Chattahoochee River: Outside firm investigates Atlanta fish kill

ATLANTA - The Atlanta Department of Watershed Management hired an independent consulting firm to investigate a major fish kill along the Chattahoochee River following heavy rainfall last Wednesday, May 20.

Atlanta watershed investigation

What we know:

The city hired the engineering and consulting firm Brown and Caldwell to conduct an independent evaluation of system operations. Investigators are focusing on the West Area CSO Tunnel Treatment Facility and its associated tunnel operations after a massive storm hit the region last Wednesday, May 20. Commissioner Greg Eyerly stated that the utility has also launched an internal investigation to examine every aspect of its operations and determine if engineering measures failed during the intense rain event. 

The independent review will analyze the rainfall conditions, overall system performance, and the exact source of a reported sludge residue. This evaluation is moving forward in coordination with federal regulatory requirements under the city's Consent Decree and in collaboration with the Georgia Environmental Protection Division. Officials want to use concrete data to find the root cause of the environmental disaster and establish safeguards to make the city's assets more fail-safe. 

River damage facts

What we don't know:

Officials have not yet confirmed whether the toxic conditions that killed the fish are directly related to the storm or caused by other contributing factors. The city has not released a specific timeline for when Brown and Caldwell will complete the independent review or when the final data will be made public. 

Protecting local resources

What they're saying:

"We can only prevent what happens in the future by fully understanding what happened in the past," Eyerly said. "This independent review will help ensure we discover the root cause of the fish kill. We cannot rely on theory and speculation, we have to support our findings with data while identifying opportunities to strengthen system performance." 

Eyerly emphasized the high stakes for the local environment and community assets. "The protection of the Chattahoochee River is incredibly important to us, and we want to do everything within our power to protect our aquatic life and fish, and maintain our natural resources for everybody to use," Eyerly said.