GEORGIA — The city of Atlanta is launching an independent investigation after thousands of fish were found dead along a stretch of the Chattahoochee River following severe flooding last month.
The Atlanta Department of Watershed Management announced it has retained Brown and Caldwell, an engineering and consulting firm, to conduct an independent evaluation of operations at the West Area Combined Sewer Overflow (CSO) Tunnel Treatment Facility and its associated tunnel system.
The investigation comes after one of the largest fish kills reported on the river in years. Environmental groups found thousands of dead fish and riverbanks coated in black sludge along a 20-mile stretch downstream of the Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area.
According to officials and environmental advocates, flash flooding caused sewage to overflow into the river, significantly reducing oxygen levels in the water. The resulting conditions caused fish in the affected section of the river to suffocate.
The city said the independent review will examine rainfall conditions, system performance during the storm event, and the source of the sludge residue found along the riverbanks. Investigators will also determine whether the conditions were directly related to the storm or influenced by other factors.
In addition, the review will include recommendations aimed at improving operations, maintenance procedures and system readiness.
“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,” Watershed Commissioner Greg Eyerly said.
The Georgia Environmental Protection Division is also conducting its own investigation into the incident.
The fish kill was first reported in May and has drawn significant attention from environmental organizations, including the Chattahoochee Riverkeeper, which described the event as one of the worst fish kills the river has experienced in years.
