Stormwater and Sewage Overflows Killed Thousands of Fish Along 20 Miles of Chattahoochee
Updated
Updated · WSB Atlanta · May 25
Stormwater and Sewage Overflows Killed Thousands of Fish Along 20 Miles of Chattahoochee
3 articles · Updated · WSB Atlanta · May 25
Thousands of dead fish washed up along at least 20 miles of the Chattahoochee after Wednesday’s storm, with Riverkeeper linking the kill to drought, polluted runoff and sewage overflows.
Up to 3 inches of rain over downtown Atlanta sent warm stormwater and treated and untreated sewage through Peachtree Creek into an unusually low river, sharply reducing oxygen and suffocating fish.
Atlanta’s 8.5-mile West Area Tunnel likely added to the surge after filling completely and overflowing directly into Peachtree Creek and the river, leaving black muck along banks downstream.
Georgia EPD, Atlanta’s Department of Watershed Management and Chattahoochee Riverkeeper are investigating the exact causes and plan a Thursday meeting; Riverkeeper said pathogen levels remain low, including e. coli.
Atlanta spent billions to fix its sewers. Why did the river just suffer its worst fish kill in 20 years?
Officials say the system worked as designed. Does 'as designed' now include killing thousands of fish?
As extreme storms intensify, is Atlanta's infrastructure ready to protect its rivers and host the World Cup?