What's Up In the Coosa Basin?

Learn what's happening in the Upper Coosa River Basin. Read the latest issue of CRBI's Mainstream newsletter published Oct. 15, 2008.

Polar Bear Paddle Set for Jan. 10

Join dozens of other paddling enthusiasts for Rome's annual Polar Bear Paddle, a blustery six mile paddle from Grizzard Park and the Jim Dixon Boat Landing to downtown's Heritage Park on the Etowah and Coosa rivers. The short 2 to 3 hour paddle is just enough to chill you before returning to downtown Rome at the confluence of the Etowah and Oostanaula rivers for a hot drink. Boats will launch about 10 a.m. To reserve your space or reserve a rental canoe or kayak, please contact Alan Crawford, CRBI Volunteer Adventure Trip Coordinator at 706-291-7449 or at fatboyal@bellsouth.net. 

CRBI Questions 60-acre Development on Public Land

In October, CRBI delivered a letter to the Rome City Commission questioning a proposal to develop some 60 acres of public greenspace as a regional shopping center near downtown Rome. The photos at left show the same location at the property during dry weather and after a 4-inch rainfall that flooded much of the proposed building site. The property in question is currently owned by the City of Rome, and until developers proposed converting the property to a shopping center, the City had planned to develop the site as part of Rome's "Central Park." The Burwell Creek property is sandwiched between Rome's Ridge Ferry Park and city-owned property on historic Jackson Hill. The project is being touted as a Brownsfield development due to the presence of an abandoned city landfill on the site, but evidence that the landfill is a threat to the environment and human health is inconclusive. Data suggests that the best use of the property may be for it to remain in its natural state. The development would result in the filling of four acres of wetlands and some 50 acres of floodplain and would require the relocation of Burwell Creek. To read the full text of CRBI's letter to the commission, click here. For a map of the proposed relocation of Burwell Creek, click here.

Fish Fry Volunteers Serve 900

The 7th Annual CRBI-Northwest Georgia Credit Union Fish Fry set new records as more than 70 volunteers helped serve up about 900 plates of catfish, hushpuppies, cole slaw and cheese grits. Together, we raised narly $14,000 to protect our drinking water sources in the Oostanaula, Etowah and Coosa rivers.

None of this work would have been possible without the continued support of the hundreds of river lovers who participated in the Fish Fry--either by volunteering or simply eating a fish.

CRBI thanks our sponsors: Northwest Georgia Credit Union, Modern Woodmen of America, Georgia Power, Verdek EV, MBD Water Solutions, Bushman Rain Harvesting, Courtesy Ford, Optimum Polymer Technologies, Filt Fry, Cagle's Dairy Farms, Q102, WRGA, South 107, Allied Foods, Chick-Fil-A, Mrs. Winners, Schroeder's New Deli, Duffy's Deli, Long John Silvers, The Shrimp Boat, Wal-mart and Sam's Club.

About Us

Coosa River Basin Initiative, the Upper Coosa Riverkeeper, is a 501c3 grassroots, environmental organization based in Rome, Georgia. Our mission is to inform and empower citizens so that they may become involved in the process of creating a cleaner, healthier, more economically viable Coosa River Basin. Please see our list of news and upcoming events to the left of this page.

A member of the international Waterkeeper Alliance, the Georgia Water Coalition and Alabama Rivers Alliance, we work in four program areas: advocacy, education, water monitoring and restoration.

We keep watch over the streams, land and air of our river basin which covers more than 5,000 square miles of land, from Southeastern Tennessee and North Central Georgia to Weiss Dam in Northeast Alabama. Funded through private grants, membership dues, special event fundraisers and donations, we are the voice for the environment in Northwest Georgia and Northeast Alabama.