Photo by Alan Cressler via Flickr. Location: Savannah River, Aiken County, South Carolina and Richmond County, Georgia.
The Savannah River Basin is one of the largest in the state, draining over 10,500 square miles of land (about 5800 in GA), with the Savannah River itself defining the border between Georgia and South Carolina. The basin is largely covered by forested and agricultural land, two of the largest industries in the region. It is also a popular area for recreation. The word Savannah comes from the English meaning grassland, but the river was specifically named for the Savannah Shawnee people who once lived in the area. Visitors can find both a rich history, including areas like Shell Bluff, and beautiful nature reserves like the Savannah National Wildlife Refuge. Continue exploring the Savannah below.
CONSERVATION
Visit Savannah Riverkeeper to learn about conservation in the Savannah River, or explore these organizations that focus on the Savannah’s tributaries:
View EPD’s TMDL Reports for the Savannah River Basin.
Explore USGS data from the Savannah River monitoring site near Augusta, GA.
Read EPD’s Savannah River Basin Management Plan, completed 2001.
Learn about the EPD’s Fish Consumption Advisories online in the Guidelines for Eating Fish from Georgia’s Waters.
Photo by Alan Cressler via Flickr. Location: Anthony Shoals, Broad River, Lower Broad River Wildlife Management Area, Wilkes County, Georgia. Hymenocallis coronaria (Shoals Spider-Lily) is an endemic southeastern species that is currently considered threatened by the state of Georgia.
RECREATION
The Savannah basin is an extremely popular area with plenty to do. Paddle the Chattooga River or the Broad River Water Trail for a scenic day on the water. Learn about wildlife of the region by visiting the Savannah National Wildlife Refuge. And if you don’t like these suggestions, try any of the several other parks below!
Other parks and recreation areas: Augusta Canal, Bartram Trail, Elijah Clark State Park, Mistletoe State Park, Richard B. Russell State Park, Tallulah Gorge State Park, Tugaloo State Park, Victoria Bryant State Park, Watson Mill Bridge State Park
Photo by Alan Cressler via Flickr. Location: Savannah River, Augusta City Dam, Columbia County, Georgia and Edgefield County, South Carolina. This photo shows the diversion dam for the Augusta Canal, built in 1845.
EDUCATION
Learn more about the Savannah, along with Georgia’s other amazing rivers, at Georgia Rivers.
Check out the research and outreach of UGA’s own Savannah River Ecology Lab, based in Aiken, SC.
Explore Georgia State-Protected species by watershed at the Georgia Biodiversity Portal.
Photo by Alan Cressler via Flickr.
Map of the Savannah River Basin. Created by Anna Baynes (UGA River Basin Center).