Losing Slater Mill Creek

Slater Mill Creek flows near the heart of Douglas County, winding it's way south around granite until meeting up with Little Anneewakee Creek. The waters are cool to the touch, clear to see in places where one can rest on a rocky ledge. History tells us at one time the moving waters powered a grist mill near Timber Ridge Drive, a road traveled by many.

The recent years that have passed are showing signs of a neglected creek, one that has been damaged far too long by the purpose of progress. This post was originally an article done a few months ago, but due to site structural changes it will now be easier to access. Let's take a walk down Slater Mill Creek.

Overview

According to the last USGS topographical map from 1992, Slater Mill Creek begins about two miles north of Interstate 20 near Eastside Elementary. The creek travels southward underneath Fairburn Road where it begins to surface near Duralee Lane. The creek carves its way down into a valley where small rapids propel the water past Interstate 20 for about mile where it dumps into Little Anneewakee Creek.

Records dating back from 2002 by the Environmental Protection Agency show that State of Georgia designates Slater Mill Creek for the use of fishing. There were no indications that the water was in any way threatened.

The origin of the creek name comes from a grist mill owned and operated by James Presley. It is said that the mill was either named Slater or Presley, though the creek was named after the Slater mill whereas local roads reflect the names of both mill names. The location of the mill has been proclaimed to be east of Timber Ridge Drive where there is level ground along the creek’s banks.

Walking the Creek

The most notable spot on the creek is directly behind the Douglas County Courthouse where the creek descends down a set of rapids. A toppled tree lingers over the top of the rapids as it still grows from the natural moisture in the soil. Here the water is quite clear to a depth around three feet.

Main access to the creek would be directly behind the park and ride near the County Courthouse. One must trek down the incline where the first sets of rapids/falls are located. This area is fairly clear of trash, though there is graffiti on the some rocks. The water is fairly shallow is some places where crossing the creek can be done by walking on a few of the rocks.

A concrete channel makes the creek flow underneath Interstate 20 where it is possible to walk further downstream. Another way to access the creek is to drive to Slater Mill subdivision. Follow the main road to the far end at the cul-de-sac where a trail is present on a small crest or take the first left all the way to the end near the valley.

The creek runs between two small hills with a few tributaries adding to the flow. Crossing the creek becomes more treacherous due to the fast sinking sandbars and algae on the rocks amongst fallen trees and trash.

Also noticeable is the amount of vehicle tracks, truck and dirt bike, near the creek’s northern banks. On one occasion I did notice an off road pickup truck driving in the area which gained access by driving off of Timber Ridge Drive at the Plantation Pipeline access point.

On my personal walks around the creek I did not see any aquatic life in the water, though some local residents have stated that crawfish have been seen. Evidence of wildlife venturing down to the creek can be seen by some of the tracks left behind in the sandy banks and mud. The tracks resemble those from the American white-tailed deer, raccoons, geese and other birds.

Pollution

Once the creek flows underneath Interstate 20, the water becomes subject to pollution from various sources. The main indication of pollution is the amount of algae blooms scattered among rocks downstream. Algae blooms can occur in multiple ways, although pollution with the addition of constant sunlight produces blooms which decrease oxygen levels in the water. Less oxygen in the water means a decrease in aquatic life to survive.

Some pollutants could be coming from the County’s sewer lines that run parallel with the creek. Residents near the creek have spoke of times when the creek smelled like sewage. There is also a high amount of plastics, papers, tires, and other trash that is scattered within and about the area.

Also some building materials have been found near the creek which is likely coming from the Slater Mill subdivision development. Currently it looks as though there will be houses built near the creek from the indications of roads heading in that general direction. I have not personally witnessed any attempt to clean up the trash since visiting the creek multiple times.

Another potential problem is the appearance of an oily substance in springs and standing water near the creek. The water is discolored in a way which replicates petroleum in water. The oily substance could be coming from vehicles or dirt bikes. Also to note is that the Plantation Pipeline is in the area, though there is no evidence to suggest that the oily substance is coming from the pipeline.

Environmental damage

Besides the pollution, the creek is also suffering from fallen trees that are creating natural dams. Looking at the watershed one would notice that at some time the water was over four foot high in some places. Because of development from the Slater Mill subdivision, sediment is running into the creek from both banks. I personally counted three key spots where sediment was entering the water.

A surprise find was water sampling station that was in ill repair. The portable station is by Global Water Instrumentation, Inc and more information on the station can be found here. It is unlikely that the WSA would use the water sampling station because the WSA has water testing labs off of Chapel Hill Road.

It did not look as though plant life was fertile near the possible oil contamination area. This is also where the vehicle tracks were found which compounds the problem even more. There has been no viewable initiative to cleanup fallen debris or the creek for some time.

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