Lower Flint River Basin

The headwaters of the Flint River first come into view at the mouth of a concrete culvert just north of the Hartsfield Atlanta International Airport. The Flint River drains 8,460 square miles of Georgia land, including fertile farmland, before it merges with the Chattahoochee River in the East Gulf Coastal Plain of southwest Georgia. The Flint River is part of the larger Apalachicola-Chattahoochee-Flint (ACF) River Basin, which flows through the states of Georgia, Alabama, and Florida.

The lower Flint River basin, where much of the Conservancy's work is focused, encompasses 27 southwest Georgia counties that drain the upper Flint River and Kinchafoonee, Muckalee, Ichawaynochaway and Spring creeks. This portion of the ACF is fed by spring water from the Floridan Aquifer, which is the main source of water for coastal Georgia and north coastal Florida.

Rare Species and Natural Communities
The lower Flint River is a hotspot for natural diversity. The high-quality, cool fresh water, flowing from natural springs, support a healthy population of striped bass. The waters of the Flint are home to four federally protected mussel species: the shiney-rayed pocketbook, the oval pigtoe, the gulf moccasin shell, and the purple bank climber. Together, with the upper part of the Apalachicola basin, the lower Flint River basin contains the highest density of amphibians and reptiles on the continent north of Mexico, including the state threatened alligator snapping turtle, Barbour's map turtle and Georgia blind salamander.

What’s At Risk?
While the lower Flint River basin is one of the most ecologically rich river systems in Georgia, it is also one of the most imperiled. Recent flows in the Flint River have reached historically low levels, in part due to intense pumping for irrigation. The lack of rain in recent years has also contributed to low flow levels in the river. Without an adequate supply of water in the Flint River system, aquatic species such as the alligator snapping turtle and the various freshwater mussels are in dire jeopardy. Low water levels also threaten the quality of life for many southwest Georgia residents who depend on the Flint River for drinking water and water to irrigate crops, a major economic commodity in the region.

What The Nature Conservancy is Doing
The Nature Conservancy is working with the agricultural community in the lower Flint River Basin to identify ways to conserve water and ensure an abundant supply for both agriculture and nature. In August 2004, The Nature Conservancy entered into a three-year agreement with the Flint River Soil and Water Conservation District and the USDA Natural Resource Conservation Service to form the Flint River Basin Program. Through the Flint River Bain Program, The Nature Conservancy is working with agricultural users to develop efficient, more cost-effective ways to irrigate their crops while conserving our water resources. By working with agricultural water uses to implement water conservation methods, The Nature Conservancy hopes to reduce water use by 15 to 25 percent, thereby ensuring southwest Georgians will maintain their quality of life and continue traditional land uses, such as farming.

To learn more about the Conservancy’s work in the lower Flint River basin, download a copy of the Flint River Basin Program brochure and the Flint River fact sheet.