One Of Most Endangered Rivers In Georgia

Georgia’s Flint River is one of the nation’s 10 most endangered waterways. The Flint earned the designation from the conservation group American Rivers. The group says plans to dam the Flint would result in an ecological mess. The rankings of endangered rivers takes into account the value of each waterway to people and the environment, and the level of threat it faces.

Deal Still Pushing Flint Dams

A plan to build a series of dams on the Flint river will move forward despite vocal opposition from environmentalists and a former president.

Damming the Flint River is an idea dating back to the 1946. And with record drought throughout the state, Gainesville Congressman Nathan Deal says dams should go up. Deal says his proposal will increase Atlanta’s water supply during times of drought. Environmentalists, along with former President Jimmy Carter, say the plan will create an ecological mess. Still, Deal says the plan will move forward, and offered this challenge to President Carter.

"Jimmy Carter---if he has a better way of supplying water to the Carter Center in Atlanta, I’d like to hear what it is. I haven’t heard anything from him in that regard."

President Carter vetoed a funding bill for a Flint dam project during his time in the Whitehouse. In the 1980’s, Congress abandoned plans to build a series of three dams on the river. Essentially, Deal wants to reauthorize that project.

President Carter speaks out for Flint River

More than 100 river enthusiasts wrapped up a trip down the Flint River, vowing to fight any effort to change things downstream.

The Flint River begins as a spring, just under Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport. From there the river travels more than 200 miles into South Georgia. There is meets up with the Chatahoochee.

In recent months Congressmen Nathan Deal and Lynn Westmoreland have discussed building new dams on the Flint to feed reservoirs. Westmoreland is asking for 10-million dollars to study the idea. Environmentalists are against it.

Former President, Jimmy Carter fought against building dams on the Flint in the 1970's. He joined paddlers in Oglethorpe as they wrapped up a week long trip on the Flint and warned them about what lies ahead.

"You ought to prepare for a massive fight because the Chambers of Commerce, and the promise of employment and the promise of recreation and in this case the promise of more water somehow getting into Atlanta and taking pressure off Lake Lanier. All of those are going to be put forward and you need to be organized and willing to work on it and prepared."

Officials with the Georgia River Network also announced the formation of the Flint Riverkeeper. This is the 7th protection group in Georgia formed under the Waterkeeper Alliance.

Rains mean less water released from Lanier

Recent rains mean the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers can cut back on releasing water from Lake Lanier. The Corps manages the reservoir in North Georgia. A Corps official says rain didn’t boost level at Lake Lanier, but added to water flowing through the lower Chattahoochee and Flint rivers. Water is released from Lanier to feed those rivers.