Is the Hooch poopy?

Partly poopy

Medlock Bridge & Powers Ferry are fine. Avoid Paces Ferry.

The river
not poopy poopy put-in

The spots

Learn more

We read the E. coli levels at three spots on the Chattahoochee so you know if the water's gross before you get in. Over 235 cfu/100 mL = poopy by EPA standards.

Is it safe to tube the Chattahoochee River?

"Shoot the Hooch" means floating or tubing down the Chattahoochee River through Atlanta. Before you grab a tube, it helps to know if the water's gross. This site pulls live E. coli estimates from the USGS BacteriALERT program at three stations in the Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area (CRNRA).

Where we check

  • Medlock Bridge — Upstream (Norcross / Duluth area)
  • Powers Ferry — Middle (Sandy Springs / I-285 area)
  • Paces Ferry — Downstream (Atlanta / Vinings area)

Popular put-ins like Jones Bridge, Garrard's Landing, and Powers Island fall along this stretch. Over 235 cfu/100 mL = poopy by EPA standards.

FAQ

Is it safe to shoot the Hooch today?
It depends on current E. coli levels. This site checks three USGS BacteriALERT monitoring stations along the Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area and tells you which sections look clean or poopy right now.
What E. coli level is safe for tubing?
The EPA beach action value is 235 colony-forming units per 100 mL. At or below that is considered low risk. Above that, bacteria levels are elevated and tubing or swimming is riskier.
Where does the bacteria data come from?
Readings come from the USGS BacteriALERT program, which estimates E. coli at Medlock Bridge, Powers Ferry, and Paces Ferry using turbidity and other sensor data. Lab samples are collected weekly, usually on Thursdays.
What parts of the Chattahoochee does this cover?
The three monitoring sites span the main tubing stretch of the CRNRA — upstream near Norcross (Medlock Bridge), mid-river at Sandy Springs and I-285 (Powers Ferry), and downstream near Atlanta and Vinings (Paces Ferry).
How often is the data updated?
USGS estimates update roughly every 15 minutes. This site refreshes its cache hourly to stay current without hammering the government servers.