An Overview of Georgia's Rivers and Lakes
Largest and Most Famous Rivers, Lakes, Reservoirs, and Streams
Georgia spans Blue Ridge headwaters, Piedmont fall‑line rivers, and blackwater Coastal Plain streams. Major rivers include the Chattahoochee (with the Flint forming the Apalachicola system), the Savannah (fed by the Chattooga, Tugaloo and Tallulah), the Altamaha (formed by the Ocmulgee and Oconee), plus the Coosa/Etowah/Oostanaula/Conasauga in northwest Georgia, and Coastal Plain rivers such as the Ogeechee, Canoochee, Satilla, St. Marys, Alapaha, Withlacoochee, and Ochlockonee. The largest reservoirs by surface area include Clarks Hill (Thurmond), Hartwell, Lanier, West Point, Walter F. George (Eufaula), and Seminole, alongside Allatoona, Oconee, Sinclair, Russell, Carters, Blue Ridge, Chatuge, Nottely, and the Burton–Seed–Rabun chain on the Tallulah.
Water Sources for Rivers and Lakes
Runoff from the Blue Ridge and Piedmont feeds fall‑line rivers that broaden across the Coastal Plain. The Okefenokee Swamp in the southeast sources both the Suwannee (to the Gulf) and St. Marys (to the Atlantic). Storage and flow regulation come from U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and Georgia Power reservoirs (e.g., Lanier, West Point, Thurmond, Hartwell, Russell, Oconee, Sinclair, Carters).
Types of Rivers
Georgia features:
- Mountain headwater streams with steep gradients in the Blue Ridge (e.g., Chattooga, Tallulah).
- Piedmont fall‑line rivers with shoals and mill sites (Ocmulgee, Oconee, Flint).
- Blackwater rivers in the Coastal Plain stained by tannins (Ogeechee, Satilla, Alapaha).
- Karst‑influenced streams in southwest Georgia and along the Florida line (Withlacoochee, Ochlockonee headwaters).
Types of Lakes
Most large lakes are reservoirs for water supply, hydropower, navigation, and flood control (Lanier, Hartwell, Thurmond, West Point, Walter F. George, Seminole). Natural lakes are uncommon outside of oxbows and Okefenokee backwaters.
River Directions
Drainage splits among the Gulf (Chattahoochee–Flint, Suwannee system, Ochlockonee, Coosa) and the Atlantic (Savannah, Altamaha, Ogeechee, Satilla, St. Marys). Many rivers accelerate over the fall line then meander across the Coastal Plain.
Rivers, Navigation & Ports
Commercial navigation focuses on the Savannah River near the Port of Savannah and select reaches of the Chattahoochee. Coastal boating uses the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway; elsewhere, recreation dominates.
Dams and Their Uses
Key projects include Buford (Lanier), West Point, Walter F. George, George W. Andrews, Hartwell, Russell, Thurmond, Allatoona, Carters, and Georgia Power’s Burton–Seed–Rabun chain—supporting hydropower, water supply, flood control, and recreation.
Recreation on Rivers and Lakes
Popular activities include whitewater (Chattooga), flat‑water paddling (Altamaha, Ogeechee), and fishing for bass/stripers on Lanier, Allatoona, Oconee, Sinclair, Blackshear, and Seminole.
Flooding and Building Issues
Flash flooding can occur in steep headwaters and along urbanized Piedmont corridors; tropical systems affect the coast and Coastal Plain. Setbacks in floodplains and riparian buffers help reduce risk and protect water quality.
Support for Agriculture
Irrigated farms in southwest Georgia rely on Flint and Chattahoochee basin management; surface‑ and groundwater withdrawals are coordinated with interstate compacts in the ACF/ACT systems.
Water‑Quality Issues
Common issues include sediment from development, nutrients and bacteria in urban/agricultural watersheds, and salinity changes in coastal estuaries. Conservation and TMDL programs target impaired reaches.
Restoration & Flow Management
Flow and storage coordination among Lanier–West Point–Walter F. George supports downstream ecology and water supply; habitat restoration continues on Piedmont shoals and coastal blackwater rivers.