St. Marys Riverkeeper 's important role

The St. Marys River is 130-miles long, winding through four counties in two states. That includes more than 60,000 residents who depend on the health of the river for tourism, recreation, commercial fishing, and safe drinking water. Wildlife and plant ecosystems rely on the continued cleanliness of the watershed, including 3,000 miles of streams and tributaries. To all individuals, families and businesses who care about the local and global environment, and specifically clean water, please support SMRK. With your help, the St. Marys River will remain healthy and beautiful.

What We Do

We protect and enrich the St. Marys River watershed and engage the community to keep our river pristine.

Get Involved

We need your financial support, your interest, your time, and your talents. Volunteer and become a Member.

Upcoming Events

Join us as we learn about, celebrate, and come together to protect our St. Marys River!

Cleanup Stokes Road

August 19, 2023 | 9:00a-11:00a

Our extensive Citizen Science water testing program is a powerful resource to protect our wonderful river.

Tracking water quality is a quantifiable tool that can either reassure us that the water is good or confirm that there is a problem and thus lead us upriver to find it.

WELCOME TO ST MARYS RIVERKEEPER

The St. Marys River is a pristine blackwater river which begins deep within the Okefenokee Swamp and flows 130 miles east along a twisting path into the Cumberland Sound and the Atlantic Ocean. Forming the border between Florida and Georgia, the river’s watershed, 40% wetlands, includes 3,000 miles of streams and tributaries in 2 states.

Founded in 2016, the St. Marys Riverkeeper organization is committed to protect our clean and beautiful river and watershed, engage the regional stakeholders and enrich the health and diversity of the ecosystem. We have a working focus on tracking water quality, a fact tool used to both confirm water quality AND identify possible problems.

Although we are young, St. Marys Riverkeeper now has a great track record of both identifying problems along the river AND helping to find solutions through education…engagement… and navigating tricky alternative funding sources when the problem is primarily financial. (see our septic tank stories and successes in grant programs)

As the 280th member of the international organization, Waterkeepers Alliance, we have access to tools and resources that governmental agencies may not have, but as a 501c3 Charitable Organization we must rely on membership dues, sponsors, and donations for our existence and work.

This is our shared environment, our pulsing echo of tides, and our source of rich life stories. Please join us and get involved with our programs, learn about our blackwater St. Marys River, and enjoy the many opportunities for adventure on our beautiful waters, marshes, and beaches

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