The Chattahoochee River is an essential surface water source as it provides over 70 percent of Metro Atlanta’s drinking water, amounting to over 300 million gallons. In addition to serving as Metro Atlanta’s primary source of drinking water, the Chattahoochee River serves as a major point of discharge for industrial and municipal waste as well as urban runoff. The primary goal of this study was to assess the presence of Pepper Mild Mottle Virus in the Chattahoochee River. During a five-month period in 2014, water samples were collected at fifteen sample sites and two outfall sites in the Chattahoochee River. PMMoV was tested for in 6 out of 17 sample. A one-way ANOVA analysis (p<0.05), of concentrations across sampling locations resulted in a p-value of 0.044. As a result, it can be determined that the location of the sampling sites does result in a statistically significant difference in the PMMoV values observed. Furthermore, a one-way ANOVA analysis (p<0.05), of concentrations across sampling dates resulted in a p-value of 0.063. Therefore, it is determined that the dates on which sampling took place did not result in a statistically significant difference in the PMMoV values observed across time . Furthermore, the MS2 virus was also detected in these samples. Through a paired t-test (p<0.05), between the sample concentrations with and without MS2 presence, it was determined that there was no statistical difference in concentration of PMMoV when MS2 is present since p=0.0740 The results indicate that PMMoV was present in the Chattahoochee River due to the detection of PMMoV in the samples collected. However, additional investigations, using a larger sample size, are needed to assess PMMoV as a viable indicator of fecal contamination of ambient surface waters and recreational waters.

The Chattahoochee River begins in the Appalachian Mountains in northeast Georgia, flows through Atlanta, and then turns south to form the Georgia/Alabama state line. There are many dams along the river to help supply power, and many recreational areas. Most importantly, the Chattahoochee River provides 70% of metropolitan Atlanta’s drinking water. With all of these benefits, we should be protecting the river, but we are not. The water is polluted and gets more polluted the further south you go. In my photographs, I want to bring this to people’s attention. I used photographic negatives “damaged” in water to print my final photographs, hoping the resulting images would awaken viewers’ interest. I want to add my voice to that of other artists who work with water issues, such as Joe Cooks, Alex Kirkbride, and Yin Xiuzhen, and show how the shortage of clean water is not just a local problem for the city of Atlanta, but also a global problem.

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The Chattahoochee River is the most utilized surface water in Georgia, and it and Utoy Creek are receiving waters for Atlanta stormwater and wastewater effluent. Population growth and record-breaking rainfall in 2013 has led to potential stress from stormwater runoff and nonpoint source loading. The goals of this research are to examine spatial and temporal variations in E. coli and the bacteriophage MS2 and relationships with DO, turbidity, rainfall, and riverflow; to determine if E. coli in water is correlated with E. coli in sediment; and to determine if wastewater effluent discharges influence downstream sample sites. Water samples were collected at fifteen sample sites and two outfall sites in the Chattachoochee, and ten sites in Utoy Creek. No significant spatial variation in E. coli was found for the Chattahoochee, although there was significant temporal variation in mean E. coli concentrations. The lowest mean DO values and the highest mean turbidity levels both occurred on the date of the highest mean E. coli concentrations. Effluent from the two outfalls did not contaminate downstream sample sites. In Utoy Creek, E. coli concentrations showed spatial and temporal variation in water samples, but not for sediment samples. Turbidity was found to be positively correlated with both E. coli in sediment and MS2. These findings suggest that nonpoint source loading is a potential cause of contamination. Since DO, turbidity, and rainfall were correlated with E. coli and MS2, these parameters could be used as indicators of pollution for future monitoring of the Chattahoochee River and Utoy Creek.

Introduction: The Chattahoochee River and its lakes and tributaries are essential resources for metro-Atlanta; however, urbanization and other human impacts near these resources affects the quality of water. The objectives of this study are to describe the spatial and temporal patterns of Escherichia coli (E. coli), and examine the relationship between rainfall and E. coli levels in metro-Atlanta surface waters, including the Chattahoochee River and its lakes and tributaries. Methods: The water quality data used for the study was originally collected and analyzed by the Chattahoochee Riverkeeper (CRK) Neighborhood Water Watch (NWW) program. For this analysis, sites with a total of 50 samples or more were subjected to descriptive analysis. Results: Twenty-seven of the 36 sites had a mean E. coli concentration exceeding the US EPA’s recreational water quality criteria of 2.37 log Most Probable Number per 100 milliliters. Sites with the highest and lowest mean E. coli levels were located, on average, 2.77 and 20.22 miles from downtown Atlanta, respectively. Spikes in E. coli levels occurred 99 counts of 699 sampling events in the winter, 168/827 spring, 141/877 summer, and 170/950 fall. Seven of the 36 sites were analyzed to examine the relationship between 48-hour rainfall and E. coli levels. Four sites indicated that there was a significant positive correlation between the two variables. (r=0.52, p<.0001; r=0.67, p<.0001; r=0.39, p<.0001; r=0.38, p<.0001) Discussion: The water quality in waterways closer to downtown may be attributable to combined sewer overflows and the urbanization and land use associated with the city. Overall, there was temporal variation in E. coli concentrations, however there was no distinct seasonal pattern. The relationship between 48-hour rainfall and E. coli levels of four of the seven sites analyzed was consistent with other studies.

Thesis (M.A.)--Georgia State University, 2008. / Title from file title page. Jeremy E. Diem, committee chair; Jeremy W. Crampton, John W. Matthews, committee members. Electronic text (84 p. : ill. (some col., maps (some col.)) : digital, PDF file. Description based on contents viewed Oct. 1, 2008. Includes bibliographical references (p. 77-84).

Twentieth Century Americans witnessed the construction of numerous massive dams that controlled the flow of rivers across the country. Many of these dams were built by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to improve navigation and to provide inexpensive electricity and flood control. This paper will seek to shed light on Georgia’s current water crisis by analyzing the initial purposes behind the building of Buford Dam in North Georgia, investigating how water supply issues were addressed in the first half of the twentieth century, and exploring how expectations of the Chattahoochee River changed over time due in part to metropolitan Atlanta’s population growth. This paper will show that Atlanta area leaders secured appropriations for Buford Dam primarily to obtain a reliable water supply and additional electricity for their burgeoning community.