{"id":25205,"date":"2025-05-30T10:26:25","date_gmt":"2025-05-30T14:26:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/chattahoochee.org\/?p=25205"},"modified":"2025-08-28T11:31:47","modified_gmt":"2025-08-28T15:31:47","slug":"how-cuts-to-the-national-park-service-will-harm-the-chattahoochee-river","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/chattahoochee.org\/es\/blog\/how-cuts-to-the-national-park-service-will-harm-the-chattahoochee-river\/","title":{"rendered":"How cuts to the National Park Service will harm the Chattahoochee River"},"content":{"rendered":"

Continue scrolling or click here<\/a> to send a customizable message to your lawmakers.<\/em> <\/p>

May 30, 2025 | What if the Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area went away? What if the United States government sold public land to developers, states, cities, and counties?<\/p>

The Trump administration and Congress have proposed cutting $1 billion from the National Park Service budget \u2013 about 1\/3 of the agency\u2019s current budget. A reduction of that magnitude would be disastrous for the \u00c1rea recreativa nacional del r\u00edo Chattahoochee<\/a> (CRNRA) and Georgia\u2019s 10 other parks and monuments, and hundreds more across the United States.<\/p>

Slashing the budget would likely require closure of parks, cuts to staff, and reductions for trash pickup, trail maintenance, restroom cleaning, and public safety. After initial cuts of at least four staff positions in February, the CRNRA is already understaffed with less than two dozen park rangers to manage the 48-mile Park. <\/p>

It\u2019s more than just a park<\/strong> <\/p>

On August 15, 1978, President Jimmy Carter signed the legislation creating the Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area. This preserved a 48-mile stretch of the Chattahoochee upstream of Atlanta as a National Park, covering 7,000 acres of forested land. The Park provides essential buffers along our river that slow stormwater runoff, filter pollution, prevent erosion, and shade the river. \u00a0<\/p>

These benefits protect the drinking water supply for much of metro Atlanta; 70 percent of the area\u2019s drinking water is drawn from the Chattahoochee River just downstream of the Park. <\/p>

What\u2019s at stake<\/strong><\/p>

The National Park Service partners with CRK and the United States Geological Survey (USGS) on Alerta Bacteria<\/a>, which is essential to keeping the public safe and our river clean. When Fulton County\u2019s\u202fBig Creek wastewater plant quietly failed\u202fin June of 2023, water quality issues were first detected by BacteriAlert. The Park\u2019s staff provided critical help to CRK to find the source. The CRNRA rangers also issued a multi-week closure of the river that was essential to protecting the swimming, fishing, and paddling public from contacting contaminated water downstream of the plant. <\/p>

In addition to protecting Atlanta\u2019s drinking water, the CRNRA is one of the largest urban parks in the U.S. and holds 20 percent of metro Atlanta\u2019s greenspace<\/a>. Its numerous recreational benefits include:  <\/p>

\u2022 Fishing \u2013 one of only a few urban trout fisheries in the U.S. 
\u2022 Paddling \u2013 numerous boat ramps and outfitters that generate revenue for the park  
\u2022 Hiking \u2013 66 miles of trails across 15 land units 
\u2022 Wildlife habitat \u2013 home to bald eagles, river otters, trout, beavers, deer, and other native species<\/p>

The Park consistently ranks as one of the most popular in the country, at times receiving more annual visitors than the Grand Canyon or Yosemite. And not everyone is from Atlanta. According to one outfitter, 40% of kayak and tube rentals are from people who live in other places. In communities nearby, the Park supports over 2,000 jobs and generates over $161 million in revenue.<\/p>

Latest updates from Chattahoochee National Park Conservancy<\/a><\/div><\/div>
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TAKE ACTION<\/strong>: Cuts to the National Park Service\u2019s budget will threaten the CRNRA and endanger drinking water quality within the Chattahoochee River Basin. Public health, wildlife ecosystems, and the local economy are also on the line.

Contact your legislators <\/strong>and urge them to reconsider cuts to the National Park Service. Tell them to Protect our Parks! Fill out the customizable email message template below. <\/p>

To edit your message, fill out your contact information on the left and click \u201cedit messages.\u201d Your U.S. Senators and U.S. Representative will automatically populate once you fill out your address. For questions about this form, please contact Rosemary Pitrone at rpitrone@chattahoochee.org<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n