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Rising River Waters Can Kill!
Watch for rapidly rising river levels on the Chattahoochee River and its tributaries. Water released from dams and heavy rain can turn a day on the river into a tragedy! More »
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Call for Water Release Schedule
With colder temperatures you can expect longer and more frequent water releases. For water release schedule info, call 1-855-DAM-FLOW (1-855-326-3569) for Buford Dam and 404-329-1455 for Morgan Falls Dam. Save numbers to your cell! More »
Chattahoochee Resource Blog
Green-winged Teal
©Tom Wilson
About This BlogHello and welcome to the Chattahoochee River NRA Science and Resource Management (SRM) Blog. Facts, trivia, photos and random bits of natural resource-focused information will be posted as it occurs, transpires, arises, befalls, ensues, or becomes a plain ol' nuisance. Postings will include the fabulous, the interesting, the unusual and the ugly. For instance we will post photos of spring ephemerals as they come into bloom in the park. Or an interesting animal caught on camera. Or, we may post current E. coli levels, sewage spills, and stream bank erosion. Stay updated on the news and natural phenomenon of the Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area. Southeast Coast Exotic Plant Management Team Revisits Sope Creek in April
May 06, 2013
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From April 3 to April 8, the SEC-EPMT treated approximately 6 acres of privet on the former kudzu site cleared at Sope Creek last year. The work is intended to prevent privet from taking over the newly cleared kudzu area. A .pdf of their report is attached. Great Backyard Bird CountThe weekend of February 18 marked the 15th annual Great Backyard Bird Count (GBBC), an encompassing event that engages bird watches of all ages to participate as citizen scientists for the weekend. The data collected becomes invaluable since birds are dynamic creatures rendering it impossible for scientist to document the distribution of every species in such a short period of time. That's no Snowy Owl... It's a Leucistic Red-Tailed Hawk!The CRNRA is home to several species of birds, both year-round dwellers like the Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias) and also migratory passers-through, like the Sandhill Crane (Grus canadensis). In fact, we have 192 confirmed species! The Park After Dark: White-Tailed DeerVisitors to the park know it can be busy during the daytime; just visit Cochran Shoals on the weekend and you'll understand. People may be the most commonly spotted creature during the daytime, but for our animal inhabitants, the nighttime is the right time! Leave it to Mother Nature!During the midsummer heat, as the buzzing of insects was drowning out the incessant drone of cars on Johnson Ferry Road, CRNRA received a phone call from Colonial Pipeline regarding the wetland located at the closed parking lot at Johnson Ferry South. Bald Eagle sitingA bald eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) was sited this morning approximately 1 mile downstream of the Johnson Ferry Bridge. Dennis Teague called in with this exciting report. New Bee Species Found in ParkTo date, 5, and possibly 7, new species of bees have been identified during a pollinator study at the Cochran Shoals unit of the park. Hornworms as HostI asked as I was pulling invasive plants from the Boxwoods planted behind Hewlett Lodge. The shrubs seemed to be host to a variety of invasive species- Honeysuckle waving defiantly from the top, Elaeagnus' tentacle-like stems sprouting from the sides and English Ivy trying to sneak in underfoot. But this… THIS was something that brought the term "invasive" to a whole new level. Building with Bamboo
August 19, 2011
Here in the Science and Resource Management division of the park, a big challenge is managing non-native species. Few residents are unfamiliar with kudzu's amazing ability to overtake untended lots, of wisteria's lavender tendrils dripping from trees or of privet's incessant propagation mission. Yellow Jacket BeesRecently we have received several reports from hikers at the Sope Creek unit of the park that have been stung by yellow jacket bees. Spiny softshell turtleWhile most folks along the river would be (understandably) upset if you started calling them yellow-bellied, a stinkpot or a cooter, there are a few denizens of the river proud to claim such distinctive names! |
Did You Know?
While many caterpillars make cocoons to molt into moths and butterflies, some, like the Hickory Horned Devil, bury themselves in the ground over the winter emerging in the Spring fully changed.