Upper Chattahoochee Riverkeeper
Encyclopedia
The Upper Chattahoochee Riverkeeper (UCR) is an environmental advocacy organization with more than 5,000 members dedicated solely to protecting and restoring the Chattahoochee River
Basin
, specifically between the Buford Dam and West Point Lake. UCR was modeled after New York’s Hudson Riverkeeper and was the 11th licensed program in the international Waterkeeper Alliance
.
UCR’s primary geographic focus begins at the River's headwaters in the north Georgia
mountains above Helen
and continues downstream to West Point Lake
, encompassing more than 200 miles (321.9 km) of the Chattahoochee River
and 3600 square miles (9,324 km²) of watershed
. UCR is best known for their legal action against the City of Atlanta
which resulted in the city revitalizing their infrastructure to address a major sewage problem, thus ensuring a cleaner river for the community.
UCR actively uses advocacy, education, research, communication, cooperation, monitoring and legal actions to protect and preserve the Chattahoochee and its watershed. Since its founding, Sally Bethea has served as Executive Director and Riverkeeper for the Upper Chattahoochee Riverkeeper.
, they sought to create a focused environmental advocacy initiative led by professional staff and committed volunteers. With funding from the Turner Foundation and other local supporters, UCR officially opened its doors for business on March 1, 1994.
Since 1994, a dedicated and diverse Board of Directors has guided UCR in its transformation from a scrappy group of paddlers, scientists, anglers and environmental activists to a respected organization that has won many victories for the Chattahoochee River
Basin
. Since its founding, Sally Bethea has served as Executive Director and Riverkeeper for the Upper Chattahoochee Riverkeeper.
watershed
through legal work, policy work, technical programs, communication, education, and recreational activities.
Legal work includes working with legislators to strengthen regulatory protections for waterways, lobbying to protect water resources, and pursuing legal action when necessary to ensure that the laws that protect drinking water supply are properly enforced.
In policy, UCR promotes water conservation
and advocates for water efficiency measures, protection of our water supply at all levels of government, and effective and wise water planning for the watershed region. With regard to the Tri-State issues
, UCR addresses the conflict over water sharing and offers practical sustainable solutions.
The technical programs include patrolling the watershed’s rivers and lakes, responding to citizen hotline calls and other reported problems, and monitoring water quality
.
Quarterly newsletters and bi-weekly news flashes keep citizens in the loop on water issues and events. Education and training includes teaching children, citizens, business people, and policy-makers how to protect our river, and bringing thousands of children each year on board the floating classroom on Lake Lanier
to learn about water quality
and river stewardship.
Recreational activities promote responsible appreciation of the Chattahoochee through kayak and canoe trips, river races, and other activities.
Additional offices in Gainesville
and LaGrange
provide education, enforcement and partnership to citizens and groups in the headwaters and the southern regions of the Upper Chattahoochee area.
Chattahoochee River
The Chattahoochee River flows through or along the borders of the U.S. states of Georgia, Alabama, and Florida. It is a tributary of the Apalachicola River, a relatively short river formed by the confluence of the Chattahoochee and Flint Rivers and emptying into Apalachicola Bay in the Gulf of...
Basin
Drainage basin
A drainage basin is an extent or an area of land where surface water from rain and melting snow or ice converges to a single point, usually the exit of the basin, where the waters join another waterbody, such as a river, lake, reservoir, estuary, wetland, sea, or ocean...
, specifically between the Buford Dam and West Point Lake. UCR was modeled after New York’s Hudson Riverkeeper and was the 11th licensed program in the international Waterkeeper Alliance
Waterkeeper Alliance
Waterkeeper Alliance is an environmental organization founded in 1999, responding to a growing movement of organizations with the name Riverkeeper, Baykeeper, Soundkeeper, and other related "keeper" names, of which there are over 150 around the globe...
.
UCR’s primary geographic focus begins at the River's headwaters in the north Georgia
Georgia (U.S. state)
Georgia is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. The state is named after King George II of Great Britain. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788...
mountains above Helen
Helen, Georgia
Helen is a city located on the Chattahoochee River in White County in the north of the U.S. state of Georgia. As of the 2000 census, the city's population was 420.-History:...
and continues downstream to West Point Lake
West Point Lake
West Point Lake is a man-made reservoir formed by the damming of the Chattahoochee River by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. This reservoir extends for about along the Chattahoochee River near the Alabama-Georgia state boundary....
, encompassing more than 200 miles (321.9 km) of the Chattahoochee River
Chattahoochee River
The Chattahoochee River flows through or along the borders of the U.S. states of Georgia, Alabama, and Florida. It is a tributary of the Apalachicola River, a relatively short river formed by the confluence of the Chattahoochee and Flint Rivers and emptying into Apalachicola Bay in the Gulf of...
and 3600 square miles (9,324 km²) of watershed
Drainage basin
A drainage basin is an extent or an area of land where surface water from rain and melting snow or ice converges to a single point, usually the exit of the basin, where the waters join another waterbody, such as a river, lake, reservoir, estuary, wetland, sea, or ocean...
. UCR is best known for their legal action against the City of Atlanta
Atlanta, Georgia
Atlanta is the capital and most populous city in the U.S. state of Georgia. According to the 2010 census, Atlanta's population is 420,003. Atlanta is the cultural and economic center of the Atlanta metropolitan area, which is home to 5,268,860 people and is the ninth largest metropolitan area in...
which resulted in the city revitalizing their infrastructure to address a major sewage problem, thus ensuring a cleaner river for the community.
UCR actively uses advocacy, education, research, communication, cooperation, monitoring and legal actions to protect and preserve the Chattahoochee and its watershed. Since its founding, Sally Bethea has served as Executive Director and Riverkeeper for the Upper Chattahoochee Riverkeeper.
History
Upper Chattahoochee Riverkeeper was founded in 1994 by Laura Turner Seydel and Rutherford Seydel. Modeling the Chattahoochee program after New York's aggressive and successful Hudson RiverkeeperRiverkeeper
Riverkeeper is an environmental non-profit organization dedicated to the protection of the Hudson River and its tributaries, as well as the watersheds that provide New York City with its drinking water...
, they sought to create a focused environmental advocacy initiative led by professional staff and committed volunteers. With funding from the Turner Foundation and other local supporters, UCR officially opened its doors for business on March 1, 1994.
Since 1994, a dedicated and diverse Board of Directors has guided UCR in its transformation from a scrappy group of paddlers, scientists, anglers and environmental activists to a respected organization that has won many victories for the Chattahoochee River
Chattahoochee River
The Chattahoochee River flows through or along the borders of the U.S. states of Georgia, Alabama, and Florida. It is a tributary of the Apalachicola River, a relatively short river formed by the confluence of the Chattahoochee and Flint Rivers and emptying into Apalachicola Bay in the Gulf of...
Basin
Drainage basin
A drainage basin is an extent or an area of land where surface water from rain and melting snow or ice converges to a single point, usually the exit of the basin, where the waters join another waterbody, such as a river, lake, reservoir, estuary, wetland, sea, or ocean...
. Since its founding, Sally Bethea has served as Executive Director and Riverkeeper for the Upper Chattahoochee Riverkeeper.
Current Work
Upper Chattahoochee Riverkeeper actively works to protect and preserve the ChattahoocheeChattahoochee River
The Chattahoochee River flows through or along the borders of the U.S. states of Georgia, Alabama, and Florida. It is a tributary of the Apalachicola River, a relatively short river formed by the confluence of the Chattahoochee and Flint Rivers and emptying into Apalachicola Bay in the Gulf of...
watershed
Drainage basin
A drainage basin is an extent or an area of land where surface water from rain and melting snow or ice converges to a single point, usually the exit of the basin, where the waters join another waterbody, such as a river, lake, reservoir, estuary, wetland, sea, or ocean...
through legal work, policy work, technical programs, communication, education, and recreational activities.
Legal work includes working with legislators to strengthen regulatory protections for waterways, lobbying to protect water resources, and pursuing legal action when necessary to ensure that the laws that protect drinking water supply are properly enforced.
In policy, UCR promotes water conservation
Water conservation
Water conservation refers to reducing the usage of water and recycling of waste water for different purposes such as cleaning, manufacturing, and agricultural irrigation.- Water conservation :Water conservation can be defined as:...
and advocates for water efficiency measures, protection of our water supply at all levels of government, and effective and wise water planning for the watershed region. With regard to the Tri-State issues
Tri-state water dispute
The tri-state water dispute is a water use debate among the states of Georgia, Alabama, and Florida over the Apalachicola-Chattahoochee-Flint River Basin and the Alabama-Coosa-Tallapoosa River Basin...
, UCR addresses the conflict over water sharing and offers practical sustainable solutions.
The technical programs include patrolling the watershed’s rivers and lakes, responding to citizen hotline calls and other reported problems, and monitoring water quality
Water quality
Water quality is the physical, chemical and biological characteristics of water. It is a measure of the condition of water relative to the requirements of one or more biotic species and or to any human need or purpose. It is most frequently used by reference to a set of standards against which...
.
Quarterly newsletters and bi-weekly news flashes keep citizens in the loop on water issues and events. Education and training includes teaching children, citizens, business people, and policy-makers how to protect our river, and bringing thousands of children each year on board the floating classroom on Lake Lanier
Lake Lanier
Lake Lanier is a reservoir in the northern portion of the U.S. state of Georgia. It was created by the completion of Buford Dam on the Chattahoochee River in 1956, and is also fed by the waters of the Chestatee River. The lake encompasses of water, and of shoreline at normal level, a "full...
to learn about water quality
Water quality
Water quality is the physical, chemical and biological characteristics of water. It is a measure of the condition of water relative to the requirements of one or more biotic species and or to any human need or purpose. It is most frequently used by reference to a set of standards against which...
and river stewardship.
Recreational activities promote responsible appreciation of the Chattahoochee through kayak and canoe trips, river races, and other activities.
Additional offices in Gainesville
Gainesville
Gainesville is the name of several places in the United States of America:*Gainesville, Alabama*Gainesville, Florida, largest municipality with this name*Gainesville, Georgia*Gainesville, Missouri*Gainesville , New York...
and LaGrange
Lagrange
La Grange literally means the barn in French. Lagrange may refer to:- People :* Charles Varlet de La Grange , French actor* Georges Lagrange , translator to and writer in Esperanto...
provide education, enforcement and partnership to citizens and groups in the headwaters and the southern regions of the Upper Chattahoochee area.
See also
- Chattahoochee River National Recreation AreaChattahoochee River National Recreation AreaChattahoochee River National Recreation Area preserves a series of sites between Atlanta in the United States and Lake Sidney Lanier along the Chattahoochee River. The 48-mile stretch of the river affords public recreation opportunities and access to historic spots...
- List of Alabama rivers
- List of Florida rivers
- List of Georgia rivers