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 June 20, 2008.

River Revelry--A Biodiversity Bash

Join CRBI Saturday Aug. 23 from 6:30-10:30 p.m. at Heritage Park in Downtown Rome for the third annual River Revelry--A Biodiversity Bash and help us celebrate the Upper Coosa River Basin's 30 endemic aquatic species.

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Education Program Shines Light on Water Conservation

By installing low-flow showerheads, faucet aerators, water-saving devices for toilets and changing water-use behavior, several Rome area families recently realized home water savings of 16 percent through a CRBI-sponsored water conservation education program.

In partnership with Rome City Schools’ East Central Elementary, the Rome Water & Sewer Department and the Rome Rotary Club, CRBI presented in-schools water conservation programs to more than 300 children and provided home water conservation kits to some 50 families. From January through March, students tracked their water use, comparing it with the previous year’s water use.

Three East Central families received cash awards from CRBI and saw their water use (and their water bills) drop significantly during the three-month study period. 3^rd grader Sophia Parker and her family took first place and the $150 cash prize; 3^rd grader Gigi Gonsalves and family placed second and won $100 and Carly Loftus and family took third place and $50.

In addition to achieving water savings, the project also highlighted ways in which water providers can encourage conservation through pricing and by providing understandable consumption information on bills. For a full report and recommendations, click here.

Fish Fry Serves Up Funds

Some 35 CRBI volunteers served up more than 1400 catfish filets and hushpuppies during the 6th Annual CRBI-Northwest Georgia Credit Union Fish Fry held Nov. 3 in Rome. More than 700 people dined on the meal of catfish, hushpuppies, cole slaw and cheese grits. The annual fundraiser generated more than $10,000 for CRBI's efforts to protect the most biologically diverse river basin in North America and the 14 federally protected aquatic species that call the river basin home. CRBI thanks its lead sponsor, Northwest Georgia Credit Union as well as the Montessori School of Rome, One World Sustainable, Southern Pride Catfish and Southeastern Mills for their contributions to the annual event.

Boat Takes Maiden Voyage

"Arnemetia," CRBI's new water monitoring patrol boat made its maiden voyage on the Coosa, Etowah and Oostanaula rivers May 9. The boat was officially donated and dedicated at WATERFEST VII on May 5.

Yamaha Marine Group in Kennesaw, GA donated the 18-foot tunnel-hull johnboat manufactured by G3 Boats and powered by a Yamaha 65 horsepower, four-stroke, jet motor earlier this year.

CRBI member, Melanie Bemis, won the boat naming contest with her submission, "Arnemetia," beating out more than 50 other entries. Arnemetia is derived from Celtic mythology where, Arnmetia, the goddess of springs, wells and fountains, was worshipped as a water goddess. Melanie receives a CRBI/Yamaha prize package for her winning entry.

$500,000 Settlement Reached with Canton Developer

On June 22, CRBI reached an agreement with Sembler Atlanta, developers of Canton Marketplace in Canton, Ga that will result in the protection of critical habitat for federally protected fish species in the Upper Etowah River Basin. The agreement comes after six months of legal wrangling resulting from CRBI's appeal of state and federal envrionmental permits issued for the 98-acre retail development. Sembler agreed to pay $500,000 to the Mountain Conservation Trust of Georgia to purchase riparian property that will protect habitat for the Cherokee, Etowah and Amber darters. Sembler also agreed to reduce impacts to streams on the development site at Ga. 20 and I-575 by 25 percent. For more information, click here.

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.