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Georgia has 159 counties and a population of over 9 million people and growing (estimated for 2006 by the U.S. Census Bureau). The growing population of Georgia is placing increasing demands on water quality and quantity in Georgia, which has a direct effect on fishes and other aquatic life. Maintaining healthy aquatic and terrestrial communities is and will be a continuing difficulty for land managers to achieve. For a reference with Georgia's counties and watersheds used in our range maps, you can download an Adobe Acrobat version of the Georgia county map here.

Both the geology and ecoregions of Georgia have a defining feature that separates the northern two-thirds of the state from the southern third. The Fall Line is defined by the division between the Coastal Plain and the Appalachian Highland. The Coastal Plain is characterized by a flatter topography and more sandy soils. The Appalachian Highlands are characterized by a hillier terrain and more gravel and boulder substrate within the streams and rivers. The area along the Fall Line provides an elevational gradient along which many of the state's largest hydropower facilities occur. You can download an Adobe Acrobat version of the Georgia geology map here.

Georgia contains six Level III Ecoregions (Piedmont, Southeastern Plains, Blue Ridge, Ridge and Valley, Southwestern Appalachians, and the Southern Coastal Plain). These regions correspond with the geology and physiology of the state to provide differing terrestrial and aquatic environments that result in diversification of species. You can download an Adobe Acrobat version of the Georgia ecoregions map here. Different ecoregions can occur within the same watershed, resulting in increases to stream habitats and species diversity within a watershed (see the Watersheds page).