Several organizations are working to keep the river clean, promote recreation and provide metro Atlanta with access to the waterway
NEED TO KNOW
- The Chattahoochee River has been revitalized with parks, trails, and recreation areas after decades of cleanup efforts
- The Trust for Public Land plans to create 100 miles of trails and parks connecting 19 cities across 7 counties
- Recent storms caused fish deaths and raised E. coli levels, highlighting ongoing environmental challenges for the river
The Chattahoochee, a 430-mile river that stretches through Alabama and Georgia, was once filled with sewage and sludge. Now, the waterway is bustling with recreation.
New parks and trails are being built, and major plans to connect the waterway with the metro Atlanta region are being drawn up, thanks to decades of work by organizations like Chattahoochee Riverkeeper, a nonprofit dedicated to cleaning up the river and monitoring the condition of its water.
Some organizations have taken dramatic action to improve the river. In 2023, the Trust for Public Land (TPL), a national environmental nonprofit, acquired 1,200 acres of riverfront in South Atlanta through public and private funding, according to Atlantamagazine.
The nonprofit plans to create 100 miles of new trails and parks, connecting 19 cities across 7 counties, and build 42 water access points and 8 campsites as part of their Chattahoochee RiverLands Trail project. Its goal is to “ensure every person in the metro Atlanta region has access to the benefits and joys of the outdoors,” according to its website…