Know Your Watershed

Do you know where your drinking water comes from? In my Northwest Georgia community, our watershed is the Chattooga River Watershed, which is part of the larger Coosa River Basin, which is part of the Alabama-Coosa-Tallapoosa (ACT) river basin system. Three states (Tennessee, Georgia, and Alabama) are connected by the ACT.

My story of watershed connection begins with some of my early childhood memories of playing in Chappel Creek. My mom took me and my sister creek side with a blanket and our school books to read and complete our homework assignments. Then, and only then, could we play in the creek. The creek was my inspiration for completing my school work in a timely manner.

I never pondered where the water for my creek originated back then. I simply wanted to see all that was in motion in the creek. I loved the rocks and the crayfish ("crawdads") that hid underneath them. I longed to see the freshwater snails that we called "periwinkles" clinging to the rocks and creek bottom. So many interesting beings awaited my observation in that creek.

Now, I'm taking my grandson to explore in nature and I think a great deal about where our water is coming from, where it goes, and what is happening in my watershed. I'm grateful for the work that the Coosa River Basin Initiative (CRBI) does to protect, preserve, and restore my river system.

From Memorial Day to Labor Day, water samples are collected at popular boat ramps and public beaches from Weiss Lake to Lake Allatoona and the river in between. CRBI provides a "Swim Guide" to inform the public about the weekly results of the water testing. Green sites indicate "low" levels of E. coli and are suitable for recreation. Red sites have "high" level of E. coli, meaning visitors should use extra caution or avoid the site. Check out the weekly Swim Guide!

Coosa River Basin Initiative has been a vital part of halting PFAS pollution in our drinking water, worked with partners to bring over 1 million dollars to restoration projects, and helped pass legislation to fund clean ups of hazardous waste sites. Join me in becoming a member of CRBI; I do it for my grandson and for the generations to come so they can have clean drinking water and clean creeks and rivers to play in.