Question 1

Is it safe to shoot the Hooch?

Accepted Answer

It depends on current E. coli levels along the stretch you're floating. This site checks three USGS BacteriALERT monitoring stations in the Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area and shows which sections look clean or poopy right now.

Question 2

What is the Chattahoochee River water quality today?

Accepted Answer

See the live verdict at the top of this page. We track E. coli — the main bacteria indicator for swimming and tubing — at three USGS stations along the CRNRA. Levels at or below 235 cfu/100 mL are considered low risk; above that, the river is more likely to make you sick.

Question 3

Is it safe to shoot the Hooch today?

Accepted Answer

Check the live verdict at the top of this page. We pull hourly E. coli estimates from USGS sensors at Medlock Bridge, Powers Ferry, and Paces Ferry — the main tubing corridor through Atlanta's CRNRA.

Question 4

Is the Chattahoochee River safe for tubing or swimming today?

Accepted Answer

Bacteria levels change, especially after rain. We compare live USGS E. coli estimates against the EPA beach action value (235 cfu/100 mL) at three stations so you can see if the river looks clean, mixed, or poopy before you get in.

Question 5

Should I check Chattahoochee River weather or bacteria levels?

Accepted Answer

Both matter, but they measure different things. A sunny forecast doesn't guarantee clean water — rain upstream can spike E. coli for days. Use this site for bacteria levels and a weather app for storms, lightning, and air temperature before you shoot the Hooch.

Question 6

What E. coli level is safe for tubing?

Accepted Answer

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.

Question 7

Where does the bacteria data come from?

Accepted Answer

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.

Question 8

What parts of the Chattahoochee River does this cover?

Accepted Answer

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).

Question 9

How often is the data updated?

Accepted Answer

USGS estimates update roughly every 15 minutes. This site refreshes its cache hourly to stay current without hammering the government servers.

Is the Hooch poopy?

River map

Monitoring stations