ABOVE THE WATER LINE

By Sally Bethea

Sally Bethea is the retired executive director of Chattahoochee Riverkeeper (chattahoochee.org), a nonprofit environmental organization whose mission is to protect and restore the drinking water supply for nearly four million people.

change effects in the Chattahoochee basin, which flows from the north Georgia mountains to Florida, will take place on September 27-28, 2017 at Georgia Tech’s Global Learning Center.

Titled “A Resilient Future for All”, the gathering seeks to present reliable scientific data and analysis of current and future climate conditions and trends; importantly, it will offer practical solutions to mitigate the change and adapt to inevitable alterations in our physical, human and ecological landscape. The goal: a resilient future for the millions of people and wildlife that depend on the Chattahoochee River.

In north Georgia’s White County, Jeff Threlkeld and Ray Kahn have seen dramatic changes in the upper reaches of the river over the past four decades. “When it rained forty years ago, the farmers didn’t go into their fields for three days [because of flooding on the riverside land]. Now, it can rain two inches at night and they can plow in the morning,” says Ray.

Both men note that the pattern of storms has changed significantly and, without steady, soaking rains, the groundwater reserves needed to sustain base flow in the river during droughts are being depleted. With few significant snow events in the Chattahoochee headwaters region in the past thirty years, groundwater recharge is further impacted, notes Jeff. Computer models created at Georgia Tech confirm that “water inflow” to the Chattahoochee River basin has been continually declining, reducing the amount of water flowing downstream to be shared among competing communities and interests.

On Lake Lanier, Owen Middour, a third-generation lake user, says that the recreational season has changed. The May to early September season of his childhood now runs from early April to midOctober, due to warmer air and water temperatures. He believes that increased recreational use is causing more shoreline erosion and other impacts to the reservoir which must be managed for many, often competing, uses.

Atlanta Master Beekeeper Linda Tillman says that spring is coming earlier every year, which confuses bees and their reproductive patterns. She adds that summers seem to be hotter and that the rain has been just plain “weird”. Channeling her southern heritage, she notes, “It’s been raining the bark off the trees.”

Too much rain from intense storms, increasingly common in the South, means less honey: bees can’t fly in the rain or collect nectar. Too little rain means the plants and trees don’t produce as much nectar, which also means less honey. Tending her hives in Morningside Community Garden, Linda worries about the impact of climate change on her honeybees.

In the middle Chattahoochee region, not far from West Point Lake, Eric Simpson says that farmers like himself don’t talk too much about climate change, but they sure talk about rain and drought and how to take care of limited water resources. He’s laying new drip irrigation lines to adapt to the change he sees.

Effects that scientists had predicted in the past would result from global climate change are now occurring – and more are on their way. We can listen to the climate deniers or learn from climate scientists and informed decision-makers with a goal of finding innovative, job-creating ways to embrace climate mitigation and adaptation.

Whether you are a student, a local official, a gardener, a member of the concerned public or a climate expert, I strongly urge you to register today for the upcoming climate conference organized by Chattahoochee Riverkeeper and hosted by Georgia Tech’s Ray C. Anderson Center for Sustainable Business. Seating is limited. Details at chattahoochee.org/conference.

Ground was broken Aug. 17 for the $11.5 million Proctor Creek Greenway, a seven-mile bike and pedestrian trail spanning from Maddox Park to the Chattahoochee River. The completed Proctor Creek Greenway will feature 50 acres of linear park and 400 acres of greenspace, and will offer connectivity to the Bankhead MARTA Station and the Atlanta BeltLine Westside Trail.

Atlanta Audubon Society is gearing up for the fall monitoring through Project Safe Flight Atlanta and its companion program, Lights Out Atlanta, with the goal of monitoring and reducing bird deaths caused by building collisions. Each year, an estimated 350 million to 1 billion birds die in the United States after colliding with buildings. Volunteers patrol selected routes during peak bird migration periods collecting birds that have died or been injured after colliding with buildings. For more information or to volunteer, visit atlantaaudubon.org/project-safe-flight.

The Wylde Center will hold its Fall Plant Sale, Sept. 2 – Oct. 14 at Oakhurst Garden, 435 Oakview Road, in Decatur. The annual event is designed for gardeners seeking unique varieties of vegetables, herbs and perennials. Proceeds from the ongoing sale benefit the numerous educational offerings at the Wylde Center and help support the Atlanta nonprofit organization’s five public greenspaces. For more information, visit wyldecenter.org.

Chattahoochee Riverkeeper will host the 2017 Climate Change Conference with presenting sponsors Cox Enterprises and The Ray C. Anderson Foundation on Sept. 2728 at the Georgia Tech Global Learning Center. More than 40 local and national scientists and sustainability experts will explore the effects of changing climate conditions to human, infrastructure and ecological interests in the Chattahoochee watershed. To register, visit Chattahoochee.org/conference.

Betty and Robert Ballentine of Atlanta are the recipients of the 2017 Preservation Hero Award for their work in establishing the Southern Highlands Reserve, a native plant arboretum and research center in Lake Toxaway, N.C. Established in 2002 as a private operating foundation, the Southern Highlands Reserve is dedicated to sustaining the rare ecosystems of the Blue Ridge Mountains through the preservation, cultivation and display of plants native to the region. Today the Reserve features a twenty-acre display garden surrounded by a hundred-acre natural woodland.

“I’ve been involved with the community since 1960 and I was on the very first board here at Saint Anne’s Terrace. It’s a beautiful part of town and the best part about living here is the wonderful family atmosphere in which everyone gets along.”

LOCAL EXPERTISE | GLOBAL CONNECTIONS

MORNINGSIDE

1375 N Highland Avenue, $949,000

5BR/3fb. FMLS: 5851695

Boynton & Myrick 404-323-2012

UNDER CONTRACT

MORNINGSIDE

1724 N Pelham Drive, $1,150,000

5BR/4fb. FMLS: 5883785

Boynton & Myrick 404-323-2012

SOLD

MORNINGSIDE w/CARRIAGE HOUSE 1698 Johnson Road NE, $999,000 5BR/3fb/1hb. FMLS: 5822784

Boynton & Myrick 404-323-2012

OLD FOURTH WARD

605 Irwin Street NE, $450,000

2BR/2fb/1hb. FMLS: 5891966

Ashley Bynum 404-423-8025

UNDER CONTRACT

BROOKWOOD PLACE 1735 Peachtree Street NE #333, $445,000 2BR/2fb/1hb. FMLS: 5854829

Ashley Bynum 404-423-8025

MAYFAIR RENAISSANCE

195 14th Street NE #402, $275,000

1BR/2fb. FMLS: 5885326

Annette Ross 404-683-5798

DRUID HILLS

1000 Springdale Road, $2,699,000

6BR/5fb/2hb. FMLS: 5764832

Hilson Hudson 404-217-6004

BUCKHEAD

2575 Peachtree Road #5G, $449,000

3BR/3fb. FMLS: 5895871

Russell Gray 678-612-4247

ATLANTA NORTH 770-622-3081

EAST COBB 770-977-9500

UTANA BLUFFS COMMUNITY

Ellijay,Georgia

Cindy Gentry 404-909-1143

VIRGINIA HIGHLAND

800 Ponce de Leon Place #3, $184,900 1BR/1fb. Sybil Scott 678-778-6503

HISTORIC BROOKHAVEN

2807 Mabry Road, $2,050,000

5B/5fb/2hb. FMLS: 5878340 Rich Zeglovitch 404-885-1600

DRUID HILLS 510 Coventry Road #17A, $139,900 2BR/1fb. FMLS: 5883871

Craig Mihaly 404-234-9098

UNDER CONTRACT

PONCEY-HIGHLAND 556 Woodall Avenue, $949,000 5BR/4fb. FMLS: 5891655

Brenda Shaw 404-379-4924

UTANA BLUFFS COMMUNITY Ellijay,Georgia

Cindy Gentry 404-909-1143

SANDY SPRINGS

5595 Cross Gate Drive, $2,495,000

5B/5fb/1hb. FMLS: 5887255

Russell Gray 678-612-4247

1531 PIEDMONT AVENUE NE, STE B | ATLANTA, GA 30324 | 404-897-5558 HARRYNORMAN.COM

CHASTAIN

4417 Jett Road, $675,000

Corner Lot/1/2 -3/4 Acres. FMLS: 5895396

Russell Gray 678-612-4247

ATLANTA PERIMETER 770-394-2131

BIG CANOE - NORTH GEORGIA 770-893-2400

FORSYTH/LAKE LANIER 770-497-2000

HIAWASSEE 706-632-7211

BLUE RIDGE 706-632-7211

INTOWN 404-897-5558

BUCKHEAD 404-233-4142

BUCKHEAD CHASTAIN 404-233-1492

LUXURY LAKE & MOUNTAIN 706-212-0228

BUCKHEAD NORTH 404-814-9000

NORTH FULTON 678-461-8700

BUCKHEAD NORTHWEST 404-261-2700

PEACHTREE CITY 770-632-8526

COBB MARIETTA 770-422-6005

SANDY SPRINGS 404-250-9900

The above information is believed to be accurate but is not warranted. Offer subject to errors, changes, omissions, prior sales and withdrawals without notice. www.HarryNorman.com