Is the Hooch poopy?
Chattahoochee River water quality today · Atlanta, Georgia
Poopy all over
Stay out of the water today, or go poop the Hooch — it's the right thing to do.
Updated Aug 19, 5:46 AM. Based on E. coli readings at 3 USGS stations on the Chattahoochee.
River map
River color blends between monitoring stations downstream. Zoom in for put-ins.
Monitoring stations
USGS estimates, not gospel. Source (opens in a new tab)
- Medlock BridgeUpstream (Norcross / Duluth area)460 cfu/100 mL · above EPA limit (235)poopy
- Powers FerryMiddle (Sandy Springs / I-285 area)250 cfu/100 mL · above EPA limit (235)poopy
- Paces FerryDownstream (Atlanta / Vinings area)360 cfu/100 mL · above EPA limit (235)poopy
- Recent levels7 days, 30 days, and 4 months of E. coli trends
Learn moreEPA limits, USGS data, and tubing safety
We read the E. coli levels at three spots on the Chattahoochee River 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 shoot the Hooch?
"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 (opens in a new tab) program at three stations in the Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area (CRNRA).
Chattahoochee River water quality today
This page tracks live E. coli at three USGS BacteriALERT (opens in a new tab) stations along the main tubing stretch of the CRNRA. Check the verdict above for today's water quality before you float — bacteria can spike after rain even when the weather looks fine.
Chattahoochee River weather vs. water quality
People often search river weather before a float — but sunny skies don't always mean clean water. Rain upstream can spike bacteria for days. Check E. coli levels here before you shoot the Hooch; use a weather app for storms, lightning, and air temperature.
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?
- It depends on current E. coli levels along the stretch you're floating. This site checks three USGS BacteriALERT (opens in a new tab) monitoring stations in the Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area and shows which sections look clean or poopy right now.
- What is the Chattahoochee River water quality today?
- 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.
- Is it safe to shoot the Hooch today?
- 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.
- Is the Chattahoochee River safe for tubing or swimming today?
- 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.
- Should I check Chattahoochee River weather or bacteria levels?
- 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.
- 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 (opens in a new tab) 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 River 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.