Tallapoosa Watershed
Challenges and Successes
Challenges
Located one hour west of Atlanta, the Upper Little Tallapoosa watershed in Carroll County, Georgia provides drinking water to the cities of Carrollton, Temple, and Villa Rica. Carroll County is currently experiencing rapid growth, a proliferation of on-site septic systems and intensive agriculture, which has led to water quality problems with high levels of fecal coliform, sediment and organics.
Successes
Citizens passed a special purpose local option sales tax by an overwhelming (67%) majority in the November 2003 election, raising $20 million to pay for land conservation that protects source water and an additional $60 million for other capital projects, including improved wastewater management.
The Trust for Public Land, working with Carroll County, secured an option on a critically important 252-acre forested parcel that was slated for conversion to a large residential subdivision. The parcel protects 3,600 feet of the Little Tallapoosa River and a large wetland at the confluence of several smaller tributaries. Increased attention on the potential problems associated with animal agriculture and timber harvesting led to an agreement to form an Agricultural and Woodlot Owners Council to improve BMP design and implementation.
In addition, funding has been secured through Section 319 to hire a watershed inspector to enforce soil erosion and sediment control regulations, which will help to reduce turbidity, nutrient loading, and the precursors of disinfection by-products.
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