The Conasauga River is a river that runs through Southeast Tennessee and Northwest Georgia. According to the Conasauga River Alliance, the Conasauga River is 90 miles long and is home to 90 species of fish and 25 species of freshwater mussels. The Conasauga River watershed encompasses over 500,000 acres in two states, multiple counties, and two ecologically different regions. The Murray River in Australia. ...
According to Gorp.com, The Conasauga River is the most westerly trout water on public land in Georgia. At its core is the 34,000-acre Cohutta Wilderness Area, located in Fannin, Gilmer, and Murray counties and managed by the state of Georgia. The preserve covers over 95,000 acres and contains approximately 15 miles of the Conasauga. The waters yield wild rainbow trout and wild browns, with rainbows up to 20 inches and browns to 9 pounds. The managed land is populated by white-tailed deer, wild hogs, black bears, and smaller animals. The only road access to the Conasauga is found via Old GA 2. Access via foot trail is located on FS 64 in Betty Gap. Three other trails descend from the west off FS 17 to intersect the river trail. From south to north they are the Chestnut Lead (2.0 miles), Tearbritches Trail (4.0 miles), and Hickory Creek Trail (3.0 miles). Primitive camping is allowed all along the river.
According to the Conasauga River Watershed Ecosystem Restoration Project, the Conasauga River is:
Home to more than 90 fish species. 12 Federally listed species of fish and mussels.
Historically, 42 species of freshwater mussels, 25 species still exist. Estimated that only 1% of original population remains.
Category 1 priority watershed in the state’s Unified Watershed Assessment.
18 miles of the river and 54 miles of the tributaries are on Georgia’s List of Impaired Waters for fecal, metal, toxic chemical, sediment, and nutrients.
One-third of the summer flow taken in vicinity of Dalton, Ga., for carpet production.
Historically, the primary factors leading to the decline of mussels and snails in Georgia were the construction of dams; dredging; in-stream sand and gravel mining; deforestation; and pollution from mining, municipalities, and industries.
While the river bottoms of this state were at one time covered with mollusks, today only pockets of diversity remain.
Decreased water flow caused by drought and withdrawal of water from streams and rivers poses a threat to the survival of many species of mollusks.
One of the country's six most biologically diverse river systems, the ConasaugaRiver is home to nearly 50 protected species of animals, including 24 rare and endangered aquatic species, such as the Conasauga logperch, the amber darter, and the blue shiner.
The ConasaugaRiver watershed is one of the most biologically diverse river systems in the United States, containing one of the last diverse populations of freshwater mussels in the entire Coosa River basin.
The Conasauga Watershed remains relatively intact, but with increasing pressures on this priceless resource the Conservancy as well as the local community are working to maintain the Conasaugas pristine and sensitive ecosystem.
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