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Our Little River By Katherine Baker
One of the highest honors our Little River holds is being federally designated as an Outstanding National Resource Water (an ONRW). Its pristine quality makes it one of the cleanest rivers in the nation. Formed from underground springs that run miles into the earth, Little River's water bubbles to the surface untouched by pollutants. Because of the spectacular value it holds. Additional Information |
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| About the Lookout Mountain Heritage Alliance |
Teaming with wildlife and greenery, Little River's crystal clear waters twist and turn nearly 53 miles atop Lookout Mountain before plunging over one hundred feet to form Desoto Falls. Awing even the greatest of nature enthusiasts, it is recognized worldwide for many reasons.
The ONRW classification provides the strictest protection allowed under the Clean Water Act. The state can allow “No degradation of existing water quality”. This added protection helps protect the fish and plant species in the area, such as the endangered Blue Shiner, Kral's Water Plaintain, Green Pitcher Plant and Harperella. Aside from the endangered species, Little River also shelters Rainbow Trout, Redeye Bass, Large and Small Mouth Bass and Bream.
Little
River also has the distinctive characteristic of being the only known
river in this hemisphere to flow completely on top of a mountain. It was
formed at the end of the Paleozoic era by the same earth shifts that
formed the Appalachians. This is unique because a large portion of river
paths are slowly cut out by the flow of water. Little River's path was
already created by shifts in the earth's plates. When the pressure in
the earth built to the point that steam must be released, the water
found its way to the surface and continued along the path of the
mountain fold. After Little River drops off Lookout Mountain, it empties
into Weiss Lake and becomes one of the major tributaries for another
Alabama river, the Coosa River. Little River exudes a crisp and clean
beauty found rarely anywhere on Earth. Its mystical quality provides a
heavenly experience for all who witness it. The responsibility of
preserving this awesome gift from nature falls upon each and every one
of us. If we take this responsibility seriously, generation after
generation will be able to take part in this incredible Little River.