Water supplies in Habersham County are the single most important natural resource shaping the future of this region. The increasing demands placed upon this finite resource require an increasingly complex understanding of rivers, tributaries and groundwater supplies.

The 319 Program is a federal grants program administered by Georgia’s Environmental Protection Division (EPD) that awards grants to municipalities and agencies for the purpose of assessing and addressing non-point sources of pollution.

The single biggest threat to the quality of surface and groundwater supplies within the U.S. is attributed to non-point sources (NPS) of pollution defined as:

Much of the Soque River basin has recently been added to the state’s list of impaired waters, due to the influence of non-point sources of pollution.

In order to better prepare for the future stewardship of the Soque Watershed Basin, as well as gaining a better understanding of the hydrology and the biotic integrity of this system, this grant sets out to perform a comprehensive assessment of the resource.

Results of this assessment would be provided to local government officials, planners, and other decision makers, thereby enhancing Habersham County’s ability to factually manage NPS pollution throughout the Soque River watershed (an estimated 74% of the County’s land area.)

The duration of the project will span three to five years, allowing for a broad range of climatic conditions and comparative sampling of the same sites.

The scope of the assessment will be developed by a technical advisory crew consisting of technical experts from local, state and federal agencies and public and private institutions.

The day to day activities of the project will be managed by the staff of the Soque River Watershed Association. Local partners of the project will provide support in administration, lab work, vehicle access, landowner relations, data sharing, educational programs, and data analysis.