FALLS OF THE CHATTAHOOCHEE
Lower Chattahoochee River
Columbus, Georgia
The removal of two obsolete dams will improve the quality of the downtown experience drastically and provide provide new economic opportunities in Columbus, Georgia and Phenix City, Alabama - river neighbors, located halfway up their states’ shared border. They have already enhanced their riversides and uptown business cores, and now plan to revitalize their dwindling mill districts with destination whitewater recreation. Presently, the river is impounded by two dams: one unused, the other uneconomical to operate.
Complete dam removal will restore the river to its free-flowing state for the first time since 1828, exposing what the original river corridor offers, unmarred by bricks and flumes.
PROJECT CHALLENGES: The City of Columbus wants to enhance the river after the removal of hydroelectric dams, which have been in place since 1828. The projects objectives were to:
ATTRIBUTES OF THE DESIGN: The design recommendation includes significant restoration of a river that has not been visible in decades. The design will:
Link to Falls of the Chattahoochee on the web.