St. Marys River watershed communities recover after a challenging 2024 hurricane season
With the 2024 hurricane season concluding, St. Marys Riverkeeper offers a look back at this year’s season, which proved challenging for the St. Marys River watershed. The season brought significant rainfall and wind, disrupting lives and ecosystems.
Hurricane Debby and Pre-Storm Heavy Rain: Prior to the arrival of Hurricane Debby, the watershed experienced unusually heavy summer rainfall, which placed significant strain on local wastewater systems. These conditions saturated the ground, filled retention areas, and challenged the capacity of area infrastructures.
Partially treated wastewater overflowed into tributaries of the St. Marys River in Fernandina Beach and City of St. Marys due to compounding rain events from July storms and Hurricane Debby in August. More than 10 inches of rain were predicted for Trail Ridge, with some neighboring counties receiving less and others more.
Hurricane Helene Impact: Arriving in late September, Hurricane Helene caused widespread flooding along the St. Marys River, affecting numerous habitats and increasing sediment loads. The inundation disrupted aquatic life, heavily impacted our watershed community with flooding, and led to substantial debris accumulation, which continues to affect water flow and quality.
Hurricane Milton Follows Shortly: Shortly after, Hurricane Milton compounded these challenges with further heavy rains, leading to additional flooding. This heightened concerns about runoff carrying pollutants and nutrients into the river system, potentially leading to algae blooms and further degradation of water quality.
Water Quality Concerns: The back-to-back impacts of these heavy rain events emphasized the need for vigilant monitoring of the River’s water quality. Increased levels of contaminants and suspended solids have been recorded, prompting concern for safety and environmental standards.
Looking Forward: With the support of local governments, environmental agencies, and community volunteers, St. Marys Riverkeeper is committed to the River’s health and resilience while supporting our local EMA teams with resources and expertise to help communities in need. Recovery projects are underway, focusing on habitat restoration, water quality improvements, and community engagement to increase awareness and preparedness.
“The resilience of our River and communities was tested this hurricane season but remains strong,” said Emily Floore, Executive Director of St. Marys Riverkeeper. “We urge community members to stay involved, stay informed, and support our efforts to protect the St. Marys River, not just during hurricane season but all throughout the year. Together, we can focus on the future health of our watershed, overcome challenges posed by natural disasters and ensure a sustainable future for our River and watershed communities.”
The St. Marys River originates in the Okefenokee Swamp and flows approximately 130 miles to the Atlantic Ocean, forming the boundary between Georgia and Florida. The nearly 2,300-square-mile watershed covers four counties, including Charlton and Camden counties in GA as well as Nassau, Baker and a small portion of Duval counties in FL. St. Marys Riverkeeper’s work impacts more than 200,000 people, ensuring the watershed remains a leading example of ecological integrity, shared stewardship, and enduring appreciation, protecting the St. Marys River now and for the future.
