17th Annual Conasauga Watershed Clean-Up

DALTON, GA - Be part of the tradition on Saturday, October 22nd, when you join local volunteers in cleaning up the Conasauga Watershed’s river and streams.  One of the six most biologically diverse freshwater river systems in the United States, the Conasauga River supports 24 endangered species and a dozen other imperiled species, including the Southern Pigtoe mussel and the Conasauga log perch, a fish found nowhere else in the world.

Registration opens at 9 am at six clean up sites in Whitfield County and Murray County.  Choose a site and enjoy some muddy merriment as you help care for our area’s beautiful streams and river!  This year includes more accessibility for canoeists who will be able to clean the river while on a four-hour float.

This year’s clean-up will take place these six locations:

1. Conasauga River at Carlton Petty Road Bridge

2. Conasauga River at Highway 2 bridge*

3. Conasauga River at Lower King’s Bridge/Norton Bridge*

4. Holly Creek, Murray County, on the Chattahoochee National Forest

5. Mill Creek tributary in the City of Dalton

6. Coahulla Creek at Prater’s Mill

* Canoeists can put in at the Highway 2 bridge & take out at Lower King’s/Norton bridge, about a 4 hour float.

Sturdy shoes or boots, gloves, long pants, and long sleeved shirts are recommended.  Hip or chest waders are useful, but are not required.  Trash bags will be provided and at least the first 200 volunteers will receive a free shirt or other gift.  The event is held in conjunction with Northwest Georgia United Way’s Make A Difference Day and Georgia’s Annual Waterway Clean-Up, Rivers Alive.

To download the event flyer with directions, visitwww.KeepDaltonWhitfieldBeautiful.org.  Pre-registration is not required.  For additional information, please contact John Lugthart at jlugthart@daltonstate.edu.  For more information about efforts in other areas or the statewide campaign, go to www.RiversAlive.org.

SPONSORS:    Shaw Industries, Dalton Utilities, Mohawk Industries, Dalton-Whitfield Regional Solid Waste Management Authority (DWSWA), The Nature Conservancy (TNC), and the Conasauga River Alliance (CRA)

COORDINATORS:  Carpet & Rug Institute, CRA, Dalton State College, Dalton Utilities, DWRSWMA, Keep Dalton-Whitfield Beautiful, TNC and Murray County Extension.