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References:                                                                    Schaller, M. F., & Fan, Y. (n.d.). River basins as groundwater exporters and importers ... Retrieved from http://geology.rutgers.edu/images/Publications_PDFS/SchallerFanJGR2009.pdf               LaFontaine, J. H., Hay, L. E., Viger, R. J., Markstrom, S. L., Regan, R. S., Elliott, C. M., & Jones, J. W. (2013, September 05). Application of the Precipitation-Runoff Modeling System (PRMS) in the Apalachicola-Chattahoochee-Flint River Basin in the southeastern United States. Retrieved from https://pubs.er.usgs.gov/publication/sir20135162

Hippe, D., Wangsness, D., Frick, E., & Garrett, J. (1997, April 01). Water quality of the Apalachicola-Chattahoochee-Flint and Ocmulgee river basins related to flooding from Tropical Storm Alberto; pesticides in urban and agricultural watersheds, and nitrate and pesticides in ground water, Georgia, Alabama, and Florida. Retrieved from https://pubs.er.usgs.gov/publication/wri944183

Three States, One River: Fighting for the Chattahoochee River. (2017, June 06). Retrieved from https://www.blueridgeoutdoors.com/go-outside/water-wars-chattahoochee-river/

The Apalachicola-Chattahoochee-Flint (ACF) River National Water Quality Assessment (NAWQA) Program study. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www2.usgs.gov/water/southatlantic/ga/nawqa/

Morris, K. (2013, August 6). Chattahoochee River, Origins, Uses and Destination - Kent ... Retrieved from http://allsouthlandandhomes.com/chattahoochee-river-origins-uses-and-destination/                                                                                 Blue Ridge Outdoors. (n.d.). Protecting the Chattahoochee. Retrieved July 23, 2019, from https://player.vimeo.com/video/219906235

Miller, Manning, T., S., Enloe, F., S., & James H. (1970, January 01). A management guide for invasive plants in southern forests. Retrieved from https://www.srs.fs.usda.gov/pubs/36915

NPS.gov Homepage (U.S. National Park Service). (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.nps.gov/index.htm

A Southeast River Basin Under Stress. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://nca2014.globalchange.gov/report/regions/southeast/graphics/southeast-river-basin-under-stress

Chattahoochee River Outpost. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://noc.com/plan-your-trip/chattahoochee-river

Gov. DeSantis awards local communities nearly $150K. (2019, July 15). Retrieved from https://www.wtxl.com/news/local-news/local-communities-awarded-community-planning-technical-assistance-grants

Brett, J. (2019, January 09). As shutdown drags on, volunteers collect trash at National Park site. Retrieved from https://www.ajc.com/news/shutdown-drags-volunteers-collect-trash-national-park-site/PfB9wfLBNQ9RvtMBDVe57O/

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Going along with the last theme, this directly correlates to Ready Player One. The people in this book completely let the earth as we know now go to complete shambles. At this time (2019) in their book they probably just ignored what was going on in the world around them because this seems too big of a topic to tackle. I mean, the whole world being over polluted and the major climate change seems like a pretty big issue to handle on your own. But we can't let the Earth get away from us like that unless we want to end up in some kind of reality like what is depicted in this book. One of the main themes of Ready Player One seemed to be "every man for themselves". With this mind set I am not surprised at where the state of the Earth ended up, run into the ground and almost unlivable. To fix this problem it is going to take determination, but mostly collaboration. Working together is the only way we will be able to tackle this issue, just like collaboration was the only way to beat the OASIS in the end when Wade and his friends had to team up to open the last door and that is exactly what society needs to do now. If we all work together we can open that last door to a solution to climate change.

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One of the main problems here that can be fixed by the normal everyday person is littering and pollution that is caused from this. Because this area is such a popular destination there is often a lot of trash left after families or groups of friends spend a day on the river. By simply cleaning up after ourselves we could be helping the community out so much and preserving this beautiful adventure destination.

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Way down yonder on the Chattahoochee, someone's soggy football, tennis ball and softball, a few beer cans and a bottle that once held cheap sparkling wine went into a sturdy black bag.

"It's not too bad," said Mary Kimberly, one of the volunteers who arrived early on a drizzly Tuesday morning to pick up trash at the Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area's Paces Mill Unit. Given the ongoing government shutdown, the site operated by the National Park Service has been without regular maintenance. So a group of hikers decided to take matters into their own gloved hands.

"We've got to take care of this. Our mother's not coming behind us to clean up," said Bob Ruby, vice president of the Chattahoochee Parks Conservancy.

Way down yonder on the Chattahoochee .. volunteers are picking up trash since the site, operated by the National Park Service, has been without regular maintenance due to the #Shutdown pic.twitter.com/CdDP9bP9xT
- Jennifer Brett (@Jennifer__Brett) January 8, 2019

President Donald Trump, at an impasse with Congressional Democrats over funding for a wall on the Mexico border, plans to address the nation Tuesday night. The partial shutdown affects about 800,000 federal workers who are looking at a Friday without a paycheck in coming days.

" MORE: No solution in sight, reports Jamie Dupree

The shutdown will affect airport workers, Atlanta Mayor says

The ongoing shutdown is beginning to impact people from air travelers to food stamp recipients, and some of the most visible results have included the piles of refuse at Yosemite National Park.

So far local sites operated by the National Park Service haven't experienced anything near the mess out west. Trash cans at Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield Park have been sealed off, and someone has left a handwritten sign urging visitors to clean up after themselves.

"The government is currently shut down," it read. "To keep our park beautiful, PLEASE TAKE YOUR TRASH WITH YOU."

It seems folks are taking heed; the only piece of refuse visible at the Burnt Hickory Road entrance was a crushed beer can in the parking lot. It appeared to have been there for quite a while.

Alexandra Kemp took advantage of Monday's pretty weather to visit the Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area's Island Ford Unit, off Roberts Drive in Sandy Springs. A masters student at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, she often volunteers through NASA at area schools. She hasn't been able to do so during the shutdown, and her employed counterparts are warily contemplating a payday without pay.

"It's sad," she said. There were a few other hikers out on Monday (and a young woman who pulled up to the visitors center and learned with dismay that it was locked, meaning its restrooms were inaccessible). But there were no park rangers around, as usual.

"It's super weird," Kemp said.

A park ranger did cruise by the Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area's Paces Mill Unit, where the volunteers were picking up trash on Tuesday. The ranger, one of only a handful still on the job at the 48-mile collection of park sites, was not authorized to speak to the media. She spent a little time chatting with volunteers, thanking them for their efforts, before heading on.

"There's got to be an answer," said volunteer Elizabeth Marsala, who thanked the ranger for persevering.

None of the volunteers expressed any support for Trump's long-touted border wall, and weren't sure what to expect from his national address. So they stuck to picking up water bottles, cigarette butts and other detritus.

"Because we live in an urban area, people treasure our parks," said volunteer Carol Schneier, pleased at the relative tidiness. "We treasure our national treasures."

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As shutdown drags on, volunteers collect trash at National Park site

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Way down yonder on the Chattahoochee, someone's soggy football, tennis ball and softball, a few beer cans and a bottle that once held cheap sparkling wine went into a sturdy black bag. "It's not too bad," said Mary Kimberly, one of the volunteers who arrived early on a drizzly Tuesday morning to pick up trash at the Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area's Paces Mill Unit.

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The last implementation I would suggest is to plant vegetation around the river edge. Storm water runoff often picks up pollutants while making its way to the nearest body of water and this is one of the main sources of pollution to the Chattahoochee River Basin. Planting plants along the river's edge is a great way to block some of these pollutants from entering the water. This is an easy thing that the government or visitors can do. However, you must be very careful and precise about what kinds of plants you are planting. Since invasive plants are such a big issue and can cause a lot of damage it is important to be sure you are planting species that are indigenous to the area so you do not upset the ecosystem.

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The next implementation is brought up from the National Park Service's management plan. Making this area more visitor friendly is a good thing, however more visitors means a possibility for more pollution. As a human race we have grown lazy and careless when interacting with the beautiful nature surrounding us. As said in the management plan, the group is also deciding on how much they want to impact the forest by building visitor and administrative sites and how much education to give to visitors of this area. I think the more educated, the more people will truly care about this river and park and they will take better care of it. With areas for garbage, hopefully people will be more likely to "pack out what they pack in".

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The first thing I would suggest to help with pollution problems in the Chattahoochee River Basin is to implement more waste water treatment plants in these states surrounding it so that it all doesn't end up in the river. While the Chattahoochee River has dispersed of this waste in the past, with a growing population and a metropolitan city like Atlanta are over running the river and it is struggling to keep up now. This is causing the river to over flow with waste and is harming some of the native species.

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TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WTXL) - Four local communities have received nearly $150,000 in grants to help fund innovative improvements aimed at strengthening their economies.

Governor Ron DeSantis awarded more than $750,000 in Community Planning Technical Assistance grants to 19 Florida communities on Monday.

These grants, administered by the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity (DEO), help communities in creating innovative planning and development strategies to promote economic diversity while protecting the environment.

"Community planning is critical to the long-term economic success of Florida communities across the state," said Governor DeSantis. "These technical assistance grants will help provide for the development of strong, resilient local economies that attract businesses and support a highly-trained workforce."

The Florida communities receiving funding include:

Apalachee Regional Planning Council - ($65,450) to expand a website with local government maps and links to individual local government websites.

Calhoun County - ($40,000) to develop a long-term recovery plan to help with recovery from Hurricane Michael.

Central Florida Regional Planning Council - ($50,000) to complete the next phase of the Heartland 2060 Regional vision plan, which is a seven-county effort to plan for a more resilient region.

City of Apalachicola - ($40,000) to create a 10-year plan for completion of community projects required as part of the Apalachicola Bay Area of Critical State Concern statute.

City of Chattahoochee - ($32,600) to support the development of a Streetscape Improvement Plan to develop a vibrant and enhanced streetscape to help revitalize its historic downtown.

City of Frostproof - ($35,000) to create a technical memorandum on how to best expand the City's sewage treatment plant waste disposal facility.

City of Hallandale Beach - ($40,000) to develop a Post-Disaster Redevelopment Plan to address the city's vulnerabilities to natural hazards.

City of Springfield - ($30,000) to prepare preliminary site plans for municipal structures lost in Hurricane Michael.

City of Tamarac - ($40,000) to support the development of a comprehensive Multi-Modal Transportation Master Plan.

Everglades City - ($40,000) to assist with the development of a comprehensive wastewater plan.

Hernando County - ($35,000) to develop a master plan for the Anderson Snow District Park.

Indian River County - ($30,000) to outline and research a management plan for the County's portion of the Indian River Lagoon.

Liberty County - ($40,000) to prepare a long-term recovery plan to help with recovery from Hurricane Michael.

Miami Shores Village - ($40,000) to support the research and development of a Sewer Facility Plan.

Monroe County - ($40,000) to update and streamline Monroe County's land development code to comply with the "peril of flood" statute, build community-wide resilience and protect environmentally sensitive areas.

Town of Havana - ($34,500) to develop Historic Mainstreet design standards.

Town of Hilliard - ($40,000) to update comprehensive plan data and analysis, goals, objectives, policies and to digitize maps.

Town of Loxahatchee Groves - ($40,000) to support the development of a GIS Future Land Use and Zoning Map database and to complete related comprehensive plan amendments.

Town of Orange Park - ($40,000) to develop a long-range Strategic Vision Plan for the town.

For more information on Community Planning Technical Assistance Grants, .

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Gov. DeSantis awards local communities nearly $150K

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TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WTXL) - Four local communities have received nearly $150,000 in grants to help fund innovative improvements aimed at strengthening their economies. Governor Ron DeSantis awarded more than $750,000 in Community Planning Technical Assistance grants to 19 Florida communities on Monday.

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The National Park Service has a general plan set in place to manage the Chattahoochee River Basin over the next 20 years. "The purposes of this plan are to specify resource conditions and visitor experiences to be achieved in the park and to provide the foundation for decision-making and preparation of more specific resource plans regarding park management" (National Recreation Area Georgia). The first piece of their plan is to decide how much service and education to provide for park visitors in the area. Next, they must decide where the best places are to put in administration and visitor buildings/facilities. Lastly, learning the balance to make visitor experiences the absolute best while also protecting the natural land and species that call this place home.

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chattahoochee river national recreation area

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Chattahoochee River Outpost | Nantahala Outdoor Center

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Tubing, rafting, kayaking and SUP Rentals & trips on the Chattahoochee River in Atlanta, GA. Riverside locations at Johnson Ferry and Powers Island.

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This river basin drains 19,600 miles between all three states that are surrounding it. Climate change is going to greatly effect the Chattahoochee River Basin in a very negative way. Climate change is likely to cause water shortages to these state (Florida, Georgia, Alabama) and the flow of the river will slow down quite a bit which is dangerous to species and will not keep the pollutants of waste water in the river moving and sifting. A slower flow will also decrease the amount of energy generated.

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Some invasive species in this area are Asian Clams, Canada geese, Cowbird, European Starling, and Rice Eel. Asian Clams are the first invasive species to dive into. This species rapidly spreads and can self fertilize and as they mature they produce sperm and eggs at the same time. Because they reproduce so quickly they are putting native mollusks at risk of extinction. Their waste can produce green algae which is harmful to other species living in the river. Canadian geese are next in line and dangerous to unfamiliar ecosystems because they have no known natural predators and are present year around on the Chattahoochee River. These geese leave a lot of waste in the river which is already working over time to work through the waste from the states surrounding it. The last invasive species we will talk about is quite interesting. "The European Starling, Sturnus vulagris, was introduced to Central Park, New York City, in 1890 in an attempt to introduce all the birds found in Shakespeare's works to America. Hundreds of birds were released by a group called the American Acclimatization Society" (National Recreation Area Georgia). These birds often destroy crops.

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Invasive plants can have many harmful effects on the Chattahoochee River Basin such as: "limit or stop productive land management, regeneration of forests and grasslands, displace and permanently decrease biodiversity and wildlife habitat, alter vital ecological processes such as soil formation, watershed function, and pollination of native plants, limit land access for recreation such as hiking, fishing, hunting, and bird watching, produce overabundant pollen that causes widespread allergenic reactions in humans, present extreme fire hazards to forests, preserves, and homes, can be poisonous to humans and livestock, harbor plant and animal diseases, cause psychological anxiety through a sense of the inability to control our surroundings" (Miller, Manning, Enloe). So as you can see, it is important not to let these plants over take the native plants of the area.

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There are many different species that live in the Chattahoochee River Basin and/or depend on it. There are about 24 different species of turtles, 37 different species of fish, and 30 species of frogs and toads. There are also about 9 threatened or endangered species that like in this river. One thing that is threatening the Chattahoochee River Basin is invasive plants and species. While the idea of diversity and biodiversity is important to a growing natural area, it is important to preserve the native species and plants and keep the new ones to a minimum so they do not threaten the native ones.

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There has been some disagreements about water allocation between the three states that share this river basin. Georgia wants more water because of the Atlanta metropolitan because this is such a fast growing city that greatly relies on the Chattahoochee River Basin because of its location to this basin. Alabama is worried about the amount of water Georgia wants and is taking because they are worried this will limit their use for power generating and fish hatcheries which could hurt their economy. Lastly, Florida is fighting to keep enough water flowing through the basin to support their shellfish industry which brings in millions of dollars each year. As the pollution issues grows larger and more apparent these disagreements will only get bigger.

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The Chattahoochee River Basin is also greatly used for recreational purposes. Many people travel to go paddle boarding, camping, boating and other fun activities all up and down this River Basin. This river is also greatly known for its rafting adventures. It is one of the longest rafting courses and is friendly to families or if you want to go with a group of friends. There are many companies to help guide you through this long trail and make sure you have a safe and fun experience!

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There are many uses of the Chattahoochee River Basin. The first is drinking water, "the Chattahoochee River system provides drinking water for more than 3.5 million people, including 70 percent of the people in metro Atlanta (approximately 450 million gallons per day). Water withdrawals are by public or private suppliers and are delivered for domestic, industrial, and commercial use" (Morris, Kent). This river also assimilates waste water, however because of the rivers small size and the growing population that depends on it, it is beginning to struggle to keep up. The river is taking on more than 250 million gallons of waste water per day. The river is also used for irrigation to farmland with some of their biggest crops being peanuts, corn, soybeans and cotton and timber is the biggest crop for the basin. Lastly, the Chattahoochee River Basin is used for power generation and navigation, the first power generating dam was built on this basin way back in 1834.

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On USGS it states that “Over most of its length, the flow of the Chattahoochee River is controlled by hydroelectric plants releasing water for production of hydropower. These hydroelectric plants use hydropeaking operations to augment power supply during peak periods of electric demand” (USGS). The Chattahoochee River Basin has 13 dams that control the water and create hydropower and electricity. These dam provides power to all three states surrounding this basin and are important to the way of life people have become accustomed to in this area.

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The water quality of the Chattahoochee River Basin was greatly affected by flooding from Tropical Storm Alberto when these floods washed pesticides and nitrates into the groundwater from around the Chattahoochee River Basin. Many different herbicides, insecticides and fungicides were found in the flood waters. As the year went on more and more pesticides and others were found in the water during a variety of different tests. However, about 30 of the wells tested in these areas exceeded drinking water standards. Only 8 wells tested positive for pesticides.

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The U.S. Geological Survey did a hydrologic model of the Chattahoochee River Basin to help interpret how climate change is going to affect this watershed. All sub basins indicated a great streamflow volume. This survey proves helpful and in the future will be a great addition to the research team.

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A groundwater reservoir is important in the current water cycle and this is proven by the subsurface flow regimen. "When rain falls on the continent, it takes multiple pathways to return to the atmosphere or the ocean: (1) direct evaporation of intercepted rain from vegetation, (2) surface runoff into local rivers, lakes, and wetlands, which either evaporates or follows the surface drainage network into the ocean, (3) evapotranspiration (ET) of soil pore water filled during previous rain events, (4) upward capillary flux from the water table to root zone to supply ET in dry periods, (5) shallow groundwater flow and discharge to local wetlands and streams, (6) deeper and longer‐distance groundwater flow and discharge to wetlands and rivers further downstream, and (7) direct submarine groundwater discharge into the coastal ocean" (Schaller, Fan). Four of the seven pathways deal directly with groundwater reservoirs. The Chattahoochee River Basin has quite a high volume that can "force the saltwater‐freshwater interface into the Gulf, facilitating direct submarine groundwater discharge off the coast" (Schaller, Fan).