Chattahoochee River Shoreline Restoration at Morgan Falls Overlook Park

SANDY SPRINGS, Ga. (May 16, 2022) — The City of Sandy Springs started work on a project to restore eroding shoreline on the Chattahoochee River at Morgan Falls Overlook Park.

Erosion typically occurs in the absence of plants. Natural vegetation creates root systems, which help prevent shoreline erosion by keeping soil in place. The City's preliminary erosion control efforts include bringing in 240 tons of field stone boulders to armor the shoreline.

"We are live staking among and above the boulders, so that vegetation can weather the environment and work in tandem with the stone to protect the shoreline and provide a vegetative, natural cover," said Steve Ciaccio, deputy director of the City's Recreation and Parks Department.

The City began restoration efforts after receiving required approvals from Georgia's Environmental Protection Division and the National Park Service to address the issue.

The sidewalk next to the Paddle Shack at Overlook Park where kayakers access the water will be closed during the project. The public can access the boat dock via the stairs on the north end of the park weekdays after 5 p.m. and throughout the weekend. The estimated project completion date is summer 2022.

The Chattahoochee River starts in the northeast corner of Georgia in the Appalachian Mountains and flows southwest through the metro Atlanta area. The river continues to form half of the border between Alabama and Georgia before emptying into Lake Seminole at the Florida–Georgia border. The river flows a total distance of 434 miles through Georgia, passing around the City of Sandy Springs before it reaches its destination.

The linear length of the Chattahoochee River that flows around the Sandy Springs city limits is 22 miles, with a very popular section of that stretch located at Overlook Park. Overlook Park is a 30-acre riverside park that includes picnic pavilions, a playground, hiking trails, a fire pit, scenic views, and a boat dock for kayaking and fishing.

The Chattahoochee River water levels at Overlook Park are controlled by Georgia Power at the Morgan Falls Hydro Plant, a dam located in Sandy Springs. This dam regulates peak flows from water upstream. Over the course of time, erosion has occurred on the shoreline of Overlook Park, specifically near and around the boat dock because of water levels rising and falling due to control efforts.

For more information, please visit our City of Sandy Springs official website, or call the Citizen Response Center at 770-730-5600. Follow breaking news and traffic alerts on Sandy Springs on Twitter and Sandy Springs on Facebook.

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Media Contact:
Jason Fornicola, Communications Director
jfornicola@sandyspringsga.gov
770-206-1473