ATLANTA - The Altamaha River, which drains about a quarter of Georgia, is ranked seventh on a list of the 11 most endangered rivers in the nation, according to the advocacy group American Rivers. <br>
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The Altamaha is formed by the convergence of the Ocmulgee and Oconee rivers at Lumber City in south Georgia. It flows about 140 miles to the coast, south of Darien. <br>
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The river was nominated for the endangered list by the Georgia Rivers Network and the Altamaha Riverkeeper. In previous years, the Chattahoochee and Etowah rivers and the Chattahoochee-Flint-Apalachicola river basin have all made the list. <br>
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The list is not of the dirtiest rivers but those with recently identified threats that could be addressed in the near future, said Ellen Sutherland, Georgia Rivers Network executive director. <br>
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This year's list also includes the Apalachicola River, formed by the confluence of Georgia's Flint and Chattahoochee rivers at the Florida state line. It's No. 11. <br>
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The Altamaha drains into an estuary that is a rich fishing ground. But signs of degradation already are apparent, said Gail Krueger, Altamaha Riverkeeper communications director. <br>
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``There has been an absolute nosedive of fish and blue crab in this estuary,'' Krueger said. One reason for the decline is less freshwater, which allows saltwater incursion. ``We don't know how much of this is drought and how much of this is decreased water flow'' due to withdrawals upstream, she said. <br>
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Krueger said five reservoirs and several power plants are planned or already have been permitted that would affect the Altamaha, Krueger said. <br>
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Other rivers on this year's list are: 1. Missouri River; 2. Big Sunflower in Mississippi; 3. Klamath in California, Oregon; 4. Kansas in Kansas; 5. White in Arkansas; 6. Powder in Wyoming; 8. Allagash in Maine; 9. Canning in Arkansas; 10. Guadalupe in Texas.
