As part of the Altamaha Riverkeeper’s ongoing efforts to monitor pollution, I was honored to be able to make an aerial survey of its lower reaches in 2012, culminating in one of my photographs being featured on the front page of the Savannah Morning News. It was a great opportunity that allowed me to really understand the size of the river and its complex ecosystem.

Though it is a beautiful wilderness, especially when seen from the air, it’s among Georgia’s most polluted rivers. Georgia Power’s Plant Hatch on the Upper Altamaha in Appling County and Rayonier in Wayne County are the main culprits, but hopefully they will soon work harder to balance jobs and the environment. The jury is still out, but with legal actions being sought by Altamaha Riverkeeper, a cleaner river could be on the horizon.

The wildest stretches of the river can be found in McIntosh County as the river reaches its delta and finally the Atlantic Ocean.