The Georgia Water Coalition publishes the annual Dirty Dozen list as a call to action, highlighting the worst offenses to Georgia's water - offenses that are the consequences of an under-funded state environmental agency and a lack of political will to aggressively enforce laws that protect our water, land, air and people.
Georgia Water Coalition ’s Dirty Dozen 2017
2017 Dirty Dozen Nomination Form
Georgia Water Coalition ’s Dirty Dozen 2016
Press Information:
Dirty Dozen Press Release
Media Call Slide Deck
Audio Recording of Press Conference (recording playback requires Flash)
Read the full dirty dozen report.
Introduction and Map - Dirty Dozen 2016
Georgia’s Well Water: Coal Ash Disposal at Landfill Threatens Well Water (JESUP)
Coosa River: Outdated Regulations Allow Coal-fired Power Plant To Dump Toxins in River (ROME)
Northwest Georgia’s Drinking Water: Fracking for Natural Gas Fraught With Dangers Under Georgia’s Outdated Regulations (ROME, CALHOUN, DALTON)
Chattahoochee River: $99 Million Nuclear Power Plant Study Squeezes Ratepayers, Water and Clean Energy (GEORGETOWN, COLUMBUS, BAINBRIDGE)
Georgia’s Groundwater: While Toxins Seep Into Our Well Water, Protections Remain Lax (JULIETTE, MACON)
Georgia’s Coast: Oil Exploration Threatens Coastal Tourism, Devastates Wildlife (SAVANNAH, BRUNSWICK)
Lake Sinclair: Future of Coal Ash Ponds Looms Over Oconee River Lake (MILLEDGEVILLE)
Chattahoochee, Flint, Withlacoochee Rivers and Floridan Aquifer: Gas pipeline company, federal agency run roughshod over state, local residents property rights (ALBANY)
South River: Dekalb County’s Aging Sewers Pollute Urban River (ATLANTA)
Cumberland Island National Seashore: Camden County Rocket Launching Project Threatens Coast, Historic Barrier Island (ST. MARY’S)
Georgia’s Rivers, Stream and Lakes: Agency Charged With Protecting State’s Water Thwarts Legislators’ Efforts To Protect All Georgia Waterways with Natural Buffer (STATEWIDE)
Georgia’s Public Health: Legislators Steal Funds Intended for Cleanup of Toxic Sites, Mosquito-breeding Tire Dumps (STATEWIDE)
To view updates on 2015 Dirty Dozen, click here.
Georgia Water Coalition’s Dirty Dozen 2015
Read the 2015 Dirty Dozen Report or the Press Release.
1. Cooper Creek: Timber Harvest to Muddy Mountain Streams
2. Georgia's Stream Buffers: Confusing State Law Leaves Some Streams Without Protection
3. Chattahoochee River: EPD Water Grab Threatens Health of State's Most Critical Water Supply
4. Georgia's Hazardous Waste Sites: Toxic Legacies Pose Public Health Risk
5. Chattahoochee River: Chattahoochee Tubers' Trash Draws Ire of Riverfront Landowners
6. Altamaha River: Rayonier Advanced Material's Pulp Mill Fouls Altamaha; State Allows Pollution to Continue
7. Georgia's Coast: Offshore Drilling Poses Threat to Coastal Tourism, Fisheries
8. Coosa River: Power Plant Killing Fish on the Coosa
9. Little Satilla Creek & Penholloway Creek: Strip Mine Threatens Property Values, Water in Wayne County
10. Bear Creek: Reservoir Deal in Newton County a Boondoggle for Taxpayers
11. Withlacoochee River and Floridan Aquifer: Gas Pipeline Invasion in Southwest Georgia Risks Drinking Water
12. Georgia's Groundwater: Legislative Inaction Leaves Well Water At Risk
And... A Clean 13, Georgia's Coastal Waters: Gov. Nathan Deal Supports Georgians Fighting Petroleum Pipeline
The 2015 Updates for previous Dirty Dozen issues can be found here.
Georgia Water Coalition's Dirty Dozen 2014
Read the 2014 Dirty Dozen Report or the 2014 Press Release
1. Georgia's Water: State Water Policy Threatens Streams, Aggravates Water Wars, Wastes Tax Dollars
2. Georgia’s Coastal & Freshwater Wetlands: EPD Refuses to Enforce Clean Water Laws
3. Floridan Aquifer: State Leaders Drop Well Water Protections to Experiment With Risky Water Injection Schemes
4. Chattahoochee River: Weakened State Agency Allows Industries to Foul River
5. Coosa River: Long Delayed State Clean Up Plan Allows Power Company to Continue Polluting
6. Flint River: Textile Manufacturer’s Pollution, State Water Policy Create Conundrum
7. Savannah River: Pollutants, Nuclear Reactors Suck Water and Life out of Savannah
8. Georgia's Small Streams and Wetlands: National Rule To Protect Georgia’s Streams and Wetland Treasures Under Attack
9. Withlacoochee River & Floridan Aquifer: Gas Pipeline Threatens Southwest Georgia Water, Way of Life
10. Turtle River: Toxic Legacy Poisons Dolphins, Drinking Water
11. Satilla River: Toxic Legacies Threaten Waycross Residents
12. Little Satilla Creek & Penholloway Creek: Titanium Mine Threatens Wetlands, Well Water
Georgia Water Coalition’s Dirty Dozen 2013
Read the 2013 Dirty Dozen Report or the 2013 Press Release
1. Floridan Aquifer: Water Injection Schemes Gamble with South Georgia ’s Pristine Underground “Lake”
2. Chattahoochee and Etowah Rivers: Governor’s Water Supply Program Wastes Tax Dollars & Incites More Water Conflicts with Neighbors
3. Flint River: Pumps, Dams, Diversions & State Water Policy Create Man-Made Drought
4. Altamaha River: Pulp Mill in Jesup Continues to Foul Georgia’s Largest River
5. Flat Creek: Polluted Runoff in Chicken Capital Sends Bacteria to Stream Feeding Lake Lanier
6. Ocmulgee River: Coal Ash Threatens Waterways and Communities In the Home of Fried Green Tomatoes
7. Satilla River: Toxic Legacy in Waycross Needs Further Investigations, Cleanups
8. Savannah River: Massive Water Withdrawals for Nuclear, Coal-Fired Power Plants Threaten River’s Health, Drinking Water
9. Lake Alice: Dam Breach Disaster in Cumming Highlights Need for Better Dam Safety
10. Georgia Coast: Proposed Changes to Coastline Laws Roll Back Long-Standing Protections
11. Hurricane Creek: Illegal Playground for Off-Road Vehicles Sends Mountains of Sediment to Trout Stream
12. Oconee and Ogeechee Rivers: Dirty Coal-Fired Power Plant to Spew Mercury and Deplete South Georgia Rivers
Georgia Water Coalition’s Dirty Dozen 2012
Read the 2012 Dirty Dozen Report or the 2012 Dirty Dozen Press Release
1. Ogeechee River: One Year After the Largest Fish Kill in State History, Pollution Continues
2. South River: Chronic Looting of Hazardous Waste Trust Fund by Legislators Leaves Hazardous Waste Site Cleanup for Another Day
3. Flat Creek: Boondoggle Reservoir Project Threatens Lake Lanier, Chattahoochee River and Downstream Communities
4. Flint River: Governor’s Water Supply Program Invests in Boondoggles Instead of Water Supply
5. Richland Creek: Unnecessary Reservoir Wastes Tax Dollars, Threatens Downstream Communities, Endangered Fish
6. Altamaha River: Rayonier Pulp Mill Fouls Georgia’s Little Amazon
7. Chattahoochee River: State Fails to Ensure Critical Minimum Flows at Atlanta
8. Satilla River: Army Corps of Engineers Action Needed to Restore Fisheries in Coastal Waters
9. Allen Creek: Politically-Connected Landfill Operators Threaten Streams, Minority Community
10. Tired Creek: Unnecessary Fishing Lake Puts Taxpayers on the Hook, Threatens Downstream Communities
11. Savannah River: Two New Nuclear Reactors Threaten Health of Savannah River, Needlessly Waste Limited Water Supplies
12. Pachitla Creek: Georgia Legislators Loot Trust Funds Intended for Cleanup of Tire Dumps, Leaving their Home Communities at Risk
Georgia Water Coalition’s Dirty Dozen 2011
Read the 2011 Dirty Dozen Report or the 2011 Press Release
1. Ogeechee River: Polluter Devastates Ogeechee for Five Years and Goes Undetected by EPD
2. Altamaha River: Rayonier Pulp Mill Discharge Destroys Fisheries
3. Savannah River: Costly Harbor Dredging Wrecks Savannah River Estuary
4. Chattahoochee River: Critical Minimum Flow Neglected at Atlanta
5. Shoal Creek and Flat Creek: Unnecessary Reservoirs Threaten Downstream Communities, Endangered Species and Public Coffers
6. Oconee & Ogeechee Rivers: Speculative Coal Plant Permitted Even Though it is Unneeded and Will Harm Water, Air and Fisheries
7. Flint River: Flint River Sucked Dry as EPD Allows Too Many Withdrawals
8. Coastal Wetlands: Docks in Georgia’s Tidal Wetlands Spoil the “Marshes of Glynn”
9. South Georgia Wetlands: Four Decades of Ditches Dry Out South Georgia Wetlands
10. Broad River: Waste Disposal “Farm” Fouls the Broad River
11. Brier & Commissioner Creeks: Fish Dying In Kaolin Country and EPD Doesn ’t Know Why
12. Coosa River: Coal-fired Power Plant’s Water Withdrawal and Heated Water Discharge Threaten River ’s Health
Georgia Water Coalition now accepting nominations for 2016 "Dirty Dozen"
The Georgia Water Coalition publishes the annual Dirty Dozen list as a call to action, highlighting the worst offenses to Georgia's water - offenses that are the consequences of an under-funded state environmental agency and a lack of political will to aggressively enforce laws that protect our water, land, air and people.
Georgia Water Coalition ’s Dirty Dozen 2016
Press Information:
Press Release
Media Call Slide Deck
Audio Recording of Press Conference (recording playback requires Flash)
Read the full 2016 Dirty Dozen Report
Introduction and Map - Dirty Dozen 2016
Georgia’s Well Water: Coal Ash Disposal at Landfill Threatens Well Water (JESUP)
Coosa River: Outdated Regulations Allow Coal-fired Power Plant To Dump Toxins in River (ROME)
Northwest Georgia’s Drinking Water: Fracking for Natural Gas Fraught With Dangers Under Georgia’s Outdated Regulations (ROME, CALHOUN, DALTON)
Chattahoochee River: $99 Million Nuclear Power Plant Study Squeezes Ratepayers, Water and Clean Energy (GEORGETOWN, COLUMBUS, BAINBRIDGE)
Georgia’s Groundwater: While Toxins Seep Into Our Well Water, Protections Remain Lax (JULIETTE, MACON)
Georgia’s Coast: Oil Exploration Threatens Coastal Tourism, Devastates Wildlife (SAVANNAH, BRUNSWICK)
Lake Sinclair: Future of Coal Ash Ponds Looms Over Oconee River Lake (MILLEDGEVILLE)
Chattahoochee, Flint, Withlacoochee Rivers and Floridan Aquifer: Gas pipeline company, federal agency run roughshod over state, local residents property rights (ALBANY)
South River: Dekalb County’s Aging Sewers Pollute Urban River (ATLANTA)
Cumberland Island National Seashore: Camden County Rocket Launching Project Threatens Coast, Historic Barrier Island (ST. MARY’S)
Georgia’s Rivers, Stream and Lakes: Agency Charged With Protecting State’s Water Thwarts Legislators’ Efforts To Protect All Georgia Waterways with Natural Buffer (STATEWIDE)
Georgia’s Public Health: Legislators Steal Funds Intended for Cleanup of Toxic Sites, Mosquito-breeding Tire Dumps (STATEWIDE)
To view updates on 2015 Dirty Dozen, click here.
Georgia Water Coalition’s Dirty Dozen 2015
Read the 2015 Dirty Dozen Report or the Press Release.
1. Cooper Creek: Timber Harvest to Muddy Mountain Streams
2. Georgia's Stream Buffers: Confusing State Law Leaves Some Streams Without Protection
3. Chattahoochee River: EPD Water Grab Threatens Health of State's Most Critical Water Supply
4. Georgia's Hazardous Waste Sites: Toxic Legacies Pose Public Health Risk
5. Chattahoochee River: Chattahoochee Tubers' Trash Draws Ire of Riverfront Landowners (link coming soon)
6. Altamaha River: Rayonier Advanced Material's Pulp Mill Fouls Altamaha; State Allows Pollution to Continue
7. Georgia's Coast: Offshore Drilling Poses Threat to Coastal Tourism, Fisheries
8. Coosa River: Power Plant Killing Fish on the Coosa
9. Little Satilla Creek & Penholloway Creek: Strip Mine Threatens Property Values, Water in Wayne County
10. Bear Creek: Reservoir Deal in Newton County a Boondoggle for Taxpayers
11. Withlacoochee River and Floridan Aquifer: Gas Pipeline Invasion in Southwest Georgia Risks Drinking Water
12. Georgia's Groundwater: Legislative Inaction Leaves Well Water At Risk
And... A Clean 13, Georgia's Coastal Waters: Gov. Nathan Deal Supports Georgians Fighting Petroleum Pipeline
The 2015 Updates for previous Dirty Dozen issues can be found here.
To view the 2015 Dirty Dozen map, click here.
To view the full report, click here. (check back for link)
Georgia Water Coalition's Dirty Dozen 2014
Read the 2014 Dirty Dozen Report or the 2011 Press Release
1. Georgia's Water: State Water Policy Threatens Streams, Aggravates Water Wars, Wastes Tax Dollars
2. Georgia’s Coastal & Freshwater Wetlands: EPD Refuses to Enforce Clean Water Laws
3. Floridan Aquifer: State Leaders Drop Well Water Protections to Experiment With Risky Water Injection Schemes
4. Chattahoochee River: Weakened State Agency Allows Industries to Foul River
5. Coosa River: Long Delayed State Clean Up Plan Allows Power Company to Continue Polluting
6. Flint River: Textile Manufacturer’s Pollution, State Water Policy Create Conundrum
7. Savannah River: Pollutants, Nuclear Reactors Suck Water and Life out of Savannah
8. Georgia's Small Streams and Wetlands: National Rule To Protect Georgia’s Streams and Wetland Treasures Under Attack
9. Withlacoochee River & Floridan Aquifer: Gas Pipeline Threatens Southwest Georgia Water, Way of Life
10. Turtle River: Toxic Legacy Poisons Dolphins, Drinking Water
11. Satilla River: Toxic Legacies Threaten Waycross Residents
12. Little Satilla Creek & Penholloway Creek: Titanium Mine Threatens Wetlands, Well Water
Georgia Water Coalition’s Dirty Dozen 2013
Read the 2013 Dirty Dozen Report or the 2013 Press Release
1. Floridan Aquifer: Water Injection Schemes Gamble with South Georgia ’s Pristine Underground “Lake”
2. Chattahoochee and Etowah Rivers: Governor’s Water Supply Program Wastes Tax Dollars & Incites More Water Conflicts with Neighbors
3. Flint River: Pumps, Dams, Diversions & State Water Policy Create Man-Made Drought
4. Altamaha River: Pulp Mill in Jesup Continues to Foul Georgia’s Largest River
5. Flat Creek: Polluted Runoff in Chicken Capital Sends Bacteria to Stream Feeding Lake Lanier
6. Ocmulgee River: Coal Ash Threatens Waterways and Communities In the Home of Fried Green Tomatoes
7. Satilla River: Toxic Legacy in Waycross Needs Further Investigations, Cleanups
8. Savannah River: Massive Water Withdrawals for Nuclear, Coal-Fired Power Plants Threaten River’s Health, Drinking Water
9. Lake Alice: Dam Breach Disaster in Cumming Highlights Need for Better Dam Safety
10. Georgia Coast: Proposed Changes to Coastline Laws Roll Back Long-Standing Protections
11. Hurricane Creek: Illegal Playground for Off-Road Vehicles Sends Mountains of Sediment to Trout Stream
12. Oconee and Ogeechee Rivers: Dirty Coal-Fired Power Plant to Spew Mercury and Deplete South Georgia Rivers
Georgia Water Coalition’s Dirty Dozen 2012
Read the 2012 Dirty Dozen Report or the 2012 Dirty Dozen Press Release
1. Ogeechee River: One Year After the Largest Fish Kill in State History, Pollution Continues
2. South River: Chronic Looting of Hazardous Waste Trust Fund by Legislators Leaves Hazardous Waste Site Cleanup for Another Day
3. Flat Creek: Boondoggle Reservoir Project Threatens Lake Lanier, Chattahoochee River and Downstream Communities
4. Flint River: Governor’s Water Supply Program Invests in Boondoggles Instead of Water Supply
5. Richland Creek: Unnecessary Reservoir Wastes Tax Dollars, Threatens Downstream Communities, Endangered Fish
6. Altamaha River: Rayonier Pulp Mill Fouls Georgia’s Little Amazon
7. Chattahoochee River: State Fails to Ensure Critical Minimum Flows at Atlanta
8. Satilla River: Army Corps of Engineers Action Needed to Restore Fisheries in Coastal Waters
9. Allen Creek: Politically-Connected Landfill Operators Threaten Streams, Minority Community
10. Tired Creek: Unnecessary Fishing Lake Puts Taxpayers on the Hook, Threatens Downstream Communities
11. Savannah River: Two New Nuclear Reactors Threaten Health of Savannah River, Needlessly Waste Limited Water Supplies
12. Pachitla Creek: Georgia Legislators Loot Trust Funds Intended for Cleanup of Tire Dumps, Leaving their Home Communities at Risk
Georgia Water Coalition’s Dirty Dozen 2011
Read the 2011 Dirty Dozen Report or the 2011 Press Release
1. Ogeechee River: Polluter Devastates Ogeechee for Five Years and Goes Undetected by EPD
2. Altamaha River: Rayonier Pulp Mill Discharge Destroys Fisheries
3. Savannah River: Costly Harbor Dredging Wrecks Savannah River Estuary
4. Chattahoochee River: Critical Minimum Flow Neglected at Atlanta
5. Shoal Creek and Flat Creek: Unnecessary Reservoirs Threaten Downstream Communities, Endangered Species and Public Coffers
6. Oconee & Ogeechee Rivers: Speculative Coal Plant Permitted Even Though it is Unneeded and Will Harm Water, Air and Fisheries
7. Flint River: Flint River Sucked Dry as EPD Allows Too Many Withdrawals
8. Coastal Wetlands: Docks in Georgia’s Tidal Wetlands Spoil the “Marshes of Glynn”
9. South Georgia Wetlands: Four Decades of Ditches Dry Out South Georgia Wetlands
10. Broad River: Waste Disposal “Farm” Fouls the Broad River
11. Brier & Commissioner Creeks: Fish Dying In Kaolin Country and EPD Doesn ’t Know Why
12. Coosa River: Coal-fired Power Plant’s Water Withdrawal and Heated Water Discharge Threaten River ’s Health
Georgia Water Coalition now accepting nominations for 2016 "Dirty Dozen"
The Georgia Water Coalition publishes the annual Dirty Dozen list as a call to action, highlighting the worst offenses to Georgia's water - offenses that are the consequences of an under-funded state environmental agency and a lack of political will to aggressively enforce laws that protect our water, land, air and people.
Georgia Water Coalition’s Dirty Dozen 2015
Read the 2015 Dirty Dozen Report or the Press Release.
1. Cooper Creek: Timber Harvest to Muddy Mountain Streams
2. Georgia's Stream Buffers: Confusing State Law Leaves Some Streams Without Protection
3. Chattahoochee River: EPD Water Grab Threatens Health of State's Most Critical Water Supply
4. Georgia's Hazardous Waste Sites: Toxic Legacies Pose Public Health Risk
5. Chattahoochee River: Chattahoochee Tubers' Trash Draws Ire of Riverfront Landowners (link coming soon)
6. Altamaha River: Rayonier Advanced Material's Pulp Mill Fouls Altamaha; State Allows Pollution to Continue
7. Georgia's Coast: Offshore Drilling Poses Threat to Coastal Tourism, Fisheries
8. Coosa River: Power Plant Killing Fish on the Coosa
9. Little Satilla Creek & Penholloway Creek: Strip Mine Threatens Property Values, Water in Wayne County
10. Bear Creek: Reservoir Deal in Newton County a Boondoggle for Taxpayers
11. Withlacoochee River and Floridan Aquifer: Gas Pipeline Invasion in Southwest Georgia Risks Drinking Water
12. Georgia's Groundwater: Legislative Inaction Leaves Well Water At Risk
And... A Clean 13, Georgia's Coastal Waters: Gov. Nathan Deal Supports Georgians Fighting Petroleum Pipeline
The 2015 Updates for previous Dirty Dozen issues can be found here.
To view the 2015 Dirty Dozen map, click here.
To view the full report, click here. (check back for link)
Georgia Water Coalition's Dirty Dozen 2014
Read the 2014 Dirty Dozen Report or the 2011 Press Release
1. Georgia's Water: State Water Policy Threatens Streams, Aggravates Water Wars, Wastes Tax Dollars
2. Georgia’s Coastal & Freshwater Wetlands: EPD Refuses to Enforce Clean Water Laws
3. Floridan Aquifer: State Leaders Drop Well Water Protections to Experiment With Risky Water Injection Schemes
4. Chattahoochee River: Weakened State Agency Allows Industries to Foul River
5. Coosa River: Long Delayed State Clean Up Plan Allows Power Company to Continue Polluting
6. Flint River: Textile Manufacturer’s Pollution, State Water Policy Create Conundrum
7. Savannah River: Pollutants, Nuclear Reactors Suck Water and Life out of Savannah
8. Georgia's Small Streams and Wetlands: National Rule To Protect Georgia’s Streams and Wetland Treasures Under Attack
9. Withlacoochee River & Floridan Aquifer: Gas Pipeline Threatens Southwest Georgia Water, Way of Life
10. Turtle River: Toxic Legacy Poisons Dolphins, Drinking Water
11. Satilla River: Toxic Legacies Threaten Waycross Residents
12. Little Satilla Creek & Penholloway Creek: Titanium Mine Threatens Wetlands, Well Water
Georgia Water Coalition’s Dirty Dozen 2013
Read the 2013 Dirty Dozen Report or the 2013 Press Release
1. Floridan Aquifer: Water Injection Schemes Gamble with South Georgia ’s Pristine Underground “Lake”
2. Chattahoochee and Etowah Rivers: Governor’s Water Supply Program Wastes Tax Dollars & Incites More Water Conflicts with Neighbors
3. Flint River: Pumps, Dams, Diversions & State Water Policy Create Man-Made Drought
4. Altamaha River: Pulp Mill in Jesup Continues to Foul Georgia’s Largest River
5. Flat Creek: Polluted Runoff in Chicken Capital Sends Bacteria to Stream Feeding Lake Lanier
6. Ocmulgee River: Coal Ash Threatens Waterways and Communities In the Home of Fried Green Tomatoes
7. Satilla River: Toxic Legacy in Waycross Needs Further Investigations, Cleanups
8. Savannah River: Massive Water Withdrawals for Nuclear, Coal-Fired Power Plants Threaten River’s Health, Drinking Water
9. Lake Alice: Dam Breach Disaster in Cumming Highlights Need for Better Dam Safety
10. Georgia Coast: Proposed Changes to Coastline Laws Roll Back Long-Standing Protections
11. Hurricane Creek: Illegal Playground for Off-Road Vehicles Sends Mountains of Sediment to Trout Stream
12. Oconee and Ogeechee Rivers: Dirty Coal-Fired Power Plant to Spew Mercury and Deplete South Georgia Rivers
Georgia Water Coalition’s Dirty Dozen 2012
Read the 2012 Dirty Dozen Report or the 2012 Dirty Dozen Press Release
1. Ogeechee River: One Year After the Largest Fish Kill in State History, Pollution Continues
2. South River: Chronic Looting of Hazardous Waste Trust Fund by Legislators Leaves Hazardous Waste Site Cleanup for Another Day
3. Flat Creek: Boondoggle Reservoir Project Threatens Lake Lanier, Chattahoochee River and Downstream Communities
4. Flint River: Governor’s Water Supply Program Invests in Boondoggles Instead of Water Supply
5. Richland Creek: Unnecessary Reservoir Wastes Tax Dollars, Threatens Downstream Communities, Endangered Fish
6. Altamaha River: Rayonier Pulp Mill Fouls Georgia’s Little Amazon
7. Chattahoochee River: State Fails to Ensure Critical Minimum Flows at Atlanta
8. Satilla River: Army Corps of Engineers Action Needed to Restore Fisheries in Coastal Waters
9. Allen Creek: Politically-Connected Landfill Operators Threaten Streams, Minority Community
10. Tired Creek: Unnecessary Fishing Lake Puts Taxpayers on the Hook, Threatens Downstream Communities
11. Savannah River: Two New Nuclear Reactors Threaten Health of Savannah River, Needlessly Waste Limited Water Supplies
12. Pachitla Creek: Georgia Legislators Loot Trust Funds Intended for Cleanup of Tire Dumps, Leaving their Home Communities at Risk
Georgia Water Coalition’s Dirty Dozen 2011
Read the 2011 Dirty Dozen Report or the 2011 Press Release
1. Ogeechee River: Polluter Devastates Ogeechee for Five Years and Goes Undetected by EPD
2. Altamaha River: Rayonier Pulp Mill Discharge Destroys Fisheries
3. Savannah River: Costly Harbor Dredging Wrecks Savannah River Estuary
4. Chattahoochee River: Critical Minimum Flow Neglected at Atlanta
5. Shoal Creek and Flat Creek: Unnecessary Reservoirs Threaten Downstream Communities, Endangered Species and Public Coffers
6. Oconee & Ogeechee Rivers: Speculative Coal Plant Permitted Even Though it is Unneeded and Will Harm Water, Air and Fisheries
7. Flint River: Flint River Sucked Dry as EPD Allows Too Many Withdrawals
8. Coastal Wetlands: Docks in Georgia’s Tidal Wetlands Spoil the “Marshes of Glynn”
9. South Georgia Wetlands: Four Decades of Ditches Dry Out South Georgia Wetlands
10. Broad River: Waste Disposal “Farm” Fouls the Broad River
11. Brier & Commissioner Creeks: Fish Dying In Kaolin Country and EPD Doesn ’t Know Why
12. Coosa River: Coal-fired Power Plant’s Water Withdrawal and Heated Water Discharge Threaten River ’s Health
The Georgia Water Coalition publishes the annual Dirty Dozen list as a call to action, highlighting the worst offenses to Georgia's water - offenses that are the consequences of an under-funded state environmental agency and a lack of political will to aggressively enforce laws that protect our water, land, air and people.
Georgia Water Coalition ’s Dirty Dozen 2016
Press Information:
Press Release
Media Call Slide Deck
Audio Recording of Press Conference (recording playback requires Flash)
Read the full dirty dozen report.
Introduction and Map - Dirty Dozen 2016
Georgia’s Well Water: Coal Ash Disposal at Landfill Threatens Well Water (JESUP)
Coosa River: Outdated Regulations Allow Coal-fired Power Plant To Dump Toxins in River (ROME)
Northwest Georgia’s Drinking Water: Fracking for Natural Gas Fraught With Dangers Under Georgia’s Outdated Regulations (ROME, CALHOUN, DALTON)
Chattahoochee River: $99 Million Nuclear Power Plant Study Squeezes Ratepayers, Water and Clean Energy (GEORGETOWN, COLUMBUS, BAINBRIDGE)
Georgia’s Groundwater: While Toxins Seep Into Our Well Water, Protections Remain Lax (JULIETTE, MACON)
Georgia’s Coast: Oil Exploration Threatens Coastal Tourism, Devastates Wildlife (SAVANNAH, BRUNSWICK)
Lake Sinclair: Future of Coal Ash Ponds Looms Over Oconee River Lake (MILLEDGEVILLE)
Chattahoochee, Flint, Withlacoochee Rivers and Floridan Aquifer: Gas pipeline company, federal agency run roughshod over state, local residents property rights (ALBANY)
South River: Dekalb County’s Aging Sewers Pollute Urban River (ATLANTA)
Cumberland Island National Seashore: Camden County Rocket Launching Project Threatens Coast, Historic Barrier Island (ST. MARY’S)
Georgia’s Rivers, Stream and Lakes: Agency Charged With Protecting State’s Water Thwarts Legislators’ Efforts To Protect All Georgia Waterways with Natural Buffer (STATEWIDE)
Georgia’s Public Health: Legislators Steal Funds Intended for Cleanup of Toxic Sites, Mosquito-breeding Tire Dumps (STATEWIDE)
To view updates on 2015 Dirty Dozen, click here.
Georgia Water Coalition’s Dirty Dozen 2015
Read the 2015 Dirty Dozen Report or the Press Release.
1. Cooper Creek: Timber Harvest to Muddy Mountain Streams
2. Georgia's Stream Buffers: Confusing State Law Leaves Some Streams Without Protection
3. Chattahoochee River: EPD Water Grab Threatens Health of State's Most Critical Water Supply
4. Georgia's Hazardous Waste Sites: Toxic Legacies Pose Public Health Risk
5. Chattahoochee River: Chattahoochee Tubers' Trash Draws Ire of Riverfront Landowners (link coming soon)
6. Altamaha River: Rayonier Advanced Material's Pulp Mill Fouls Altamaha; State Allows Pollution to Continue
7. Georgia's Coast: Offshore Drilling Poses Threat to Coastal Tourism, Fisheries
8. Coosa River: Power Plant Killing Fish on the Coosa
9. Little Satilla Creek & Penholloway Creek: Strip Mine Threatens Property Values, Water in Wayne County
10. Bear Creek: Reservoir Deal in Newton County a Boondoggle for Taxpayers
11. Withlacoochee River and Floridan Aquifer: Gas Pipeline Invasion in Southwest Georgia Risks Drinking Water
12. Georgia's Groundwater: Legislative Inaction Leaves Well Water At Risk
And... A Clean 13, Georgia's Coastal Waters: Gov. Nathan Deal Supports Georgians Fighting Petroleum Pipeline
The 2015 Updates for previous Dirty Dozen issues can be found here.
To view the 2015 Dirty Dozen map, click here.
To view the full report, click here. (check back for link)
Georgia Water Coalition's Dirty Dozen 2014
Read the 2014 Dirty Dozen Report or the 2011 Press Release
1. Georgia's Water: State Water Policy Threatens Streams, Aggravates Water Wars, Wastes Tax Dollars
2. Georgia’s Coastal & Freshwater Wetlands: EPD Refuses to Enforce Clean Water Laws
3. Floridan Aquifer: State Leaders Drop Well Water Protections to Experiment With Risky Water Injection Schemes
4. Chattahoochee River: Weakened State Agency Allows Industries to Foul River
5. Coosa River: Long Delayed State Clean Up Plan Allows Power Company to Continue Polluting
6. Flint River: Textile Manufacturer’s Pollution, State Water Policy Create Conundrum
7. Savannah River: Pollutants, Nuclear Reactors Suck Water and Life out of Savannah
8. Georgia's Small Streams and Wetlands: National Rule To Protect Georgia’s Streams and Wetland Treasures Under Attack
9. Withlacoochee River & Floridan Aquifer: Gas Pipeline Threatens Southwest Georgia Water, Way of Life
10. Turtle River: Toxic Legacy Poisons Dolphins, Drinking Water
11. Satilla River: Toxic Legacies Threaten Waycross Residents
12. Little Satilla Creek & Penholloway Creek: Titanium Mine Threatens Wetlands, Well Water
Georgia Water Coalition’s Dirty Dozen 2013
Read the 2013 Dirty Dozen Report or the 2013 Press Release
1. Floridan Aquifer: Water Injection Schemes Gamble with South Georgia ’s Pristine Underground “Lake”
2. Chattahoochee and Etowah Rivers: Governor’s Water Supply Program Wastes Tax Dollars & Incites More Water Conflicts with Neighbors
3. Flint River: Pumps, Dams, Diversions & State Water Policy Create Man-Made Drought
4. Altamaha River: Pulp Mill in Jesup Continues to Foul Georgia’s Largest River
5. Flat Creek: Polluted Runoff in Chicken Capital Sends Bacteria to Stream Feeding Lake Lanier
6. Ocmulgee River: Coal Ash Threatens Waterways and Communities In the Home of Fried Green Tomatoes
7. Satilla River: Toxic Legacy in Waycross Needs Further Investigations, Cleanups
8. Savannah River: Massive Water Withdrawals for Nuclear, Coal-Fired Power Plants Threaten River’s Health, Drinking Water
9. Lake Alice: Dam Breach Disaster in Cumming Highlights Need for Better Dam Safety
10. Georgia Coast: Proposed Changes to Coastline Laws Roll Back Long-Standing Protections
11. Hurricane Creek: Illegal Playground for Off-Road Vehicles Sends Mountains of Sediment to Trout Stream
12. Oconee and Ogeechee Rivers: Dirty Coal-Fired Power Plant to Spew Mercury and Deplete South Georgia Rivers
Georgia Water Coalition’s Dirty Dozen 2012
Read the 2012 Dirty Dozen Report or the 2012 Dirty Dozen Press Release
1. Ogeechee River: One Year After the Largest Fish Kill in State History, Pollution Continues
2. South River: Chronic Looting of Hazardous Waste Trust Fund by Legislators Leaves Hazardous Waste Site Cleanup for Another Day
3. Flat Creek: Boondoggle Reservoir Project Threatens Lake Lanier, Chattahoochee River and Downstream Communities
4. Flint River: Governor’s Water Supply Program Invests in Boondoggles Instead of Water Supply
5. Richland Creek: Unnecessary Reservoir Wastes Tax Dollars, Threatens Downstream Communities, Endangered Fish
6. Altamaha River: Rayonier Pulp Mill Fouls Georgia’s Little Amazon
7. Chattahoochee River: State Fails to Ensure Critical Minimum Flows at Atlanta
8. Satilla River: Army Corps of Engineers Action Needed to Restore Fisheries in Coastal Waters
9. Allen Creek: Politically-Connected Landfill Operators Threaten Streams, Minority Community
10. Tired Creek: Unnecessary Fishing Lake Puts Taxpayers on the Hook, Threatens Downstream Communities
11. Savannah River: Two New Nuclear Reactors Threaten Health of Savannah River, Needlessly Waste Limited Water Supplies
12. Pachitla Creek: Georgia Legislators Loot Trust Funds Intended for Cleanup of Tire Dumps, Leaving their Home Communities at Risk
Georgia Water Coalition’s Dirty Dozen 2011
Read the 2011 Dirty Dozen Report or the 2011 Press Release
1. Ogeechee River: Polluter Devastates Ogeechee for Five Years and Goes Undetected by EPD
2. Altamaha River: Rayonier Pulp Mill Discharge Destroys Fisheries
3. Savannah River: Costly Harbor Dredging Wrecks Savannah River Estuary
4. Chattahoochee River: Critical Minimum Flow Neglected at Atlanta
5. Shoal Creek and Flat Creek: Unnecessary Reservoirs Threaten Downstream Communities, Endangered Species and Public Coffers
6. Oconee & Ogeechee Rivers: Speculative Coal Plant Permitted Even Though it is Unneeded and Will Harm Water, Air and Fisheries
7. Flint River: Flint River Sucked Dry as EPD Allows Too Many Withdrawals
8. Coastal Wetlands: Docks in Georgia’s Tidal Wetlands Spoil the “Marshes of Glynn”
9. South Georgia Wetlands: Four Decades of Ditches Dry Out South Georgia Wetlands
10. Broad River: Waste Disposal “Farm” Fouls the Broad River
11. Brier & Commissioner Creeks: Fish Dying In Kaolin Country and EPD Doesn ’t Know Why
12. Coosa River: Coal-fired Power Plant’s Water Withdrawal and Heated Water Discharge Threaten River ’s Health
Georgia Water Coalition now accepting nominations for 2016 "Dirty Dozen"
The Georgia Water Coalition publishes the annual Dirty Dozen list as a call to action, highlighting the worst offenses to Georgia's water - offenses that are the consequences of an under-funded state environmental agency and a lack of political will to aggressively enforce laws that protect our water, land, air and people.
Georgia Water Coalition ’s Dirty Dozen 2016
Press Information:
Press Release
Media Call Slide Deck
Audio Recording of Press Conference (recording playback requires Flash)
Read the full 2016 Dirty Dozen Report
Introduction and Map - Dirty Dozen 2016
Georgia’s Well Water: Coal Ash Disposal at Landfill Threatens Well Water (JESUP)
Coosa River: Outdated Regulations Allow Coal-fired Power Plant To Dump Toxins in River (ROME)
Northwest Georgia’s Drinking Water: Fracking for Natural Gas Fraught With Dangers Under Georgia’s Outdated Regulations (ROME, CALHOUN, DALTON)
Chattahoochee River: $99 Million Nuclear Power Plant Study Squeezes Ratepayers, Water and Clean Energy (GEORGETOWN, COLUMBUS, BAINBRIDGE)
Georgia’s Groundwater: While Toxins Seep Into Our Well Water, Protections Remain Lax (JULIETTE, MACON)
Georgia’s Coast: Oil Exploration Threatens Coastal Tourism, Devastates Wildlife (SAVANNAH, BRUNSWICK)
Lake Sinclair: Future of Coal Ash Ponds Looms Over Oconee River Lake (MILLEDGEVILLE)
Chattahoochee, Flint, Withlacoochee Rivers and Floridan Aquifer: Gas pipeline company, federal agency run roughshod over state, local residents property rights (ALBANY)
South River: Dekalb County’s Aging Sewers Pollute Urban River (ATLANTA)
Cumberland Island National Seashore: Camden County Rocket Launching Project Threatens Coast, Historic Barrier Island (ST. MARY’S)
Georgia’s Rivers, Stream and Lakes: Agency Charged With Protecting State’s Water Thwarts Legislators’ Efforts To Protect All Georgia Waterways with Natural Buffer (STATEWIDE)
Georgia’s Public Health: Legislators Steal Funds Intended for Cleanup of Toxic Sites, Mosquito-breeding Tire Dumps (STATEWIDE)
To view updates on 2015 Dirty Dozen, click here.
Georgia Water Coalition’s Dirty Dozen 2015
Read the 2015 Dirty Dozen Report or the Press Release.
1. Cooper Creek: Timber Harvest to Muddy Mountain Streams
2. Georgia's Stream Buffers: Confusing State Law Leaves Some Streams Without Protection
3. Chattahoochee River: EPD Water Grab Threatens Health of State's Most Critical Water Supply
4. Georgia's Hazardous Waste Sites: Toxic Legacies Pose Public Health Risk
5. Chattahoochee River: Chattahoochee Tubers' Trash Draws Ire of Riverfront Landowners (link coming soon)
6. Altamaha River: Rayonier Advanced Material's Pulp Mill Fouls Altamaha; State Allows Pollution to Continue
7. Georgia's Coast: Offshore Drilling Poses Threat to Coastal Tourism, Fisheries
8. Coosa River: Power Plant Killing Fish on the Coosa
9. Little Satilla Creek & Penholloway Creek: Strip Mine Threatens Property Values, Water in Wayne County
10. Bear Creek: Reservoir Deal in Newton County a Boondoggle for Taxpayers
11. Withlacoochee River and Floridan Aquifer: Gas Pipeline Invasion in Southwest Georgia Risks Drinking Water
12. Georgia's Groundwater: Legislative Inaction Leaves Well Water At Risk
And... A Clean 13, Georgia's Coastal Waters: Gov. Nathan Deal Supports Georgians Fighting Petroleum Pipeline
The 2015 Updates for previous Dirty Dozen issues can be found here.
To view the 2015 Dirty Dozen map, click here.
To view the full report, click here. (check back for link)
Georgia Water Coalition's Dirty Dozen 2014
Read the 2014 Dirty Dozen Report or the 2011 Press Release
1. Georgia's Water: State Water Policy Threatens Streams, Aggravates Water Wars, Wastes Tax Dollars
2. Georgia’s Coastal & Freshwater Wetlands: EPD Refuses to Enforce Clean Water Laws
3. Floridan Aquifer: State Leaders Drop Well Water Protections to Experiment With Risky Water Injection Schemes
4. Chattahoochee River: Weakened State Agency Allows Industries to Foul River
5. Coosa River: Long Delayed State Clean Up Plan Allows Power Company to Continue Polluting
6. Flint River: Textile Manufacturer’s Pollution, State Water Policy Create Conundrum
7. Savannah River: Pollutants, Nuclear Reactors Suck Water and Life out of Savannah
8. Georgia's Small Streams and Wetlands: National Rule To Protect Georgia’s Streams and Wetland Treasures Under Attack
9. Withlacoochee River & Floridan Aquifer: Gas Pipeline Threatens Southwest Georgia Water, Way of Life
10. Turtle River: Toxic Legacy Poisons Dolphins, Drinking Water
11. Satilla River: Toxic Legacies Threaten Waycross Residents
12. Little Satilla Creek & Penholloway Creek: Titanium Mine Threatens Wetlands, Well Water
Georgia Water Coalition’s Dirty Dozen 2013
Read the 2013 Dirty Dozen Report or the 2013 Press Release
1. Floridan Aquifer: Water Injection Schemes Gamble with South Georgia ’s Pristine Underground “Lake”
2. Chattahoochee and Etowah Rivers: Governor’s Water Supply Program Wastes Tax Dollars & Incites More Water Conflicts with Neighbors
3. Flint River: Pumps, Dams, Diversions & State Water Policy Create Man-Made Drought
4. Altamaha River: Pulp Mill in Jesup Continues to Foul Georgia’s Largest River
5. Flat Creek: Polluted Runoff in Chicken Capital Sends Bacteria to Stream Feeding Lake Lanier
6. Ocmulgee River: Coal Ash Threatens Waterways and Communities In the Home of Fried Green Tomatoes
7. Satilla River: Toxic Legacy in Waycross Needs Further Investigations, Cleanups
8. Savannah River: Massive Water Withdrawals for Nuclear, Coal-Fired Power Plants Threaten River’s Health, Drinking Water
9. Lake Alice: Dam Breach Disaster in Cumming Highlights Need for Better Dam Safety
10. Georgia Coast: Proposed Changes to Coastline Laws Roll Back Long-Standing Protections
11. Hurricane Creek: Illegal Playground for Off-Road Vehicles Sends Mountains of Sediment to Trout Stream
12. Oconee and Ogeechee Rivers: Dirty Coal-Fired Power Plant to Spew Mercury and Deplete South Georgia Rivers
Georgia Water Coalition’s Dirty Dozen 2012
Read the 2012 Dirty Dozen Report or the 2012 Dirty Dozen Press Release
1. Ogeechee River: One Year After the Largest Fish Kill in State History, Pollution Continues
2. South River: Chronic Looting of Hazardous Waste Trust Fund by Legislators Leaves Hazardous Waste Site Cleanup for Another Day
3. Flat Creek: Boondoggle Reservoir Project Threatens Lake Lanier, Chattahoochee River and Downstream Communities
4. Flint River: Governor’s Water Supply Program Invests in Boondoggles Instead of Water Supply
5. Richland Creek: Unnecessary Reservoir Wastes Tax Dollars, Threatens Downstream Communities, Endangered Fish
6. Altamaha River: Rayonier Pulp Mill Fouls Georgia’s Little Amazon
7. Chattahoochee River: State Fails to Ensure Critical Minimum Flows at Atlanta
8. Satilla River: Army Corps of Engineers Action Needed to Restore Fisheries in Coastal Waters
9. Allen Creek: Politically-Connected Landfill Operators Threaten Streams, Minority Community
10. Tired Creek: Unnecessary Fishing Lake Puts Taxpayers on the Hook, Threatens Downstream Communities
11. Savannah River: Two New Nuclear Reactors Threaten Health of Savannah River, Needlessly Waste Limited Water Supplies
12. Pachitla Creek: Georgia Legislators Loot Trust Funds Intended for Cleanup of Tire Dumps, Leaving their Home Communities at Risk
Georgia Water Coalition’s Dirty Dozen 2011
Read the 2011 Dirty Dozen Report or the 2011 Press Release
1. Ogeechee River: Polluter Devastates Ogeechee for Five Years and Goes Undetected by EPD
2. Altamaha River: Rayonier Pulp Mill Discharge Destroys Fisheries
3. Savannah River: Costly Harbor Dredging Wrecks Savannah River Estuary
4. Chattahoochee River: Critical Minimum Flow Neglected at Atlanta
5. Shoal Creek and Flat Creek: Unnecessary Reservoirs Threaten Downstream Communities, Endangered Species and Public Coffers
6. Oconee & Ogeechee Rivers: Speculative Coal Plant Permitted Even Though it is Unneeded and Will Harm Water, Air and Fisheries
7. Flint River: Flint River Sucked Dry as EPD Allows Too Many Withdrawals
8. Coastal Wetlands: Docks in Georgia’s Tidal Wetlands Spoil the “Marshes of Glynn”
9. South Georgia Wetlands: Four Decades of Ditches Dry Out South Georgia Wetlands
10. Broad River: Waste Disposal “Farm” Fouls the Broad River
11. Brier & Commissioner Creeks: Fish Dying In Kaolin Country and EPD Doesn ’t Know Why
12. Coosa River: Coal-fired Power Plant’s Water Withdrawal and Heated Water Discharge Threaten River ’s Health
Georgia Water Coalition now accepting nominations for 2016 "Dirty Dozen"
The Georgia Water Coalition publishes the annual Dirty Dozen list as a call to action, highlighting the worst offenses to Georgia's water - offenses that are the consequences of an under-funded state environmental agency and a lack of political will to aggressively enforce laws that protect our water, land, air and people.
Georgia Water Coalition’s Dirty Dozen 2015
Read the 2015 Dirty Dozen Report or the Press Release.
1. Cooper Creek: Timber Harvest to Muddy Mountain Streams
2. Georgia's Stream Buffers: Confusing State Law Leaves Some Streams Without Protection
3. Chattahoochee River: EPD Water Grab Threatens Health of State's Most Critical Water Supply
4. Georgia's Hazardous Waste Sites: Toxic Legacies Pose Public Health Risk
5. Chattahoochee River: Chattahoochee Tubers' Trash Draws Ire of Riverfront Landowners (link coming soon)
6. Altamaha River: Rayonier Advanced Material's Pulp Mill Fouls Altamaha; State Allows Pollution to Continue
7. Georgia's Coast: Offshore Drilling Poses Threat to Coastal Tourism, Fisheries
8. Coosa River: Power Plant Killing Fish on the Coosa
9. Little Satilla Creek & Penholloway Creek: Strip Mine Threatens Property Values, Water in Wayne County
10. Bear Creek: Reservoir Deal in Newton County a Boondoggle for Taxpayers
11. Withlacoochee River and Floridan Aquifer: Gas Pipeline Invasion in Southwest Georgia Risks Drinking Water
12. Georgia's Groundwater: Legislative Inaction Leaves Well Water At Risk
And... A Clean 13, Georgia's Coastal Waters: Gov. Nathan Deal Supports Georgians Fighting Petroleum Pipeline
The 2015 Updates for previous Dirty Dozen issues can be found here.
To view the 2015 Dirty Dozen map, click here.
To view the full report, click here. (check back for link)
Georgia Water Coalition's Dirty Dozen 2014
Read the 2014 Dirty Dozen Report or the 2011 Press Release
1. Georgia's Water: State Water Policy Threatens Streams, Aggravates Water Wars, Wastes Tax Dollars
2. Georgia’s Coastal & Freshwater Wetlands: EPD Refuses to Enforce Clean Water Laws
3. Floridan Aquifer: State Leaders Drop Well Water Protections to Experiment With Risky Water Injection Schemes
4. Chattahoochee River: Weakened State Agency Allows Industries to Foul River
5. Coosa River: Long Delayed State Clean Up Plan Allows Power Company to Continue Polluting
6. Flint River: Textile Manufacturer’s Pollution, State Water Policy Create Conundrum
7. Savannah River: Pollutants, Nuclear Reactors Suck Water and Life out of Savannah
8. Georgia's Small Streams and Wetlands: National Rule To Protect Georgia’s Streams and Wetland Treasures Under Attack
9. Withlacoochee River & Floridan Aquifer: Gas Pipeline Threatens Southwest Georgia Water, Way of Life
10. Turtle River: Toxic Legacy Poisons Dolphins, Drinking Water
11. Satilla River: Toxic Legacies Threaten Waycross Residents
12. Little Satilla Creek & Penholloway Creek: Titanium Mine Threatens Wetlands, Well Water
Georgia Water Coalition’s Dirty Dozen 2013
Read the 2013 Dirty Dozen Report or the 2013 Press Release
1. Floridan Aquifer: Water Injection Schemes Gamble with South Georgia ’s Pristine Underground “Lake”
2. Chattahoochee and Etowah Rivers: Governor’s Water Supply Program Wastes Tax Dollars & Incites More Water Conflicts with Neighbors
3. Flint River: Pumps, Dams, Diversions & State Water Policy Create Man-Made Drought
4. Altamaha River: Pulp Mill in Jesup Continues to Foul Georgia’s Largest River
5. Flat Creek: Polluted Runoff in Chicken Capital Sends Bacteria to Stream Feeding Lake Lanier
6. Ocmulgee River: Coal Ash Threatens Waterways and Communities In the Home of Fried Green Tomatoes
7. Satilla River: Toxic Legacy in Waycross Needs Further Investigations, Cleanups
8. Savannah River: Massive Water Withdrawals for Nuclear, Coal-Fired Power Plants Threaten River’s Health, Drinking Water
9. Lake Alice: Dam Breach Disaster in Cumming Highlights Need for Better Dam Safety
10. Georgia Coast: Proposed Changes to Coastline Laws Roll Back Long-Standing Protections
11. Hurricane Creek: Illegal Playground for Off-Road Vehicles Sends Mountains of Sediment to Trout Stream
12. Oconee and Ogeechee Rivers: Dirty Coal-Fired Power Plant to Spew Mercury and Deplete South Georgia Rivers
Georgia Water Coalition’s Dirty Dozen 2012
Read the 2012 Dirty Dozen Report or the 2012 Dirty Dozen Press Release
1. Ogeechee River: One Year After the Largest Fish Kill in State History, Pollution Continues
2. South River: Chronic Looting of Hazardous Waste Trust Fund by Legislators Leaves Hazardous Waste Site Cleanup for Another Day
3. Flat Creek: Boondoggle Reservoir Project Threatens Lake Lanier, Chattahoochee River and Downstream Communities
4. Flint River: Governor’s Water Supply Program Invests in Boondoggles Instead of Water Supply
5. Richland Creek: Unnecessary Reservoir Wastes Tax Dollars, Threatens Downstream Communities, Endangered Fish
6. Altamaha River: Rayonier Pulp Mill Fouls Georgia’s Little Amazon
7. Chattahoochee River: State Fails to Ensure Critical Minimum Flows at Atlanta
8. Satilla River: Army Corps of Engineers Action Needed to Restore Fisheries in Coastal Waters
9. Allen Creek: Politically-Connected Landfill Operators Threaten Streams, Minority Community
10. Tired Creek: Unnecessary Fishing Lake Puts Taxpayers on the Hook, Threatens Downstream Communities
11. Savannah River: Two New Nuclear Reactors Threaten Health of Savannah River, Needlessly Waste Limited Water Supplies
12. Pachitla Creek: Georgia Legislators Loot Trust Funds Intended for Cleanup of Tire Dumps, Leaving their Home Communities at Risk
Georgia Water Coalition’s Dirty Dozen 2011
Read the 2011 Dirty Dozen Report or the 2011 Press Release
1. Ogeechee River: Polluter Devastates Ogeechee for Five Years and Goes Undetected by EPD
2. Altamaha River: Rayonier Pulp Mill Discharge Destroys Fisheries
3. Savannah River: Costly Harbor Dredging Wrecks Savannah River Estuary
4. Chattahoochee River: Critical Minimum Flow Neglected at Atlanta
5. Shoal Creek and Flat Creek: Unnecessary Reservoirs Threaten Downstream Communities, Endangered Species and Public Coffers
6. Oconee & Ogeechee Rivers: Speculative Coal Plant Permitted Even Though it is Unneeded and Will Harm Water, Air and Fisheries
7. Flint River: Flint River Sucked Dry as EPD Allows Too Many Withdrawals
8. Coastal Wetlands: Docks in Georgia’s Tidal Wetlands Spoil the “Marshes of Glynn”
9. South Georgia Wetlands: Four Decades of Ditches Dry Out South Georgia Wetlands
10. Broad River: Waste Disposal “Farm” Fouls the Broad River
11. Brier & Commissioner Creeks: Fish Dying In Kaolin Country and EPD Doesn ’t Know Why
12. Coosa River: Coal-fired Power Plant’s Water Withdrawal and Heated Water Discharge Threaten River ’s Health