Coosa River Basin Initiative facts for kids

The Coosa River Basin Initiative (CRBI) is a special group that works to protect the environment. It's a "nonprofit" organization, which means it doesn't aim to make money. CRBI is based in Rome, Georgia.

Their main goal is to help people learn about and protect the Coosa River Basin. This area is one of the most diverse river systems in North America, meaning it has many different kinds of plants and animals. Since 1992, CRBI has worked to take care of the natural resources in the Upper Coosa River basin. This includes the Coosa River, the Etowah and Oostanaula rivers, and all the smaller streams that flow into them. It also covers the land around these rivers and the air above them.

CRBI is part of a bigger group called the Waterkeeper Alliance. Because of this, they are also known as the Upper Coosa Riverkeeper. They help make sure the Clean Water Act is followed. This law helps keep our water clean. CRBI watches for pollution and works to solve these problems, sometimes even using legal steps to make things right.

They also work with other groups, like the Georgia Water Coalition and Alabama Rivers Alliance. Together, they try to make sure there's enough clean water for everyone, both now and in the future. CRBI focuses on four main areas: speaking up for the environment, teaching people, checking water quality, and helping nature recover.

Besides their main office in Rome, CRBI has another group called the New Echota Rivers Alliance. This group works from Calhoun, Georgia, and looks after the Oostanaula River and its smaller streams.

How Did CRBI Start?

In 1991, a group of people met in Keith, Georgia. They were all trying to solve local environmental problems, like issues with landfills and logging. A businessman from Rome, Jerry Brown, had an idea. He thought a bigger group could fight environmental problems across the whole Coosa River Basin. Soon after, CRBI was created! One of their first big wins was stopping a landfill that was planned near Weiss Lake.

At first, CRBI was run by dedicated volunteers from a small office behind Jerry Brown's business. Over time, CRBI grew. It became an important voice in decisions about the region's natural resources.

Today, CRBI has an office on Broad Street in downtown Rome. They have full-time and part-time staff who work with volunteers. A board of directors and an advisory board help plan their programs. More than 800 members support CRBI with their money and by volunteering their time.

What Has CRBI Achieved?

Since 1992, CRBI has done a lot to improve water quality in the Coosa River Basin. They have also helped people understand water issues better. Here are some of their major accomplishments:

• They worked to make the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) follow the Clean Water Act. This led to rules called Total Maximum Daily Loads (TMDLs). TMDLs limit how much pollution can enter polluted waterways.
• They helped protect streams and save homes for endangered fish. This happened when they reached an agreement with a company building a large shopping center.
• They stopped a plan to send sewage from metro Atlanta , GA into the Coosa River Basin. They worked with state lawmakers to make Atlanta communities think differently about their growth.
• They helped stop factories from dumping indigo dye into the Chattooga River. They also stopped the wrong way of spreading wastewater sludge in Dalton.
• They stopped a paper company from releasing hot water into Smith-Cabin Creek in Floyd County.
• They helped defeat a law that would have allowed Georgia's water to be bought and sold. CRBI worked with other environmental groups to keep Georgia's water as a public resource for everyone.

CRBI has also trained hundreds of people to check the rivers and creeks. These citizens collect important information. CRBI, the City of Rome, the Georgia Environmental Protection Division, and Alabama Water Watch use this information. They look for changes in water quality. If anything unusual is found, they investigate to make sure no illegal activities are harming the water.

They have also taught thousands of people about the Coosa River Basin. This includes visiting classrooms, speaking at meetings, holding public events, and sharing information through newsletters and the media.