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P.O. Box 2642 | Darien, GA 31305 | Tel 912-437-8164 | FAX 912-437-8765 | |
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P.O. Box 2642 | Darien, GA 31305 | Tel 912-437-8164 | FAX 912-437-8765 | |
| Home | About Us | River News | Wildlife | Advocacy | Education | Events & Meetings | Resources | Links | Newsletters | ||
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Who Owns From the Shinging Rock to the Big Water?By The Altamaha Riverkeeper, James HollandFrom the Shining Rock (Stone Mountain) to the big water (Atlantic Ocean) is how the Indians referred to the Altamaha River Watershed.As a child, I can remember asking the question, "Where does the rain come from?" The answer always seemed to be " From God or from heaven." Years later after reading many books and first hand observations and experiences in the outdoor world, the same answer seems to be very appropriate: Rain comes from God. For most of my 62 years working and fishing outdoors; the misty rainfall, hailstorms, snowstorms, and torrential down pours all seem to come from the same place. Even the multi colored rainbows that appear after the rain seem to come from the same place: the heavens. Water, unlike trees and rocks, never stands still. If water did not have constant movement we could not have animals, birds, fish, and the many different forms of life we know and enjoy today. The Indians with no books or microscopes knew very well: all things are connected. All life on earth evolves around and is connected to water. Water falls from the skies in the form of rain and is returned as a vapor through evaporation. Trees and plants drink water and return it to the atmosphere through evapotranspiration. The soils of the earth absorb water to replenish our aquifers and the springs that once were so plentiful. The rainfall not absorbed by the earth fills our ponds, lakes, and streams and is called surface water. Water beneath the surface of the earth is known as ground water. Generally speaking, flowing springs are simply ground water being forced upward from aquifers below the earth's surface. This upward movement of ground water is called up welling and is a powerful force that can even defy the forces of gravity. Quite often springs are the source of many of our perennial streams. The springs form the beginning (or headwaters) of these recurrent streams. To understand why the Indians are correct in their assumption that all things are connected you need to know how water flows and interacts. For instance, how does aquifer water interact with surface water? Many of our creeks and rivers have springs flowing up from the bottom and the up welling generally replenishes a portion of the surface water in low flow conditions. Some time when the surface water stream is at flood stage the downward pressure of the river is more powerful than the up welling from the springs and the pressure forces water into the aquifer below. During stream low flow periods the up welling from the aquifer down below will have far greater pressure pushing upward and the ground water returns to the stream. During drought periods the ground water, surface water interaction is very critical to the quantity of water and the health of many surface water streams. Often the shallow aquifers are disrupted by human activities, such as, over pumping by municipalities and industry and irrigation for golf courses and agriculture. When this disruption occurs many isolated pools (wetlands) that are critical to wild animals can dry up. These sub surface springs are vital to anadromous species, such as the Atlantic Sturgeon, that migrate up rivers from the sea to breed in fresh water. When the ocean water begins warming up in early summer the Atlantic Sturgeon seeks out the cooler temperatures created by the springs that are found in the fresh water rivers. They remain in the cool waters around these springs until the warm river and ocean waters start dropping in temperature. During times of drought people living in rural areas with private wells can lose water depth in their wells requiring them to extend the pump heads deeper below the surface to reach water. This is not only a serious inconvenience, it is very expensive also. The surface water ground water interaction occurs hundreds if not thousands of times while the stream snakes its way to the ocean. The point of contact between the fresh water river and the seawater is very important. This contact point or mixing zone is called the salt water, fresh water interface. It is important to note the interface is seldom stable. The inward or outward movement of the interface relies on the amount of fresh water flowing towards the ocean. Rivers at flood stage have a tendency to push the tidal mixing zone seaward. Rivers at low flow stage will move inland due to the stronger tidal flows dominating the fresh water flow. The quantity of fresh water reaching the interface is extremely critical to marine aquatic species. The amount of fresh water reaching the interface is THE determining factor on how large the nursery area is for the larva and juvenile marine fish. Decreased flow from fresh water rivers and wetlands allows seawater to press further inland therefore decreasing the size of the aquatic species nursery grounds. Most of Georgia's inshore marine species prefer and rely upon brackish water to live and grow during their larval and juvenile stages of life. Optimum salinities for these animals during their early life cycle are considered to be 0- 20 parts per thousand (ppt). Seawater is considered to be approximately 35 ppt. This area of 0-35 ppt is called the salt-water gradient It would be unfair and inaccurate to say the size of the nursery grounds is totally determined by the stream flowing from the inland. There are other factors that determine the size of the nursery grounds. One determining factor is the health of the freshwater ecosystem (undisturbed natural swamps and wetlands) along the coastal zone. During drought periods it is crucial that you have a healthy natural freshwater coastal ecosystem. Another important factor is the health of the aquifers along the coast. Are the coastal aquifers being over pumped to the point they are no longer functioning and interacting with surface water as they normally should? The coastal aquifers interact with the surface salt water in the same manner as inland aquifers interact with fresh water streams. The final factor I want to identify is coastal rainfall and the timing of rain events. There is research that seems to indicate the rainfall patterns for the Southeastern United States coastal areas keep changing. Optimum timing for fresh water reaching the marine areas is generally considered to be the spring and summer months. Georgia's coastline is well known for its vast salt marsh system and it is certainly greener and healthier looking when it receives an adequate amount of fresh water. Salt marsh habitat is critical to marine species and their reproductive capabilities. In 1972 the Georgia State Legislature recognized the importance and value of the salt marshes to all Georgians and legislated into law the Coastal Marshlands Protection Act (CMPA) to protect salt marshes. The salt marsh die off occurring along our coast may very well be caused by the lack of fresh water. Our salt marshes and aquatic marine species along Georgia's coast are dependent and reliant upon the quantity of water received from the northern half of the state but as greater demand and use for water occurs upstream less fresh water makes it to the coast. Because all living beings are connected to water, I believe the waters of Georgia belong to the people and should be managed for all the people through state government. After reading this article, what do you think? Should a business or a private entity be allowed to control or manage Georgia's water or should the water be managed by the state for all the people? James Holland Altamaha Riverkeeper NOTE: While this story is directed towards water quantity and who should manage the waters of the state, the author also recognizes that the quality of the water is of the utmost importance, as well. The quality of life for humans and animals alike is reliant upon large quantities of high quality water, free of pesticides, bacteria, trace metals, and other carcinogens that are harmful to all life forms. |
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