Spring has sprung and it is an inspiring time to enjoy the beauty that our state has to offer – from the mountain laurel and rhododendrons in the North Georgia Mountains, to the azaleas in Atlanta neighborhoods, the cherry blossoms of Macon and fragrant star jasmine in the southern part of the state. There is much to explore and learn about as we celebrate Earth Day all month long at GPB.

One of Georgia’s natural resources that we are going to explore this spring is the Chattahoochee River, that begins as a tiny cold-water mountain stream in north Georgia and flows all the way to the Apilachacola Bay in Florida. The river drains an area of 8,770 square miles and is the most heavily used water source in Georgia.

Keep it looking beautiful by volunteering to help clean it up!  On Saturday, March 23 join forces with Chattahoochee Riverkeeper as they invite individuals and organizations throughout Georgia to Sweep the Hooch!  This annual event takes place at parks, tributaries and access points along the river.  Walk, wade or paddle along and clean up trash.  Last year volunteers removed 32 tons of trash throughout the watershed.  Information and registration can be found here. 

Join us at the Columbus Public Library on Tuesday, April 16 for a free community screening of Saving the Chattahoochee: The Story of the Women Who Defended the River a documentary film by Hal Jacobs. The filmmaker will be joined by representatives from Chattahoochee Riverkeeper, Finding the Flint and Columbus State University to provide insight on the project and other ways to be involved. Find more information here. Saving the Chattahoochee: The Story of the Women Who Defended the River will air on GPB on Monday, April 22 at 7pm.

The film highlights Sally Bethea, the founding director of Chattahoochee Riverkeeper.  In her book, Keeping the Chattahoochee, Bethea shares over twenty years of river conservation stories.  She was also interviewed by Peter Biello and Orlando Montoya for their Narrative Edge Podcast.  Listen to their conversation here, and get a copy of Sally’s book here.

If you’re looking for ways to explore Georgia water with children, look no further than GPB’s new virtual learning journey, Georgia Water.   This interactive, educational experience is aligned to science (as well as some social studies) standards for grades 3-8. Users learn about the water cycle, river basins in Georgia, natural events, how water impacts agriculture, hydropower, careers in the water industry, and so much more!  Read more about this exciting addition to our Virtual Learning Journey collection here.