Mission and History

Upper Chattahoochee Riverkeeper’s (UCR) mission is to advocate and secure the protection and stewardship of the Chattahoochee River, its tributaries and watershed, in order to restore and preserve their ecological health for the people and wildlife that depend on the river system

Established in 1994, Upper Chattahoochee Riverkeeper (UCR) is an environmental advocacy organization with more than 4,500 members dedicated solely to protecting and restoring the Chattahoochee River Basin—drinking water source for 3.5 million people. UCR was the 11th licensed program in the international Waterkeeper Alliance, now more than 190 organizations strong.

From the north Georgia mountains to the Florida border, the Chattahoochee River is impacted by unplanned development, storm runoff and trash from industries, roads, and construction sites, and discharges from sewage treatment plants. Withdrawals from the river by municipalities and industries also affect its health through consumptive loss of water that is not returned to the river, impacting downstream water quality, recreation and ecology. While significant improvements have been made in the river, much remains to be accomplished.

UCR actively uses advocacy, education, research, communication, cooperation, monitoring and legal actions to protect and preserve the Chattahoochee and its watershed.