From the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge to the Atlantic Ocean, forming part of the Georgia-Florida border, the 130-mile St. Marys River flows – a blackwater river with tannin-rich waters and white sandbars whose fragile ecosystem faces threats from pollution and climate change. St. Marys Riverkeeper, founded in 2016, fights to protect this waterway and vulnerable communities including low-income residents and communities of color in cities like Kingsland, St. Marys, and Folkston who face severe risks from flooding, toxic contamination, and proposed mining near the Okefenokee Swamp. The organization mobilizes over 140 citizen scientists to monitor water quality at 50 sites and works directly with communities to eliminate pollution sources like failing septic systems. Their mission extends beyond environmental protection to environmental justice, ensuring that disadvantaged communities have clean water for drinking, recreation, and economic survival along this vital river system.
Extracting Refuse from the St. Marys River. Photo Courtesy of St. Marys Riverkeeper.
Executive Director Emily Floore leads St. Marys Riverkeeper with support from a 14-member board and passionate volunteers who make the organization’s grassroots approach possible. The group emerged from a community need to address water contamination affecting residents’ health and livelihoods along the river corridor. Notable successes include partnering with Camden County to replace 44 failing septic tanks, achieving a 92% reduction in harmful bacteria in Horsepen Creek, and securing over $600,000 in EPA funding for pollution cleanup projects. The organization has trained high school students as water monitors, installed living shorelines to protect coastal communities, and organized cleanups removing tons of trash. Their work directly benefits commercial fishing operations, residents, families, and riverine habitats that sustain more than 50 fish species – all of whom depend on clean water for survival.
St. Marys River. Photo Courtesy of St. Marys Riverkeeper.