Coosa River Basin Initiative
PROTECT | PRESERVE | RESTORE
Programs and results
What we aim to solve
We take a watershed approach to the protection and restoration of the upper Coosa River and its tributaries. This means we keep an eye on land use, industrial permits (stormwater, LAS, and discharge), development, and municipal water systems contained in a 5500 sq. mi. drainage basin. We work to improve water quality in our waterways through Education, Restoration, Advocacy, and Water Monitoring.
Our programs
What are the organization's current programs, how do they measure success, and who do the programs serve?
Education
In and out of the classroom for Pre-K all the way up to adults.
Restoration
Working with a diverse group of partners, CRBI helps to restore our waterways through cleanups, tree plantings in riparian buffers, implementation of best management practices with farmers, propagation and reintroduction of freshwater mussels, and large culvert removal and replacement.
Advocacy
We advocate for laws and discharge permits that do a better job protecting the public's right to access clean water.
Water Monitoring
Our network of volunteer water quality monitors collect physical data on our waterways throughout the year and bacterial data at popular boat ramps when folks are out paddling.
Where we work
External reviews
Photos
Videos
Our results
How does this organization measure their results? It's a hard question but an important one.
Total pounds of debris collected
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Increasing
Context Notes
Pounds of trash removed from our waterways.
Number of donations made by board members
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Type of Metric
Other - describing something else
Direction of Success
Increasing
Context Notes
Percentage of board contributing financially
Number of unique website visitors
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Increasing
Context Notes
Unique users on website
Our Sustainable Development Goals
Learn more about Sustainable Development Goals.
Goals & Strategy
Learn about the organization's key goals, strategies, capabilities, and progress.
Charting impact
Four powerful questions that require reflection about what really matters - results.
What is the organization aiming to accomplish?
Our ultimate goal is clean water for all in the upper Coosa River basin - clean water for drinking, playing, manufacturing, and more.
Specifically in our basin, we work toward the following:
-healthy and sustainable management of our lakes so new reservoirs are not needed
-removal and reduction of sediment in our waterways from poor development practices
-reduction of nutrient loading from agriculture runoff and municipal water plants
-reduction of industrial pollution (coal ash impacts, PFAS, etc)
-improvements in river access and water trail signage
-improved awareness in water issues among residents that live in the basin
-more protective laws that support everyone's rights to access and enjoy clean water
What are the organization's key strategies for making this happen?
We utilize Education to help bring up the next generation of river protectors by teaching children about our waterways, the critters that live here, and the threats that our rivers face. Our in (and out of) school programs highlight the upper Coosa River basin's incredible biodiversity. Whenever possible, we like to take the classroom outside and get down into streams to find the life there. We also work with partners at local colleges to create documentaries and lesson plans that deal with local pollution issues.
Restoration projects can have some of the largest impacts on water quality while allowing us to work with an incredibly diverse group of partners. These projects range from cleanups on the small end to farm best management practices (such as fencing cattle out of a headwater stream) in the middle to larger projects like culvert removal and replacement to restore fish passage. Our projects frequently include riparian buffer restoration.
Through Advocacy, CRBI is able to use its expertise to punch above its weight. We help tackle local water issues by pulling in experts and addressing citizens' concerns. We aim to work with and alongside municipalities and employers in an effort help shape development in the basin in a sustainable way. Our position on the Leadership Team of the Georgia Water Coalition allows us to have a statewide voice and meaningful impact on state laws that improve water quality and access for everyone in Georgia.
Finally, we train and organize a team of volunteers that help us capture water quality data across the basin utilizing the Georgia Adopt-A-Stream database. Our volunteers typically collect physical data (pH, dissolved oxygen, temperature, and conductivity at their testing locations once a month. During the nicer months of the year, we conduct bacterial testing at popular boat ramps and publish the results in local newspapers so paddlers can identify safe times and locations to paddle.
What are the organization's capabilities for doing this?
While CRBI has a very small staff, our large network of volunteers, supporters, and professional associations allow us to punch above our weight. Our staff and board represent decades of experience managing nonprofits, working on water issues, managing restoration projects, advocating for better laws at the Capitol, and fundraising. When our own in-house expertise is stretched, we have a number of professional associations that give us access to a vast library of shared knowledge. We are a member of:
-Waterkeeper Alliance (international alliance of Waterkeepers working to protect water globally)
-Georgia Water Coalition (consortium of over 260 organizations, companies, Riverkeepers, home owners associations, and faith-based groups all working for clean water in Georgia) - we serve on the Leadership and Legislative Teams
-Waterkeepers Alabama (collection of all of the Waterkeepers in Alabama)
-Upper Coosa Working Group (partnership with The Nature Conservancy, local RC&Ds, and state biologists to help prioritize and implement restoration projects in the basin)
-Adopt-A-Stream (network of volunteer water quality monitors in GA - we serve as a local coordinator)
What have they accomplished so far and what's next?
Here is a handful of some of our successes:
-helped pass Georgia's first-ever law regulating the practice of fracking (HB 205)
-elevated the subject of coal ash storage in the General Assembly and increased the appetite for laws that will meaningfully help protect Georgia's citizens from the leaking toxins in poorly stored coal ash
-removed hundreds of thousands of tons of trash from our waterways
-worked with several farmers to fence cattle our of headwaters and adopt other best management practices
-commented on and influenced hundreds of pollution discharge permits
-taken tens of thousands of people on paddle trips across the river basin
Coming up we aim to:
-continue reducing erosion and sedimentation by working with local governments and developers
-secure protective laws in Georgia governing the safe, dry storage of coal ash
-secure laws in Georgia setting clear testing and reporting requirements for PFAS
-pass constitutional amendment to allow for the dedication of environmental trust funds (currently being collected locally and then robbed at the Capitol by misappropriation)
Financials
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Operations
The people, governance practices, and partners that make the organization tick.
Connect with nonprofit leaders
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- Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
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Connect with nonprofit leaders
SubscribeBuild relationships with key people who manage and lead nonprofit organizations with GuideStar Pro. Try a low commitment monthly plan today.
- Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
- Access beautifully interactive analysis and comparison tools
- Compare nonprofit financials to similar organizations
Want to see how you can enhance your nonprofit research and unlock more insights? Learn More about GuideStar Pro.
Coosa River Basin Initiative
Board of directorsas of 04/16/2020
Doc Kibler
Frank Harbin
Connie Sams
Bill Carroll
Ben Amis
Blair Carter
James Lossick
Nina Lovel
Katie Owens
Bill Summer
Brad Swancy
Scott Thompson
Amos Tuck
Kikki Tucker
Board leadership practices
GuideStar worked with BoardSource, the national leader in nonprofit board leadership and governance, to create this section.
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Board orientation and education
Does the board conduct a formal orientation for new board members and require all board members to sign a written agreement regarding their roles, responsibilities, and expectations? Yes -
CEO oversight
Has the board conducted a formal, written assessment of the chief executive within the past year ? Yes -
Ethics and transparency
Have the board and senior staff reviewed the conflict-of-interest policy and completed and signed disclosure statements in the past year? Yes -
Board composition
Does the board ensure an inclusive board member recruitment process that results in diversity of thought and leadership? Yes -
Board performance
Has the board conducted a formal, written self-assessment of its performance within the past three years? Yes
Organizational demographics
Who works and leads organizations that serve our diverse communities? Candid partnered with CHANGE Philanthropy on this demographic section.
Leadership
The organization's leader identifies as:
Race & ethnicity
Gender identity
Transgender Identity
Sexual orientation
Disability
No data
We do not display disability information for organizations with fewer than 15 staff.
Equity strategies
Last updated: 02/24/2020GuideStar partnered with Equity in the Center - an organization that works to shift mindsets, practices, and systems to increase racial equity - to create this section. Learn more
- We have long-term strategic plans and measurable goals for creating a culture such that one’s race identity has no influence on how they fare within the organization.
- We engage everyone, from the board to staff levels of the organization, in race equity work and ensure that individuals understand their roles in creating culture such that one’s race identity has no influence on how they fare within the organization.