1994 - 1997 Accomplishments

1997

Served as the catalyst for a meeting that resulted in significant positive revisions to the Tristate "water wars" compact proposed by Georgia, Alabama and Florida to govern the allocation of water in the Apalachicola-Chattahoochee-Flint River Basin.

Set a national precedent on standards to be met at combined sewer overflows (CSOs), when the federal court ruled in UCR's favor in our suit against the city of Atlanta.

Provided resources to help establish three sub-watershed groups, representing headwaters (Soque River), urban (Nancy Creek) and suburban (Douglas County) areas within the Chattahoochee watershed.

Published The Riverkeeper's Guide to the Chattahoochee, a first ever recreational guidebook to the entire Chattahoochee - mountains to sea.

1996

Filed suit against the city of Cornelia and Fieldale Farms for polluting a tributary to the Chattahoochee River with high levels of ammonia and other substances. Settled in 1997 with $4 million in plant upgrades completed in 1999.

Uncovered numerous sewage spills from city of Atlanta that resulted in extensive media coverage and sparked a 5-month major federal/state investigation of Atlanta's sewage infrastructure in 1997.

Created the Proctor Creek Watershed Initiative to bring river programs to inner city school children within this south Atlanta sub-watershed.

Won the state Partnership Award at the 1996 Georgia Adopt-a-Stream Conference for UCR's Stream Monitoring Network.

1995

Tackled Atlanta's decades-old pollution problems by organizing a coalition of downstream local governments, businesses and individuals, and filed suit against the city for violations of the federal Clean Water Act at its sewage facilities.

Stopped industrial stormwater pollution from a riverfront asphalt recycling plant by negotiating a settlement agreement to clean up the site. Completed in 1997 at a cost of $350,000.

Secured the donation of a boat with a 4-stroke jet motor and started regular river patrols.

Initiated the UCR Hotline that each year responds to more than 250 calls for assistance.

1994

Secured the State’s agreement to clean up contaminated groundwater leaking into the river from underground gasoline tank. Cleanup completed in 1998 using $750,000 from a state trust fund.

Created a system for UCR to monitor discharge permit compliance by 160 municipal and industrial facilities in the Upper Chattahoochee River Basin.

Conducted a Soil Erosion Monitoring Project in north Fulton County's Big Creek watershed.