Watershed Update, Fall 2006/Winter 2007

Conservancy Reports Major Sewer Spill into Stekoa Watershed

At the request of the Chattooga Conservancy, the Environmental Protection Division of the Georgia Department of Natural Resources investigated a sewage line spill into Ginger Creek, which is a tributary to the Stekoa Creek drainage that flows into the Chattooga Wild & Scenic River. GA EPD enforcement officers declared it a "major spill," and from the looks of the site, raw sewage had been overflowing from the sewer manhole for quite some time. The Conservancy discovered and reported the problem on November 27th. On November 29th, the City of Clayton repaired the clogged sewer pipe, only to discover it obstructed and overflowing again on December 1st. Then Clayton's public works crew lowered a camera into the pipe, which revealed a large mass of tree roots growing into the sewer line and causing the blockage. City workers waded into the mess and corrected the problem—for now.

Most folks know that the US Environmental Protection Agency and the Georgia DNR have labeled Stekoa Creek as "impaired" from the effects of wildly excessive fecal coliform and sedimentation loads. After all, Stekoa is infamous as a blight on the water quality of the Chattooga River, and has been for over 30 years. Study after study documents Stekoa's poor water quality, but still there has been no resulting improvement in its water quality. Now, a recent paper (September 2006) by US Forest Service hydrologist William Hansen clearly points to health hazards in the Chattooga River from Stekoa's pollution, stating "Stekoa Creek has been the scourge of the lower Chattooga for many years due to fecal and sediment loading. The severity of this fecal contamination problem is not obvious to the casual user or visitor to the river. Some have said ‘the solution for pollution is dilution.' However, the concentrations of fecal coliform from Stekoa Creek, even though diluted by the Chattooga River, periodically far exceed the water quality standards that have been set for swimming and associated water contact sports."

For the last year, the Chattooga Conservancy, with the support of our members as well as sponsors of our "adopt-a-sample" site program, has prioritized work on the huge task of cleaning up Stekoa Creek. As a result, GA EPD policing of water quality violations is improving, and state and federal politicians are hearing from their constituents that Stekoa's water quality must improve.

The Ginger Creek incident is the fourth major spill into the Stekoa Creek watershed reported by the Chattooga Conservancy in 2006. The City of Clayton's history of reoccurring sewer line spills further supports the Conservancy's position that the "band aid" approach to the city's ongoing sewage collection failures is insufficient. We are urging the City of Clayton to thoroughly investigate the extent of the problems with their aging sewer system, and to implement a plan to overhaul the entire system. At the same time, we continue to collect water samples from Stekoa Creek to monitor its fecal coliform levels and identify pollution hotspots. Please support the Conservancy's effort to clean up Stekoa Creek. You can also contact your state and federal representatives and ask them to earmark money to help the City of Clayton repair its aging sewer system.

Christopher Dickey Speaks About The Summer of Deliverance

On September 16th, distinguished author and journalist Christopher Dickey, son of James Dickey, delivered a keynote address as part of a fundraising event for the Chattooga Conservancy. A receptive crowd of nearly 100 people packed the Sunrise Lodge at Splendor Mountain in Rabun County to hear the presentation by Mr. Dickey, who currently serves as Newsweek magazine's Paris bureau chief and Middle East regional editor. The event was a great success.

Chris began with a presentation of the photographs he took during the filming of the movie Deliverance, which had never been shown before at a public gathering (see below).
Pierced by an arrow and swilling a PBR, Herbert "cowboy" Coward rests in between takes during the filming of Deliverance. Photo by Chris Dickey; no reproduction without express permission. His quick wit and insightful commentary revealed a behind-the-scenes perspective of this epic film that has had such a resounding impact on the Chattooga River area and its people. Chris also offered his insights about conservation versus development in the southern landscape, and spoke about his book, Summer of Deliverance, which tells the story of his tumultuous family history and intense relationship with his father (author of the book Deliverance). The night ended with a lively question-and-answer session that revealed Dickey's views on the war in Iraq from his perspective as the father of a service man currently stationed in Iraq, and as an award-winning journalist and expert in terrorism in the Middle East.

The Chattooga Conservancy wishes to thank Chevin Woodruff, owner and operator of Splendor Mountain, the J. W. & Ethel I. Woodruff Foundation, Inger and Chris Smith of Inger's Fine Foods, John and Martha Ezzard and Bill and Lecky Stack of Tiger Mountain Vineyards, Sue Willis of the Grapes and Beans, Bart Patton, and volunteers Jill Gottesman, Andy Hinton, Beverly Logan, Abi Miner Speed, Cindy Martin and Peter McIntosh. Many have asked if we are planning other such events for spring. Yes, but this one will be hard to top. Stay Tuned.

New Tax Law Favors Conservation Easements

On August 17, 2006 President Bush signed into law a tremendous expansion of the federal tax incentive for conservation easement donations. This new law significantly raises the deduction a landowner can take for donating a conservation easement—from 30% of their income in any year to 50%; extends the carry-forward period for a donor to take tax deductions for a voluntary conservation agreement from 5 to 15 years; and, allows qualifying farmers and ranchers to deduct up to 100% of their income. It is important to note that this only applies to easements donated in 2006 and 2007. A conservation easement is a method landowners can employ to protect their property without selling land or giving up the ability to use and enjoy it. Landowners across the country are establishing easements to protect riverfront property, wildlife habitats, scenic vistas, forests and farmland, historic sites, urban gardens, and many other types of land and natural resources. Landowners who place conservation easements on their property are eligible for significant tax deductions for the "gift" of a conservation easement.

These voluntary legal agreements are made between landowners and another party, either a private land trust or a public agency, to restrict the development of a piece of property. The agreement must be permanent in order for the landowner to qualify for income and estate tax benefits. This means that the easement remains with the property even if it is sold or passed on to heirs. The agreement is legally binding and is recorded in the county in which the land is located. A conservation easement is usually donated to a land trust or public agency.

In addition to our environmental advocacy programs, the Chattooga Conservancy is a land trust, and is eligible to hold conservation easements. We expect to hold two conservation easements by the end of 2006, and have several more in the works for 2007. If you are considering placing a conservation easement on your land, please call the Conservancy at 706-782-6097 for more information.

Membership Appreciation Party

Another crowd pleasing performance by Blue Streak at our membership appreciation party.The Chattooga Conservancy hosted our first-ever membership gathering in early December, with outstanding attendance. Over 100 folks showed up for a Friday evening "membership appreciation" party, which included barbecued wild hog and live music. The band was a great bluegrass ensemble from Toccoa, GA, called "Blue Streak," and this was their third appearance at a Conservancy event. Other entertainments included a kid's craft table, a blazing fire, and plenty of egg nog. Because of the great turnout we are already planning for another membership gathering in 2007, so if you weren't able to attend this one you will have another opportunity soon. Thanks again to all our members; we couldn't do it without you.

Federal Judge Rules Against American Whitewater

American Whitewater's lawsuit calling for opening the headwaters of the Chattooga River to unrestricted whitewater boating use has been thrown out of court by a federal judge in Gainesville, Georgia. American Whitewater had filed a lawsuit, even though their earlier appeal of the Forest Service's plan for managing floating use on the Chattooga River resulted in the agency performing a "user analysis" to study the possibilities of permitting boating in the river's headwaters.

"It would be foolish to lift the ban pending the study, only to have the ban imposed again upon completion of the study," said Judge O'Kelly. "Therefore, even hearing such a case would be a waste of time and effort."

American Whitewater immediately vowed to appeal the court's decision. Meanwhile, the Forest Service continues to pour taxpayers' money into the user analysis study, filling the coffers of consultants and conflict resolution gurus to try to find a solution to the conflict. Conservative estimates on the combined cost of the Forest Service's analysis and American Whitewater's legal filings have this figure running into the millions of dollars.

The Chattooga Conservancy has maintained a position that boating should be allowed with sufficient restrictions to protect both the sensitive ecological values and the wilderness character of the headwaters. Our proposal, which is based on extensive study of the issue, can be found on our website at www.chattoogariver.org. Write to the Forest Service at Jerome Thomas, Supervisor, Sumter National Forest, USDA Forest Service, 4931 Broad River Road, Columbia, SC 29212-3530, and ask that they include the Conservancy's "common sense alternative" in resolving the headwaters conflict, and to stop wasting tax payer's money on pandering to D.C. lobbyists!