The Upper South River from Moreland Road to Bouldercrest Road, a distance of approximately 3.4 miles. View Map

By Suzanne Welander

The author manuvers in swift water on Atlanta’s Upper South River. She reports seeing more wildlife, deer incuded, along the banks of this metro Atlanta stream than on most of her other river trips on more remote areas of Georgia.

Mothers Day 2008 wind-whipped us into a tailspin. Yes, we had just experienced a more substantial rainfall than any in recent memory, but with the 30+mph winds out of the west, our plans for a day paddling appeared dead until we remembered the due east heading of the nearby South River. The closest whitewater run to our house, the South also serves as the conduit for much of Atlanta’s (hopefully) treated sewage.  How bad could it be? With a tailwind at our backs, we loaded the boats and drove five miles to find out.

Once beyond the littered access points, the river was surprisingly pretty and pleasant. The trash that littered the banks near the put-in quickly receded; and as we headed into the Constitution Lakes area, the scenery became increasingly remote and we saw more wildlife than on most other river trips, deer included. The rapids are infrequent, jagged, Class I-II affairs that liberated a not-overpowering aroma while aerating the water; otherwise, the smell was kept at bay. Not bad at all.

The saga of the South River, Atlanta’s “other” river, is full of twists and turns. Born in the city streets near the state capitol and Zoo Atlanta, many of the river’s sources literally crawl underground through a combined sewage/stormwater system before the river emerges to flow southeast through DeKalb, Rockdale, and Newton Counties on its way into Lake Jackson. Despite its urban roots, the river’s shores are at times thickly wooded, even in its upper reaches. Plans are in place for improving the water quality by separating Atlanta’s sewage from run-off, at the same time that forested land adjoining the river is being acquired for preservation as public green space. Though far cleaner than it was in the early 1990s, the river is best enjoyed in the cooler months and not after heavy rains.

DESCRIPTION: Tree-lined and intimate, the northernmost stretches of the South River run through a narrow wooded valley, skirt some exposed bluffs, and wind along the base of several tall, gumdrop-shaped granite outcroppings that include Panola and Arabia Mountains. Evidence of habitation and development are common along the South River but somewhat surprisingly do not occur in sufficient concentration to spoil the wilderness beauty of the stream. The Arabia Mountain Heritage Area encompasses 2,000 acres of land at the top of this run, with plans to purchase additional acres to further preserve the river corridor.

SHUTTLE: From I-20 east of downtown Atlanta, take exit #60 and head south on Moreland Avenue. After passing Constitution Road, watch for the river ahead. We unloaded on the shoulder of the north-bound lanes, and parked the car in a trucking business’ lot across the highway. To get to the take out, head north on Moreland, and turn right onto Constitution Road. Continue as the road merges with Bouldercrest and makes a 90-degree turn to the right. After crossing I-285, turn left at the first paved road that parallels the river. We took out at the waterway sediment removal site ahead.

GAUGE: The USGS website provides levels for the South River at Klondike Road. The minimum runnable level is 400 cfs; maximum is up to flood stage. A gauge is also located in the river at Butler Bridge Road.

Tags: South

This entry was posted on Monday, March 30th, 2009 at 5:23 am and is filed under Altamaha Watershed, Canoe Trips, Upper South. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.