Our Etowah Watershed
DISCUSS: Do you think your activities affect others downstream?
Etowah River Basin
"The Etowah River Basin is located in the northwestern portion of the Metro Water District and represents 24 percent of its total area and 63 percent of the overall HUC-8 Basin area. With 1,183 square miles, it is the largest river basin in the District, entering the District at the northern border of Forsyth County and exiting at the western edge of Bartow County, where it soon joins the Oostanaula River to form the Coosa River. There are portions of 22 cities and the following six counties within the District-portion of the Basin: Bartow, Cherokee, Cobb, Forsyth, Fulton and Paulding. Some of the larger cities in the basin include Acworth, Canton, Cartersville, Dallas, Kennesaw, Milton, Mountain Park and Woodstock. Lake Allatoona, located on the mainstem of the Etowah River in the center of this basin, is managed by the U.S. Army Corps Engineers and is a significant recreational destination and water supply source within the District, state and Southeast U.S."
"The flow of the Etowah River through the Metro Water District is regulated primarily by Allatoona Dam, a federal impoundment forming Lake Allatoona, which is operated by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Lake Allatoona has a drainage area of 1,100 square miles, and extends from Allatoona Dam about 43 miles up the Etowah River. Constructed in the 1940s, Lake Allatoona is a multi-purpose reservoir that provides flood protection, power production, water supply, navigation, recreation and fish and wildlife management. It is the second largest reservoir in the District (as well as Georgia) and provides approximately 14percent of the District’s water supply, either through direct withdrawals or downstream releases."
Change Over Time
Timelapse for the School since 1984 - look to see how the landscape changes.
Discuss: Based on the timelapse above, how do you think the watershed has been affected?
Environmental Concerns
"Draining the northwestern portion of the Metro Water District, the central portion of the Etowah River Basin is bisected by Interstates 75 and 575, while its headwaters are crossed by Georgia 19 (GA 400) in northern Forsyth County. It also includes major east/west corridors, such as Georgia Highways 20 and 92 and the corresponding development that accompanies them. Approximately 76 percent of the basin remained undeveloped in 2012, including 59 percent as forested or open space lands, 1 percent as water or wetlands and 16 percent was being used for agricultural purposes."
With increased development in the basin, there is sure to be an decrease in the water quality unless carefully planned precautions are taken.
"Of the 537 stream miles assessed in the Metro Water District portion of the Etowah River Basin, 305 miles, or 57 percent, did not meet state water quality standards based on the 2014 303(d) list."
If the water is not meeting state water quality standards up here in Georgia, what do you think will happen as it accumulates more toxins as it goes down to the Gulf of Mexico?
This shows the Average monthly water fluxes (cm) from 30-years of daily water balance (Surface Water Runoff)
Discuss: Think about what patterns you see in the graph based on the watershed in terms of the surface water runoff from the past 30 years.
This image of Creekview High School brings lots of good memories for me, as a teacher. However, there is construction going on at the school and it makes me wonder what environmental precautions were taken before breaking ground. Knowing everything you now know about watershed, why do you think it is important to protect our waterways?
