• Home
  • How We Work
  • Where We Work
  • News Room
  • About Us
  • My Nature Page

Conservation Science

Conservation Strategy - Conservation by Design

Conservation Methods

Partners of The Nature Conservancy

Conservation Initiatives

Apalachicola River, Florida

The striking array of habitats, plants, fish, reptiles and amphibians in the Apalachicola River basin make it one of the top six biodiversity "hot spots" in the United States. Together with its tributaries-the Chattahoochee and Flint Rivers-the entire Apalachicola-Chattahoochee-Flint (ACF) river basin drains a 20,000-square-mile watershed. The waters of the upper ACF basin also supply one of the fastest-growing regions of the nation with drinking water, wastewater assimilation, hydropower, irrigation, navigation and other services critical to economic development.

Wild turkey
Wild turkey
© Harvey Payne
 
Ecological Importance: The Apalachicola River basin is home to approximately 60 species of trees; 1300 plants; 131 fish; 33 mussel, 308 bird, and 57 mammal species. The variety of habitats and unique geography make the river, bay, and surrounding forests home to numerous endemic, rare, and imperiled species including the Gulf sturgeon, Apalachicola dusky salamander, and Florida yew. The watershed is a primary spawning and nursery habitat for fish and other aquatics and is a critical migratory bird route. The Apalachicola River is surrounded by Florida's largest floodplain, and it is estimated that the discharge from the river into the Gulf of Mexico accounts for 35 percent of the total freshwater contribution from the west coast of Florida. The Bay supplies 10% of all oysters harvested nationally and is the second largest of 25 existing National Estuarine Research Reserve (NERR) sites selected by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

Threats: Key threats to the river and bay include blocked animal migration and sediment transport due to the presence of a dam; upstream waters practices; navigation channel maintenance; invasive/alien plant and animal species; development; and forestry practices.

Partners: Army Corps of Engineers, U.S. Forest Service, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission, Florida Department of Environmental Protection, numerous academic institutions and community groups

Conservation Action: TNC’s innovative strategies to abate threats in the Apalachicola River Basin include the following:

  • Improve fish passage at the dam and provide sediment enrichment of the waters below the dam.
  • Maintain historic river flows, reduce unnatural hydrologic changes caused by upstream water management and incorporate natural seasonal flow regimes (timing and quantity) into management practices.
  • Eliminate channel maintenance activities and restore areas impacted by historic practices including removal of dredge spoil and reconnection of tributaries.
  • Work with federal, state and local entities to assure that the most biologically important lands in Northwest Florida are protected through appropriate land use, quality management, and targeted acquisitions.

After nearly three years, negotiations towards an equitable water-sharing compact came to an end between the States of Alabama, Florida and Georgia. Despite the discontinuation of the compact by all three states, the Conservancy continues with efforts to provide information, advice and technical support on establishing natural flow regimes and sustainable water management policies across the Basin.
View of the Apalachicola River from Alum Bluff
View of the Apalachicola River from Alum Bluff
© Harold E. Malde

Apalachicola River Facts

  • Location: Location: The Apalachicola, fed by the Chattahoochee and Flint Rivers, courses through the Florida Panhandle and flows into the Apalachicola Bay at the Gulf of Mexico.
  • Size: 107 miles long 
  • Plant Species: Along the river are two of the world's rarest evergreens, Florida torreya and Florida yew; ashe magnolia; pyramid magnolia; and an array of rare and endemic wildflowers and grasses including Apalachicola rosemary, toothed basil, false foxglove, Florida anise, and mountain laurel. 
  • Animal Species: The red cockaded woodpecker, flatwood salamander and gopher tortoise are characteristic species of the area. The riparian area also provides a home to several species of resident and migrating birds including bald eagles, Mississippi kites, swallow-tailed kites, wild turkeys, worm-eating warblers, hooded warblers and Swainson's warblers, as well as migrating butterflies. The Apalachicola supports 131 freshwater and estuarine fish species, including 33 species of mussels and one of the highest densities of infaunal invertebrates of any comparable area in the U.S. The Apalachicola River and Bay also serves as a nursery for significant Gulf of Mexico species (such as penaeid shrimp, blue crabs and many fish species including striped bass, sturgeon, grouper, drum and flounder) and support highly productive oyster beds.

Learn more about this project with the Online Field Guide.

How to Visit
The Nature Conservancy's Apalachicola Bluffs and Ravines Preserve is located in Bristol, Florida, about one hour west of Tallahassee, and is open to the public from dawn to dusk, year-round. A 3.5-mile, round-trip, self-guided trail takes you through an enchanting area that local legend claims is the original Garden of Eden. 

For directions and more information, visit the Apalachicola Bluffs and Ravines Preserve web page.