acres for the farmers who rely on this habitat for their livelihoods. Will you support us to continue these restoration efforts? Donate to our fundraiser in the bio or become a member today at coosa.org/join.

2022 was filled with progress for the Upper Coosa

2022 was filled with progress for the Upper Coosa River Basin! With the support of our community we have been able to greatly expand our water monitoring and publish results for Swim Guide through the summer, restore critical habitats for endangered species, and monitor for PFAS in our watershed. Next year is our 30th anniversary and we have a lot of great projects planned for 2023! Help us get a jump start into our 30th year by becoming a member or donating today! 💧

Rainy days are dreary but they’re a perfect oppo

Rainy days are dreary but they’re a perfect opportunity to get in the field for water sampling 🌧

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5 Broad St
Rome, GA 30161

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