Oconee River
| Oconee River | ||
 Altamaha River river system, Oconee River highlighted |
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| Data | ||
| Water code | US : 354253 | |
| location | Georgia , United States | |
| River system | Altamaha River | |
| origin | Confluence of the North and Middle Oconee Rivers southeast of Athens 33 ° 52 ′ 40 ″ N , 83 ° 21 ′ 0 ″ W |
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| confluence | with the Ocmulgee River to the Altamaha River Coordinates: 31 ° 57 '33 " N , 82 ° 32' 37" W 31 ° 57 '33 " N , 82 ° 32' 37" W
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| length | 274 km incl. North Oconee River | |
| Reservoirs flowed through | Lake Oconee , Lake Sinclair | |
| North Oconee River | ||
| Water code | US : 319660 | |
| source | in Hall County 34 ° 23 ′ 15 ″ N , 83 ° 39 ′ 48 ″ W. |
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| confluence | with the Middle Oconee River to the Oconee River 33 ° 52 ′ 40 ″ N , 83 ° 21 ′ 0 ″ W
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| Big cities | Athens | |
| Middle Oconee River | ||
| Water code | US : 328761 | |
| source | in Jackson County, 34 ° 9 ′ 35 ″ N , 83 ° 39 ′ 0 ″ W. |
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| confluence | with the North Oconee River to the Oconee River 33 ° 52 ′ 40 ″ N , 83 ° 21 ′ 1 ″ W
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| Big cities | Athens | |
The Oconee River is a headwaters of the Altamaha River , whose origin is in Hall County , Georgia . It flows over a length of 274 km to its confluence with the Ocmulgee River to the Altamaha River at Lumber City , on the border of Montgomery County , Wheeler County and Jeff Davis County .
Run
The Oconee River arises from the confluence of the North and Middle Oconee Rivers southeast of the city of Athens , the city center of which lies exactly between the two source rivers. It flows through the Oconee National Forest into Lake Oconee , a man-made lake near Madison and Greensboro . From Lake Oconee, the water flows to Lake Sinclair , another man-made lake near Milledgeville on the Fall Line . From there on, the river runs unhindered to its meeting point with the Ocmulgee River, with which it forms the Altamaha River. The course of the river is lined with sandbanks and oxbow lakes , the wooded floodplain area extends for kilometers and thus gives the river its remoteness.
origin of the name
"Oconee" means "people / settlement or people" (O) of the " Skunks " ("Conee") in the language of the Creek . Many water and area names in the southeastern United States have names beginning with an O, such as Ocmulgee River or Ogeechee River .
Water pollution
Fecal E. coli
Surface runoff from pastures in the river's catchment area is the main source of fecal E. coli pollution.
fertilizer
The second largest source of pollution is surface runoff from fertilizers . This pollution is regularly determined by analyzing water samples. The fertilizers cause the growth of algae , which has two main consequences:
- The water becomes cloudy due to the algae and the sun's rays weaken on the way to the bottom of the river, so that the natural vegetation there is destroyed.
- The algae rot in the water after they die. This decomposition process reduces the oxygen content in the river, so that fish, especially the larger species, die. This also puts pressure on the rest of the animal life in the food chain .
sedimentation
The third major source of pollution is from sediment deposition, usually caused by construction and urbanization. Dust and dirt are washed away with the rainwater and end up in the river. This then has an effect similar to that of the algae; Sediments cloud the water and eventually settle on the bottom. Ultimately, the water depth is reduced, which in turn changes the water temperature and flow speed and thus puts stress on the ecosystem.
Web links
- Oconee River - The Oconee River Land Trust