What was once the highest and most spectacular waterfalls south of Atlanta has been reduced to a small drop of less than 10 feet, falling into a sinkhole that is rapidly filling up with mud and debris washed in by periodic flood seasons.
But it is not too late to save this precious natural wonder and preserve its beauty for future generations. It could also be utilized by the State to help bring a new age of economic progress to this region.
Both the State Geologists of Georgia and Florida have confirmed that the sinkhole could be dug out easily. Then the cave entrance at the bottom of the sink could be reopened by cleaning out the logs, mud and debris that has silted it up over the last 150 years. The stream water would then be able to flush out the passages within the cave and return the site to its former condition.
It may sound like a big job but excavating the huge sinkhole would be one of the easiest parts of restoring this site. Georgia and Florida State Geologists agreed with each other that it would be a simple task to dredge out the sink. The fill could in turn be used in construction of a dam upstream.
Once the sink has been cleaned out of the tons of soil and debris, the sink itself can then be restored. The upper part of the sink which is red clay and loamy soil, should be reinforced with iron beams and sections should be covered with gunnite cement with small amounts of limestone and larger limestone boulders mixed in. This will help stabilize the upper dirt walls and prevent landslides.
This can be done in a manner to make the cement appear as natural limestone: by adding small pieces of limestone as well as larger boulders, it will help recreate what the lower reaches of the sink once looked like. Sections all around the walls should be planted in fern and moss.
The cave entrance at the bottom should be cleaned out as far inside as possible. No one today knows what this entrance might be like but it may be sizeable enough to offer a trail into the cave itself.
The stream bed feeding the falls would be restored by replanting to stop future erosion. The wetlands along the stream could be restored with swamp flowers, magnolias, live oaks, cypress, cedar, dogwood, redbud, wild flowers and undergrowth to recreate the virgin forest that once covered the area. The plantings would stop the rampant flooding and erosion that now plagues the sinkhole.
An upstream pond must be constructed to control flow, assuring water for the falls during drought periods and help prevent erosion. It should be situated at the origin of the small stream, lying east of a county road and within a shallow U shaped area at the crest of the escarpment area. This storage pond will necessarily be small because of the site itself. It would not be large enough to provide water during drought periods. It would not be difficult to provide a water well here to provide an additional and reliable source. A second pond could be built just downstream from this site.
Sink area following heavy rain that filled the sink with water (and more mud). A Bainbridge visitor stands looking into the sink, just above a log in the center of the photo (with his reflection beneath the log). The falls are located out of sight to the right and several yards from where the young man stands.
This once magnificent falls can be restored--with your help. Contact your Georgia state representative and state senator and Governor Barnes and urge them to create a state park for this area and restore these natural treasures to their former glory. Urge them to establish a state park here to preserve these natural treasures and bring new jobs to our region.
You can send a message to Georgia Governor Barnes and let him know of your support. Take time to send him and the Georgia Parks Division and Tourist Division a note.
These are links to their contact pages:
Georgia Governor
State Parks Division
Division of Tourism
Continued on Part 4
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