Altamaha River 194223 224885249 2008-07-10T21:03:40Z 84.97.83.124 fr {{Geobox River <!-- *** Name section *** --> | name = Altamaha River | native_name = | other_name = | other_name1 = <!-- *** Image *** - --> | image = | image_size = | image_caption = <!-- *** Country etc. *** --> | country = United States | country1 = | state = [[Georgia (U.S. state)|Georgia]] | state1 = | region = | region1 = | district = | district1 = | city = | city1 = <!-- *** Geography *** --> | length_imperial = 137 | length_note =<ref name="nature">[http://www.nature.org/wherewework/northamerica/states/georgia/preserves/art6633.html The Altamaha River], The Nature Conservancy in Georgia</ref> | watershed_imperial = 14000 | watershed_note =<ref name="georgia">[http://www.georgiaencyclopedia.org/nge/Article.jsp?id=h-2834 Altamaha River], The New Georgia Encyclopedia</ref> | discharge_location = Doctortown, GA | discharge_imperial = 13520 | discharge_max_imperial = 178000 | discharge_min_imperial = 1410 | discharge_note =<ref name="WDR">[http://pubs.usgs.gov/wdr/wdr-ga-04-1/pdf/wdr-ga-04-1.pdf Water Data Report, Georgia 2004], [[United States Geological Survey|USGS]]</ref> | discharge1_location = | discharge1_imperial = <!-- *** Source *** --> | source_name = near Hazelhurst | source_location = | source_district = | source_region = | source_state = [[Georgia (U.S. state)|Georgia]] | source_country = | source_lat_d = 31 | source_lat_m = 57 | source_lat_s = 33 | source_lat_NS = N | source_long_d = 82 | source_long_m = 32 | source_long_s = 37 | source_long_EW = W | source_coordinates_note =<ref name="GNIS">{{gnis|354294}}</ref> | source_elevation_imperial = 82 | source_elevation_note =<ref name="GE">[[Google Earth]] elevation for [[Geographic Names Information System|GNIS]] coordinates.</ref> | source_length_imperial = <!-- *** Mouth *** --> | mouth_name = Atlantic Ocean | mouth_location = Altamaha Sound | mouth_district = | mouth_region = | mouth_state = | mouth_country = | mouth_lat_d = 31 | mouth_lat_m = 18 | mouth_lat_s = 57 | mouth_lat_NS = N | mouth_long_d = 81 | mouth_long_m = 17 | mouth_long_s = 5 | mouth_long_EW = W | mouth_coordinates_note =<ref name="GNIS" /> | mouth_elevation_imperial = 0 | mouth_elevation_note =<ref name="GE" /> <!-- *** Tributaries *** --> | tributary_left = Ohoopee River | tributary_left1 = <nowiki>Beards Creek</nowiki> | tributary_right = <nowiki>Penholoway Creek</nowiki> | tributary_right1 = | tributary_right1 = <!-- *** Free fields *** --> | free_name = | free_value = <!-- *** Map section *** --> | map = Altamaha watershed.png | map_size = 300 | map_caption = Map of the Altamaha River watershed showing the two main tributaries, the Ocmulgee River and the Oconee River. }} The '''Altamaha River''' is a major [[river]] of the [[U.S. state]] of [[Georgia (U.S. state)|Georgia]]. It flows generally eastward for 137 miles (220 km) from its [[Source (river or stream)|origin]] at the confluence of the [[Oconee River]] and [[Ocmulgee River]] to the [[Atlantic Ocean]]. There are no dams on the river. Including its tributaries, the Altamaha River's [[drainage basin|watershed]] is 14,000 square miles (36,260 km²) in size, making it among the largest river basins of the US Atlantic coast.<ref name="nature" /> It is the third largest contributor of freshwater to the Atlantic Ocean from North America.<ref name="georgia" /> Including its longest tributary (the [[Ocmulgee River]]) in length calculations as is standard [[USGS]] practice, its length of 470 miles places it seventh on the list of U.S. rivers entirely within one state, behind only four Alaska rivers, the [[Sacramento River|Sacramento]]-[[Pit River|Pit]] in California, and the [[Trinity River (Texas)|Trinity River]] in Texas.<ref>USGS and World Facts and Figures (John Wiley and Sons); the very beginning of the [[Colorado River (Texas)]] is a few miles within New Mexico.</ref> According to the [[USGS]], variant and historical names of the Altamaha River include A-lot-amaha, Alatahama, Alatamaha, Allamah, Frederica River, Rio Al Tama, Rio de Talaje, and Talaxe River.<ref name="GNIS" /> == Course == The Altamaha River originates at the confluence of the [[Oconee River]] and [[Ocmulgee River]], near [[Hazlehurst, Georgia|Hazlehurst]]. At its source, the Altamaha River forms the border between [[Jeff Davis County, Georgia|Jeff Davis County]] to the south and [[Montgomery County, Georgia|Montgomery County]] to the north. Bullard Creek Wildlife Management Area occupies the southern floodplain of the river's first few miles, after which the river marks the boundary between [[Toombs County, Georgia|Toombs County]] to the north and [[Appling County, Georgia|Appling County]] to the south. On the north side, Toombs County gives way to [[Tattnall County, Georgia|Tattnall County]], in which the [[Ohoopee River]] joins the Altamaha. The Big Hammock Wildlife Management Area and Big Hammock Natural Area are located along the Altamaha at the Ohoopee confluence. [[Big Hammock Natural Area]] is a [[National Natural Landmark]] site, noted for its ecological biodiversity and many rare plant species, including Georgia plume. Below Big Hammock, the tributary Beards Creek joins the Altamaha River from the north, after which the river marks the border between [[Long County, Georgia|Long County]] to the north and [[Wayne County, Georgia|Wayne County]] to the south. The Altamaha passes through Griffin Ridge Wildlife Management Area before flowing by Doctortown, near [[Jesup, Georgia|Jesup]]. A wide and swampy floodplain surrounds the river in this area. Several miles below Doctortown Long County gives way to [[McIntosh County, Georgia|McIntosh County]] on the north side of the river. From this point to the river's mouth there are numerous wildlife management areas. The Sansaville Wildlife Management Area lies on the south side of the river, while the Altamaha Wildlife Management Area lies on the north and extends down to the river's mouth at Altmaha Sound. Wolf Island National Wildlife Refuge occupies Wolf Island on the Atlantic coast, north of Altamaha Sound. In its last several miles, the Altamaha River marks the boundary between [[McIntosh County, Georgia|McIntosh County]] on the north and [[Glynn County, Georgia|Glynn County]] on the south. The city of [[Darien, Georgia|Darien]] lies just north of the Altamaha River's mouth. Several miles to the south lies the larger city of [[Brunswick, Georgia|Brunswick]]. [[St. Simons, Georgia|St. Simons Island]] lies on the south side of the Altamaha estuary.<ref>Course info mainly from {{cite book | title = Georgia Atlas & Gazetteer | year = 2001 | publisher = [[DeLorme]] | isbn = 0-89933-253-6}} and [http://www.topozone.com]</ref> The estuary of the Altamaha River, where fresh and salt water mix, is about 26 square miles (67 km²) in size, one of the largest intact, relatively undegraded estuary on the Atlantic coast.<ref name="georgia" /> == Natural history == Although used in the 19th century as a route for commerce between central Georgia and the coast, the river is nearly entirely still in its natural state, and was designated a [[bioreserve]] by [[The Nature Conservancy]] in 1991. Over 100 rare or endangered species may be found in the river basin, and the delta is a major stopover for many species of migratory birds. The Altamaha River flows through a floodplain up to 5 miles wide (8 km) and consisting of some of the last remaining hardwood bottomlands and cypress swamps in the [[Southern United States|American South]]. As the river approaches the Atlantic Ocean it becomes a broad [[estuary]]. At least 120 species of rare or endangered plants and animals live in the Altamaha River watershed, including 11 species of pearly [[mussel]]s, 7 of which are [[Endemism|endemic]] to the Altamaha. The river basin also supports the only known example of [[Old growth forest|old growth]] [[Longleaf Pine]] and [[Black oak]] forest in the United States. Other notable species include [[Shortnose sturgeon]], [[Atlantic sturgeon]], [[West Indian manatee]], Eastern indigo snake ([[Drymarchon]] couperi), Greenfly orchid, and Georgia plume.<ref name="nature" /> The unusual [[Franklinia|Franklin tree]] (Franklinia alatamaha), now extinct in the wild, was found by [[William Bartram]] along the Altamaha River in 1765. Bartram sent seeds from the trees to England and planted some in [[Bartram's Garden|his garden]] in Philadelphia.<ref name="georgia" /> == History == In prehistoric times the [[Timucua]] people occupied northern Florida and a portion of Georgia reaching as far north as the Altamaha River. The [[Utinahica]] tribe lived along the river and the Spanish mission of [[Santa Isabel de Utinahica]] was established around 1610 near the source of the Altamaha. Along the coast of [[Spanish Florida]] the Altamaha River marked the boundary between the [[Guale]] and [[Mocama]] missionary provinces. In the later 17th century a group of [[Yamasee]] Indians under Chief Altamaha took up residence near the mouth of the Altamaha. The Altamaha River marked the western border of the [[Province of Georgia|Colony of Georgia]] until the [[American Revolution]] and therefore the western border of the [[English people|English]] settlement in North America. It also marked the boundary between the Spanish missionary provinces of [[Guale]] and [[Mocama]]. The name comes from a Yamasee chief named Altamaha. In 1770, [[Oliver Goldsmith]] referred to the river in ''The Deserted Village'' (ll. 343 - 358): : "Through torrid tracts with fainting steps they go, : Where wild '''Altama''' murmurs to their woe. : Far different there from all that charm'd before, : The various terrors of that horrid shore; : Those blazing suns that dart a downward ray, : And fiercely shed intolerable day; : Those matted woods where birds forget to sing, : But silent bats in drowsy clusters cling; : Those poisonous fields, with rank luxuriance crown'd, : Where the dark scorpion gathers death around; : Where at each step the stranger fears to wake : The rattling terrors of the vengeful snake; : Where crouching tigers wait their hapless prey, : And savage men more murderous still than they: : While oft in whirls the mad tornado flies, : Mingling the ravag'd landscape with the skies." In 2004, filmmaker [[Les Stroud]] taped an episode of his show ''[[Survivorman]]'' in the swamps of the Altamaha basin. == See also == * [[List of rivers in Georgia (U.S. state)]] * [[Altamaha-ha]] == References == {{reflist}} == External links == * [http://www.altamahariverkeeper.org/ Altamaha Riverkeeper] * [http://www.altamahariver.org Altamaha River Partnership] * [http://www.altamahariver.net www.altamahariver.net] * [http://lmer.marsci.uga.edu/altamaha.html Watershed land use map] [[Category:Rivers of Georgia (U.S. state)]] [[de:Altamaha River]] [[fr:Altamaha]]