Apalachicola Watershed

Apalachicola River and Bay Watershed

The Apalachicola River and Bay system consists of the Apalachicola, Chattahoochee, and Flint rivers (ACF) basin, including the Apalachicola River and Bay watershed.  The watershed stretches from the southern Appalachian Mountains in Georgia to Apalachicola Bay and encompasses over 19,600 square miles.  The ACF Basin is widely recognized as among the most diverse, productive, and economically important natural systems in the southeastern United States.  Eighty-five percent of the basin resides in Alabama and Georgia; therefore, the hydrologic regime and water quality of the Chattahoochee and Flint rivers help define the physical and biological characteristics of the Apalachicola River.  The natural resources of the Apalachicola watershed are vital to the local economy.  The basin also provides habitat for approximately 86 fish species, 315 bird species, and 52 mammalian species.  Water and habitat quality within the Apalachicola River and Bay watershed have, to date, been protected by the largely forested and rural nature of the watershed.

The Apalachicola River lies exclusively within the lower Coastal Plain Physiographic Province.  In addition, it is the only river in Florida to have its headwaters in the southern Appalachian Mountains, and is first in magnitude of flow volume for the State of Florida, fifth in the Gulf of Mexico, and 21st in the nation.  The Apalachicola River is an alluvial river characterized by broad floodplains, variable seasonal flow, annual flooding, and a heavy sediment load.  The river is designated an Outstanding Florida Water (OFW), and Apalachicola Bay is designated an Aquatic Preserve and an OFW, and much of it is incorporated within the Apalachicola National Estuarine Research Reserve.  The entire watershed is a SWIM priority waterbody of the Northwest Florida Water Management District.

The dominant land cover throughout the watershed is silviculture, although other forest types, wetlands, and agriculture are also common across portions of the watershed (see Apalachicola Land Use Map – 2004).  The population density is relatively low, and there are eight municipalities within the watershed:  Marianna, Wewahitchka, Blountstown, Bristol, Apalachicola, Chattahoochee, Sneads, and Carrabelle.  A considerable amount of land within the basin is publicly-owned, with the majority in Franklin County.  The Apalachicola National Forest, Tates Hell State Forest, Apalachicola River Water Management Area, and the St. Vincent National Wildlife Refuge are significant components the public lands within the watershed.

Additional information on this watershed is available in the Apalachicola River and Bay SWIM Plan.