Conasauga River

The '''Conasauga River''' is a [[river]] that runs through southeast [[Tennessee]] and northwest [[Georgia (U.S. state)|Georgia]]. The Conasauga River is {{convert|93|mi}} long and is home to 90 species of fish and 25 species of freshwater mussels. The Conasauga River watershed encompasses over {{convert|500000|acre|km2}} in two states, multiple counties, and two ecologically different regions. == River location and natural information == The Conasauga River is the most westerly [[trout]] water on public land in Georgia. At its core is the {{convert|35268|acre|km2|sing=on}} [[Cohutta Wilderness]], located in [[Fannin County, Georgia|Fannin]], [[Gilmer County, Georgia|Gilmer]], and [[Murray County, Georgia|Murray]] counties in Georgia and [[Polk County, Tennessee|Polk County]] in Tennessee and managed by the [[United States Forest Service]] as part of the [[Chattahoochee National Forest]] and [[Cherokee National Forest]]. The preserve covers over {{convert|95000|acre|km2}} and contains approximately {{convert|15|mi|km}} of the Conasauga. The waters yield wild [[rainbow trout]] and [[brown trout|wild browns]], with rainbows up to {{convert|20|in}} and browns to {{convert|9|lb}}. The managed land is populated by [[white-tailed deer]], wild [[Hog (swine)|hog]]s, [[American black bear|black bear]]s, and smaller animals. The only road access to the Conasauga is found via Old GA 2, GA 2, and Carlton Petty Rd. Access via foot trail is located on FS 64 in Betty Gap. Three other trails descend from the west off FS 17 to intersect the river trail. From south to north they are the Chestnut Lead, {{convert|2.0|mi}}, Tearbritches Trail, {{convert|4.0|mi}}, and Hickory Creek Trail, {{convert|3.0|mi}}. Primitive [[camping]] is allowed all along the river. The Conasauga River is: * Home to more than 90 fish species, including 12 Federally listed species of fish and mussels. * Historically, home to 42 species of freshwater mussels, of which 25 species still exist. It is estimated that only 1% of original population remains. * Category 1 priority watershed in the state’s Unified Watershed Assessment. of the river and {{convert|54|mi}} of the tributaries are on Georgia’s List of Impaired Waters for fecal, metal, toxic chemical, sediment, and nutrients. * One-third of the summer flow taken in vicinity of [[Dalton, Georgia]], for carpet production. * Contaminated with [[perfluorinated compounds]] used to make carpets stain-resistant. * The only river in Tennessee not a part of the Mississippi River Watershed. ==Variant names== According to the [[Geographic Names Information System]], Conasauga River has also been known historically as: * Connasauga River * Connesauga River * Conne-san-ga River * Slave River * Jacks River ==External links== * [http://www.nature.org/wherewework/northamerica/states/georgia/preserves/art7310.html The Conasauga River - The Nature Conservancy] {{coord missing|Georgia (U.S. state)}}