Published: June 12, 2008 09:11 am            

"River watchers" brainstorm with local officials

The discussion ranged from endangered species to septic tanks and stormwater in a meeting between regional “river watcher” representatives and local officials on Wednesday in Dalton.

“The goal of the meeting was to give Whitfield and Dalton an update on the status of listed (endangered) species,” said Katie Owens with The Nature Conservancy, “and hear back from them on what they’re doing on the projects they’re working on. We want to find out if there’s any way we can assist them.”

Robin Goodloe, with the Georgia ecological service division of U.S. Fish & Wildlife, gave an update on aquatic populations in the Conasauga, Coosawattee and Oostanaula river systems, saying the Conasauga had “more native fish species than any other place in North America.”

“Three species of fish there and eight mussels are threatened or endangered,” she said, including the Conasauga log perch, a finger-sized fish found only in the river that flows out of the Cohutta Wilderness Area, curls into Tennessee and then flows back into Georgia to divide Murray and Whitfield counties.

Owens cited “long-term threats” such as urbanization and “current threats” including farming, loss of buffers, sedimentation, forestry practices and even recreational activities.

An issue that concerned many is the inclusion of Tennessee in any talks and planning, since they said the river leaves Georgia clean and re-enters the state dirty. “They’re next,” promised Goodloe, who along with Owens met with Chatsworth and Murray County officials later in the day.

Other topics included “impervious” soils that make septic tank placement in Whitfield difficult, repairing buffers on stream banks that slow erosion from development, and the success of the annual Make A Difference Day in cleaning up the Conasauga’s river banks.

“After the Conasauga Summit in March (held at Rome), we realized we needed to work with local governments about what they’re doing, since they know more than we ever will,” said Goodloe. “So it’s an introductory meeting, to start a good working relationship with the local governments. We’d like for them to look at what’s happened in the Etowah (River) basin area, where they’ve allowed urbanization but are still protecting their aquatic resources.”

That basin includes the rapidly growing cities on Atlanta’s northern arc of Cumming, Canton and Cartersville.

A comprehensive plan between the municipalities in Whitfield and Murray was also discussed.

“The joint comprehensive plan is sponsored by the (state) Department of Community Affairs,” Dalton city councilman Charlie Bethel said after the conference. “It’s a 10-year plan that includes land use and zoning in this regard. Of course, there’s a lot of speculative work involved.”

“As much as anything, (local governments) want to be partners with The Nature Conservancy and Fish and Wildlife Service,” Bethel said, “and take advantage of their resources in protecting our most valuable natural resource, which is our water.

“We also have to work together with Murray County since we share this resource, and I have no doubt that we can do that.”

        

• Click to discuss this story with other readers on our forums.