This river stole another river's fish, thanks to a geologic event

A river's course seems like a constant feature in the landscape, but river systems can shift around over time. Rivers can even interact with one another in surprising ways, sometimes causing fish and other aquatic life to be redistributed into new regions. Understanding how river systems change their layout, however, requires a closer look at geologic process. The Savannah River system on the Georgia-South Carolina border is one river that has had a dynamic past, and the fish that live in it prove it. This video talks about how fish that should only live in rivers flowing to the Gulf of Mexico ended up in the Savannah, which flows to the Atlantic Ocean. Diagrams outline the processes through which rivers can interact and exchange species while also leaving notable marks on the surrounding landscape.

[@nothanks3236]

Fascinating. I'm a geology nerd in GA so it's nice to see a southeast-based geologist talking about geology down here.

[@TheGeoModels]

I'm trying to keep it rolling! Western US is well represented already.

[@steventhompson399]

Me too, although I moved to GA from MD so I'm not a native, but still, hearing about this phenomenon and this specific example was indeed fascinating, I'm in NE GA near the river too, maybe I'll visit the area sometime

[@nothanks3236]

@@steventhompson399 Ellicott Rock Wilderness is up there too, basically right at the junction of the GA-NC-SC border. Lot of good trails, and you can hike down to the river and see the actual rock carvings Ellicott made when surveying the borders back in the early 1800's. Ellicott was the original surveyor who officially demarcated the borders of Washington DC (you can still see some 36 marker stones around the original borders of DC set down by him and his team in 1791-92). He also completed Pierre L'Enfant's city plan for the layout of DC. He later taught Meriwether Lewis (of the Lewis & Clark Expedition) surveying methods. Some interesting history up there.

[@theodoresmith5272]

I bet some ponds have "acquired" these bass.

[@monorail4252]

Fossilized feathers where found near Columbus GA along the Chattahoochee.

[@johnlord8337]

Definitely love your geology drawings that make everything so visual and understandable - instead of just talking points.

[@TheGeoModels]

Thanks! I have a lot of fun doing them.

[@VinsonMusic]

You mention the ancient Tennessee River flowing south through Alabama. It would be interesting to see a video explaining why the river takes a sharp right bend at Guntersville, while the valley continues south for miles (Browns Valley).

[@Selmarya]

It was like “nope im not going down to Birmingham” 😂

[@TB-zw7dt]

I live in Tucker, Georgia. I am literally a couple of miles from the peak that spreads water to either the Gulf, or to the Atlantic. As far as geology, I am directly adjacent to Stone Mountain and about 11 miles from the Chattahoochee River/Brevard Faultline. The flora and fauna diversity here is amazing.

[@TB-zw7dt]

I.E. if you faced North from that point, to the left water flows to the Gulf, and to the right water flows to the Atlantic.

[@lairdhaynes1986]

​@@TB-zw7dt i believe that's called the Eastern Continental Divide. I used to live in Decatur and the ECD runs through/along/near DeKalb Ave/E. College near the East Lake Marta station.

[@Trendyflute]

Just wanted to say I found your channel maybe ~7 years ago and I'm really heartened to see your views blowing up recently, you really deserve it!!

[@TheGeoModels]

Thank you so much!!

[@sinkrust1]

You are a great teacher my friend! I loved your presentation! Thank you for sharing.

[@TheGeoModels]

Thank you so much!

[@bradleyroady599]

GA native here! Awesome work yet again

[@bradleyroady599]

Live along the Oconee-Altamaha system btw and would love a video at your convenience on the broader Altamaha system

[@TheGeoModels]

It's a good one! I hope you made it to the end of the vid where it got mentioned. I figured some Ocmulgee/Oconee/Altamaha folks were perturbed they weren't on the first river map!

[@evanyoung837]

I’m a civil engineer in GA that’s working on several distinct projects along the Chattahoochee. A significant portion of my work is designing erosion control measures to keep that river as healthy as possible, so super interesting to have this come across my feed. Keep up the good work!

[@user-ni9wb6lp9q]

i live in a community in SE Anderson county where my dad told me that the building of Highway 252 diverted a stream that used to flow on his land and into the Savanah river system but now eastward into the saludah system.

[@TheGeoModels]

Now that sounds interesting, for sure. Can you tell me where it is? Be very interested to see that one on a map!

[@ChristopherRucinski]

I would imagine that some kind of flooding event would be the force that ultimately caused the capture event

[@TheGeoModels]

Entirely possible that is what "pushes it over the line," so to speak. Almost happened in the big flood in western NC in August 2021. The Pigeon River is close to getting captured by Hominy Creek, and the Pigeon flooded so significantly that it nearly overflowed the divide. In 1949 a stream did overflow a divide during a flood in the western Virginia Mountains. If you had a big one, presumably the big discharge would accomplish a large amount of headward erosion quickly and bring things closer to an actual connection. Crazy to think about.

[@ChristopherRucinski]

@@TheGeoModels wow, that is remarkably close to actually happening. But it seems like it's a Scooby Doo mask revealing event... "And I would have caused a capture event if it weren't for your pesky little Canton town!" Jokes aside, it has got me thinking, if Canton town wasn't located there (I assume that is the correct town name), how exactly would a capture event actually play out over time? I completely understand *given* a water supply further upstream, we would see gorge-type erosion, over time, along steeper areas of the stream. This would deepen the stream and push the steeper part of the stream more upstream. This seems to make sense. But assuming a naive capture event scenario where gorge-style erosion is creeping closer and closer to another stream, the water has to come from somewhere. You won't see a magical stream of water start which is slowly being pushed backwards (like in the previous paragraph) until it connects with the other stream. This is why I believe flooding seems so much more likely to be the final push. The only other way I can possibly see it is if there is some kind of oxbow-like erosion of a stream that just happens to connect causing a capture event. So assuming Canton town wasn't there, what are some of the hypotheses for how there would be a complete capture event?

[@amidd_outdoors]

Incredibly fascinating stuff. From what I’ve studied, Bartrams are the only redeye variant that can readily survive and reproduce in flat water. The rest of them stay mainly in the shoals and current. But Barts are occasionally caught from Hartwell proper.

[@rcarmichael7582]

We catch red eye bass in the West Fork Little River on top of lookout mountain, Mentone Alabama. They have white tips on their fins. It’s a very rocky river

[@colinlevis7153]

I so appreciate someone focusing on geology East of the Mississippi. Keep up the good work

[@TheGeoModels]

More to come! Thanks so much for watching. Lots of good stuff going on over here, even if it is covered in trees!

[@Glaudge]

Good example why the idea that specific fields e.g. geology, biology, chemistry are their own thing isolated from other fields is not a good idea

[@TheGeoModels]

They aren't, for sure. Honestly, in research/academic geology today, you almost have to have some crossover. I think folks have realized that what takes ideas and actually makes them useful and applicable.

[@parkerlongbaugh6625]

I am glad I came across your channel recently and have enjoyed your presentations. Your ability to explain complex topics combined with a pleasant delivery is entertaining and informative. I would imagine in a few years a new post grad will comment it was your channel which inspired them.

[@TheGeoModels]

I hope so! Thanks so much for the kind words!

[@cwf081166]

The Etowah goes north like the Chattahoochee, and the headwaters at one point are a mile apart.

[@TheGeoModels]

Might be the next fish stealing spot sometime down the road! Chattahoochee is like a railroad track through that part of Georgia. One of the skinniest river basins around.

[@cwf081166]

@@TheGeoModels I am wrong. The river I thought was the Chattahoochee is the Chestatee River. Where the Chestatee enters Lake Lanier and above the headwaters looks larger than the Etowah and Chattahoochee River.

[@TherealPapaDogP]

This is one of the most articulate, and even artistic, videos that I’ve seen in a while. I’m familiar with this process from past readings but to see you teach it so well is dope.

[@TheGeoModels]

You honor me friend. So glad you were able to come across it!

[@bim6961]

I love the river videos. It would be awesome if you made a whole video dedicated to the New River

[@stvrob6320]

Yes, I don't see why the New River doesn't just flow to the Atlantic! Seems like it takes the most difficult imaginable path to the Gulf of Mexico.

[@maxenielsen]

Dang, you’re good with MS Paint! Great explanation. I first learned about stream capture as a freshman at Colorado School of Mines. I was shown an example of it in the mountains of Colorado. Ended up an electrical engineer. Though my Dad was a geologist and I’ve always found geology fascinating.

[@bartfoster1311]

I live just a few mins south of Hollywood and fish both the tallulah and chattahoochee rivers fairly often. I have caught several 15+ inch redeye bass this year in the Tallulah, but they have much more muted colors than the pictures of Bartrams I have seen.

[@TheGeoModels]

So this is really interesting. The Tallulah was part of the captured package, but Tallulah Gorge's waterfalls (which got way bigger after the river cut down due to capture) would absolutely keep the upper Tallulah redeyes/Bartrams separate from Chattooga Bartrams. They might be their own little Shangri La of bass up in there, with absolutely no way for the Chattooga clan to get to them (the dam ain't even the issue...it's those huge vertical falls). I'm going to try to talk to a guy and see if they have done genetics on Tallulah redeye/Bartram vs. Chattooga. Amazingly interesting idea. A few years back all sorts of people were studying trout populations separated by a giant waterfall, etc. etc.

[@bartfoster1311]

@TheGeoModels i wondered about the Gorge and the effect it would have on those fish moving upstream. I would be very interested to know if this population has been studied because i didn't see where they would fit into any of the categories of redeyes when they split them up a few years ago. It is also possible that they were redeye/spotted bass hybrids. I have pictures of several of them.

[@jedgarren2901]

I live in East Tennessee this is fascinating

[@TheGeoModels]

There's stream capture and fish stories all over Appalachia. I think I used to hear some about the Coosa/Conasauga-Tennessee divide. A professor at Roanoke College named Robert Jenkins "wrote the book" on it in the 1970s.

[@niftea4563]

I got Redeye Bass in my creek in AL. I like the local stuff!

[@TheGeoModels]

They're awesome fish

[@rhysddp1]

I’ve lived upstream of Augusta like 10 Minutes away from Savannah River all my life and I never knew this fish existed… thanks for informing me. Now I have a new fish to catch

[@andrwba]

Southeastern Tennessee fisherman here. Really interesting stuff. I love hearing about other species that aren't just your typical game/ tournament fish. Thanks for sharing!

[@weswhite6058]

As a native of Augusta GA i appreciate this video

[@B3FMandCProductions]

Great video, thank you for sharing! I grew up in SW Virginian (not far from your alma mater) and I feel like I'm constantly learning about species of fish, mussels, crawfish, salamanders, etc. that are only found in the Clinch, New, Roanoke, or other nearby rivers because of geological changes over the years. It's fascinating stuff

[@swearenginlawanda]

WOW! thank you. This 70 yr old just learned something new. (Never too old to learn)

[@oddball404]

Just found your channel. Great content. Please do a video on the Tennessee River Gorge. The explanation on its formation is stream capture but I've always felt that isn't the complete explanation. The extensive gorging to the east north of the gorge and to the west south of it further baffles me. I also can't believe an early Sasquatchie River would be able to capture the Tennessee (even with karst factored in). If it is indeed stream capture, there is some interesting geology going on.

[@VinsonMusic]

I agree, the Tennessee River in that area is pretty strange. You could also do a bonus video on Georgia’s claim that if the boundary were properly surveyed, the river would enter the state just slightly.

[@TheGeoModels]

Sounds contentious!

[@oddball404]

@@TheGeoModels I would love to hear your opinion!

[@goosenotmaverick1156]

I have no reason to find this such a fascinating possible topic, but it does sound rather interesting

[@mellissadalby1402]

I was never before aware of rivier capture, but not that you have explained it, it makes good sense to me.

[@ricksanderson4640]

So the Flint River has Shoal Bass. I did not know about them until recently. Now there are Red Bass and Bartram’s Bass and I get why. But why Shoal Bass in the Flint? Surely it’s all related

[@TheGeoModels]

They say it is...has something to do with the straight-to-gulf drainages being very separate from the Tennessee and Atlantic slope, as well as the Gulf drainages being very separated for a long period several million years ago when sea level was much higher. That sort of separated things and let an initially similar fish kind of take on its own characteristics in individual river basins for a period. I think that's the basic understanding, but it does ultimately come back to geologic reasons for separating or connecting/shifting river basins.

[@johnjapuntich3306]

@@TheGeoModels Maybe the Flint river stole some Redyes from the Chattahoochee at one point and then they evolved into Shoal bass? Similiar to the Savannah stealing the redeyes from the Hooch?

[@therivergiveth]

It's interesting to note that the Bartrams and altamaha bass, although very similar to the other redeyes, look quite different once you learn to ID. That had to have taken a longgg time, relatively speaking.

[@SOoSiiKxSNiiP3r]

I live near the Chattooga river, and let me tell you, the Bartram's is a cherished species.

[@jkat66]

As a teenager when I frequently fished Lake Hartwell I caught a few of these bass along the rocky shoals of the lake while fishing for Largemouth.

[@billbrockman779]

My sister lives quite near the Chattooga and I live quite near the Chattahoochee. I never knew our water had been captured eons past. And, boy will Florida be mad if the Altamaha captures the Chattahoochee.

[@bjjt-nu9dx]

That Brook Trout ( Arctic Char) were stranded in higher elevations of the Smokies/ Appalachia would make an interesting topic. Maybe related to the Teays River?

[@JohnLynch-l1n]

Enjoyed your video! I believe there are red eye bass in the Tennessee River drainage system. I remember catching red eye bass in the Paint Rock River east of Huntsville, Al. The Paint Rock flows into the Tennessee river near Huntsville!

[@odusprime6046]

now I finally know what fish I caught off the back of lake Russell dam in 1992. had never seen one before and never knew exactly what it was till now'

[@deanfirnatine7814]

Completely different type geology but if you want to get out of Appalachia look at a feature in northern Klamath County Oregon, a giant circular structure that dwarfs famous Crater Lake which is nearby, it covers a good portion of the North of the county and the county is the size of Connecticut. Whatever it is its so big you do not realize your on it when you are there. I think its a raised blister rather than a giant crater? Curious as to what geologic process caused it. Look SE of the town of Crescent and it extends a little into Lake County, you have to have the satellite view at the right elevation to see it.

[@Falkaroa]

geology of fish is an amazing sentence

[@TheGeoModels]

It will get you some research funding, let me tell you now!

[@SeaNaCl]

Went to school in Columbia and traveled all around these areas for fun on weekends. Interesting stuff here.

[@Michael-sb8jf]

Not only a video on geography and hydrography but one on Biology and evolution specifically speciation Love it

[@Silverheart1956]

I like fishing and I used to kayak and raft the Chattooga and used to teach science. well I was hooked and fascinated by this video !!! MANY THANKS !! for this presentation . Well done and well explained. DZ

[@roysimmons9806]

Another fact, there are 2 Chattooga rivers . One in Northwest Georgia and one in Northeast Georgia.

[@lairdhaynes1986]

Facts!

[@PlayNowWorkLater]

Thank you for letting us look behind the curtain to see the wizard. I had a feeling your post grad work had something to do with erosion. Your drawings and understanding of erosional processes definitely hint at a strong understanding of river erosion and history. Cool video! And I am definitely going to check out your publications now

[@lesliebright3860]

As always, fascinating! Not that it really matters where the name line is drawn, but a bit of history: the original definition of the Tennessee River’s beginning was the confluence of the French Broad and Little Tennessee Rivers, as drawn. However, as the TVA charter stated it’s HQ was to be on the banks of the Tennessee River, and they wanted the HQ to be located in a large town (Knoxville), they redesignated the beginning of the Tennessee to be at the confluence of the Holston River and the French Broad, thus making the stretch of river past downtown Knoxville to be part of the Tennessee instead of the French Broad. South of Cookeville TN, there is a currently-ongoing case of stream piracy at Windowcliffs; was a frequent place for the geo-majors to hike….

[@InternetGrandpa]

You said "accumulation of sediments in the Gulf of Mexico are what produce oil and gas." Can you expand on that a bit. It seems that coal comes from forests that have been buried (Spirit lake by Mount St Helens for example). How do sediments produce oil and gas? What else is involved?

[@TheGeoModels]

I do need to do one of those. Might touch on it in a vid on Thursday. I'll try to give it a full treatment down the road. In short, you need even more burial than Spirit Lake--you need miles of it! Got to have the right organic matter, too, and it ain't dinosaur bones!

[@davidvines6498]

The Tennessee River System is actually quite interesting. There are holding lakes in Virginia and North Carolina mountains that hold water that is used to fill the Mississippi River north of Cairo, Illinois during drought conditions. To insure Barge Traffic has a deep enough channel.

[@gregkocher5352]

Very interesting! I live near New Martinsville WV where a Teays tributary overflowed at a low point and eroded our local part of the northern Ohio Valley. I'm still trying to understand the overall picture of this region.

[@samtaylor688]

Awesome video! I happen to have grown up and live just south of Tallulah Gorge (Toccoa area). I'll definitely be using this video in my classroom, but I have a few things to add. 1. That Chattooga/Tallulah confluence forms the Tugaloo, and its confluence with the inundated Seneca River forms the Savannah. I'm guessing you just said Savannah for brevity though. 2. The role the Brevard fault line has had in the historical and modern courses of the Chattooga and Chattahoochee Rivers. 3. Your zoomed in map of the Hollywood GA area showed another great example of a stream capture event, the Chauga River and Brasstown Creek 4. These stream capture events affect more than just fish. There are two local endemics to just the area of the Chattooga/Tallulah confluence. That would be the Persistent Trillium and the Patch-Nosed Salamander.

[@TheGeoModels]

Yep, Savannah for brevity. Got to fit in what you can, as best you can! There's a fair bit of Brevard discussion in the comments. It has undoubtedly steered a significant river for a large period of time during Appalachian exhumation. It's essentially done too good of a job, as the Chattahoochee is presently on a fairly unfavorable grade compared to neighboring catchments. Chauga capture is indeed a classic and a favorite of Bob Hatcher. Stekoa Creek, though, is likely the best around, just below Goats on the Roof where it turns hard east and drops. It's the paleo-headwaters of the Tallulah, now routed on a better way to the Chattooga that misses the Tallulah Gorge quartzite. Its plan view appearance is awesome, particularly if you have a colorful DEM. Tallulah/Chattooga dynamics figured fairly prominently in a 2022 paper I did with a colleage up at Va Tech. Northeast GA has all sorts of cool stuff going on.

[@samtaylor688]

@@TheGeoModels I'll have to look at Stekoah more! Do you have a good resource for DEMs? I've been using open topography. On another similar note, have you looked at Walker Branch Valley (the locals call it Hollywood Hill)? It's supposedly been captured back and forth by the Tugaloo and Chattahoochee. There's a small section on it in Roadside Geology of Georgia.

[@StoopidStauce]

Crazy hearing you mention your proximity to the Enoree, as it’s about a mile behind me too!

[@clintkram8996]

I work here in Hollywood GA, thanks for the information!

[@thtithilrunagate4577]

what prevents the Bartam's bass from colonizing the lower portion of the river over such a huge timescale? I, too, recently discovered your channel and love it

[@TheGeoModels]

I think type of habitat, mostly. They're a rocky river species. Past the Fall Line, it's all sediment in the river bottoms. Presumably it would impact their spawning, etc. etc. So happy that you like the channel!

[@goosenotmaverick1156]

From an aquarium fish nerd I think he nailed it. Breeding habits in rocky areas will be of egg scattering method usually, whereas habitats like described in the lower area sounds like it's more of an environment for fish that lay sticky eggs that stick to leaves, branches, etc instead. Just an added layer of context to what they said. It's fascinating stuff.

[@edwardbates2176]

Brilliant explanation of this connection between geology and biology.

[@prestonchrisman7382]

Stream Piracy has always been one of my favorite terms. Very nice work illustrating that process!

[@prestonchrisman7382]

and also, GO HOKIES!!!

[@bryanhaen6750]

Ok ..... thats interesting I'm thankful this came across my feed well done!

[@TheGeoModels]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@DasFlank]

Got recommend one of your videos last week. And came across this one today. Never would have thought I'd id find geology so interesting. But here I am so that my sub 😂

[@LeCharles07]

I find it fascinating to think of how the watershed change. I had never really thought about that before. Also, You are jaw-droppingly good at MS Paint doodles.

[@TheGeoModels]

Thanks! I think the fish may be my career-defining achievement. Hope to post another one with some landscape stuff tomorrow. I admit it's kind of fun to watch the topography take shape!

[@FixinTwo]

Another wild feature of Savannah river is it's spring head is right by the French Broad river spring head. The FB of course flows into the TN River. I grew up on Hooch fishing for Red Eyes and in nearby water systems for Coosa Spots and Shoal Bass. Now live in WNC going on 24 years. Fish for small mouth bass all the time, but caught a Red Eye in the Tuckaseegee River in 2011. Only once have I done this, and I don't know if there is a population in that river or maybe a release? Again, I know the differences and at the time it floored me. The Tuck of course flows into the Little TN and TN system. So that was an oddity. Loved this video. Great seeing the geologic explanations for the rivers I love. Thank you.

[@seanjones7170]

Very good content and presentation.An interesting fact is that sturgeon have been caught in Dallas Georgia in waters draining to the Gulf.

[@TheGeoModels]

Now that's cool. I think I heard they used to run the Congaree in South Carolina up to Columbia to spawn. Might be wrong though.

[@HiwasseeRiver]

I fish the Hiwassee in Polk Co. TN, there are some redeye'd bass up there but they have a different look than the Bartram's. Good story, well told. Thanks. The geology around Copperhill TN might make a good video.

[@johnjapuntich3306]

I believe those are redeyes from the Coosa river that were transferred by the Tennessee DNR to some upland Tennessee river tribs back in the 50's and 60's I believe.

[@jimmylowe1233]

Those are rock bass . They are all over E.Tn.They look like small mouth but have the red eyes that give them the nickname red-eye.

[@stvrob6320]

I wonder if a similar process can explain how the New River flows from the eastern side of the Appalachians from North Carolina, north into Virginia, and then manages to flow westward across West Virginia, all the way across the mountains at the bottom of a gorge, to emerge as part of the Ohio River basin?

[@chrywelch]

The uplift of the cumberland plateau is what created the Tennessee River Gorge which is right outside chattanooga.. The Tennessee river "carves" through Walden s ridge and the Cumberland Plateau, but in reality the plateau rose around the river. I suspect at somepoint during this uplifting event, the TN river started flowing north into the Ohio river basin..... My grandfather was born in 1909 and grew up in Chattanooga along the river. he told me two wilf things about the "last great flood" of chattanooga before dams were built. #1 that he and his brother floated out of their house on Tremont street in north chattanooga in a wooden bathtub. #2 That the flood was so bad, that the water started going south around lookout mountain, into the flintstone GA area - and that created a worry that the TN River was rerouting. After watching this video, I%100 think that the majority of the TN River's life, that it flower more south and directly connected to the gulf. I took Geology at ETSU and UTC, switch paths and didnt finish, but i realllllly enjoyed the geologic history of the plateau and its relationship to the Appalachian Mtns. There was some PH.D study that dated the plateau based on quartz crystals that where found in dry relic underground cave/streams on the plateau - the source was the Appalachians - and they were dating the quartz's by figuring out the last time it saw the sun, which was theoretically before the uplift (when the underground streams were still running with water)

[@bjjt-nu9dx]

Google the Teays River that formerly originated near Blowing Rock and flowed northward before the Ohio existed toward the St. Lawrence or even Hudson Bay. The New River uses part of the extinct Teays.

[@johnhiggs325]

I live and boat on the Tennessee just downstream of Chattanooga. The generally northwest flowing gorge between Moccasin Bend and Hales Bar is truly beautiful.

[@tacklebill]

Thanks for a great video. Amateur geology enthusiast and angler, so this intersection of my interests is amazing. Up in my neck of the woods there are disjunct populations of Brook Trout in the Driftless area of MN-WI. I think these populations got there when glacial Lake Superior drained out the western terminus through the Brule/St. Croix into the Mississippi basin. Do you know of any research that would confirm my hunch?

[@brotherchris13]

I'm new to this channel. As a WV native, I find this information about the Appalachian Mountains very interesting. A topic I'd like to hear you cover is their formation. I know, that's a lot to go through with so much continental drift, but focusing on the creation would be interesting. Since I do have some Scottish ancestry, I find it fascinating that there's a connection between my ancestral home and my current home.

[@hardrocklobsterroll395]

So glad I found you your drawings are top notch and your understanding is great

[@TheGeoModels]

Glad you're enjoying it! I do have a good time with the drawings. I must admit I very much prefer them to doing "office work," so to speak!

[@Davii1]

I grew up near the enoree river in the upstate .. I watch a random video and you know about it too lol.. Love these deep breakdown videos! Keep them coming💪🏽

[@ZombiePumps]

Was drinking in a cabin by the Savannah last night, it’s high right now, not flooded, but high.

[@braveheartz263]

Those two rivers may have original drainage northwest of the point where you see there is no merging of rivers.

[@paulgush]

@TheGeoModels could you do a video on glaciation and the formation of the Great Lakes? Im intrigued by the fact that the bottom of each of the lakes, except Erie is lower than sea level. Yet only Lake Superior is said to originate from a rift valley. The whole St Lawrence River/Great Lakes chain has the look of a rift valley to my uneducated eye. Please enlighten me!

[@charleswieand4445]

Don’t hurt when you can add in 10 or 15 or 20 inches of hurricane rain. I’ll coming down at once and want to go downhill.

[@damonkeyman17]

Great video! There isn't a consensus but its thought that the yellowfin shiner has gained access to the chattahoochee from the ocmulgee basin in somewhat recent times. Its also found in the etowah and little tennessee, but is more likely introduced in those rivers.

[@griffinhunter3206]

I don't know if it was the same mechanism, but the Cutthroat Trout has made it from Pacific drainage basins into Atlantic drainage basins twice, in the Rio Grande with the Rio Grande Cutthroat Trout and in the Yellowstone with the Yellowstone Cutthroat Trout. Just thought you might be interested. I know less about the geology of how with the Rio Grande trout but the Parting of the Waters seems to be responsible for the Yellowstone Cutthroat Trout.

[@daveplem]

There is a well-known red eyed bass known as the Roanoke Bass (Ambloplites cavifrons) endemic to the Roanoke, Chowan and Neuse Rivers in NC. They all drain into the Atlantic. I catch them regularly in the Eno River.

[@GaryArmstrongmacgh]

There's plenty of fish to go after. I myself might not go after them as a practice.

[@colbydenison4351]

Awesome video, and relevant as I live in northwest SC and study and publish on fish diversity patterns. Off topic, but- I have always wondered what the role of beavers might have been in shaping river valleys for mountain streams. Most all headwaters in the Blue Ridge are gorge-like, but some are interrupted by long and flat floodplains before becoming gorges again. Cane Creek in Pickens Co. and Corbin Creek in Oconee Co. SC come to mind. Beavers are pretty well extirpated from these areas now, but presumably their dams would have affected sediment transport and flow. I'd like to imagine these areas used to be open impoundments but I am not sure how realistic that is.

[@mattcanter9782]

I love this! Do you think you could take a look at the Fort Loudoun Lake/TN River system and see how the TVA building dams had shaped the watershed of the TN River? I’d be interested to hear what you find and have to say about it!

[@River_Watch]

Found this video quite interesting as I live directly on the Tallulah River...have caught red eyed bass here...

[@DavidLaFerney]

I live on the Cumberland plateau where there are numerous waterfalls - some pretty high. I’ve always wondered how fish got in the headwaters above the falls. This helps answer that - they got there before the falls formed. Fascinating. How long does speciation take in such places?

[@TheGeoModels]

Yep, in this case, the capture forms waterfalls, which eat their way upriver. That would be the idea for the general Plateau...waterfalls have been eating their way upstream for some time, and the fish distribution started before the falls even existed. Just about all evidence suggests the plateau was less steep and carved up not too long ago, geologically. The effect is quite extreme in Brook Trout along the Blue Ridge Escarpment, and also trout in river systems that got messed up by glaciers out west.

[@user-ni9wb6lp9q]

loved this. i live in the foothills of SC and have rafted these waters and wonderec.

[@TheGeoModels]

It's one of the finest places you can be, for sure. The Chattooga is one-of-a-kind.

[@lenfancher]

Why wouldn’t birds have transplanted eggs from one river system to another especially if their headwaters are so close.

[@erikjohnson9223]

It probably depends on where the fish spawn. Fish that nest in near-surface weeds / floaters (I know goldfish do that, so I am guessing other cyprinids like minnows do too) would be transportable by ducks, costs, Rais, and gallinules. Fish that spawn on bottom substrate (and if Bartram's bass is restricted to the area above the Fall Line, it is probably because it must spawn on rocky or sandy bottoms--below the Fall Line, river bottoms are almost invariably silty mud) could only hitchhike on long-legged waders like large herons. Do those hang out on rocky river beds? I don't know. I was a Florida boy, and rocky rivers don't exist down there. They do like to wade in mud though.

[@lairdhaynes1986]

​@@erikjohnson9223 The first place I remember seeing great blue heron was on the Chattahoochee in the Palisades area which is a rocky bottomed series of shoals and rapids just north of Atlanta. I have since seen them in other more slackwater habitats so bv it seems they're not too picky as long as there's fish (and frogs).

[@SirMildredPierce]

I just discovered your channel from your "Ghost River Valley" video and I was really impressed and I had a thought "I wonder if he ever did a video about the Savannah River or the Fall Line" since as an Augusta native it's one of my more favorite geological features.

[@greatclantoni]

Back in about 2000, while camping up in the very corner of South Carolina, caught the world record red eye bass. Beat the out record by about two pounds. Didn’t know it was the record, so of course, breaded it up in crushed Fritos, cooked it and ate it for dinner. It was yummy.

[@aricray8369]

The Savannah is a odd river, I remember as a kid, I caught a full grown yellow perch right outside clyo Georgia, far far away from where that fish is supposed to be

[@CarolinaReaperr]

There’s a VERY healthy population of them in the Saluda river basin as well and the only threat to these poor little guys is spotted bass out competing them. Spotted bass are wrecking everything

[@ChrisSlowens]

I sincerely wish I could go back in time and show 18 year old me this video before selecting my major... I didn't realize I could have gotten a PhD combining my interest in geology and love of bass fishing lol

[@tomluker1743]

Great presentation!

[@thirstfast1025]

I don't disagree with your geological explanation, but given the proximity, it seems equally probable that it might be something like birds dropping individual fish frequently enough to populate. For example, around 8:00 you're showing just how close Lake Burton is to the headwaters of the Chattahoochee. And it's quite dramatic landscape topographically, which fish-hunting birds definitely occupy. Like I say, not disagreeing, just postulating.

[@ambersmith6517]

build a big pond and the fish WILL come period proven over and over

[@ChrisBrown-hr6mc]

Could have been native Americans, They used the the streams and rivers like highways with most of the rivers coming from almost the same area it almost definitely would have been a major trading post-and chiefdom. They could have moved them from one creek system into another

[@Freesavh1776]

Really awesome, I never knew about this. And I live in Savannah. I always thought the state boundary at the 3 states was interesting.

[@joedellinger9437]

Just North of Dallas it looks like small feeder streams of the Trinity could some day capture the Red River. The drainage divide in some places is just South of the Red.

[@gerhardbraatz6305]

I've caught red eye bass living in northern Maryland.

[@VTPSTTU]

Thanks for the video. I went to Virginia Tech back when it was VPI&SU.

[@TheGeoModels]

They were selling VPI SU hats in the store on Main Street once. Wish I had bought one.

[@hootis8]

Love the MS PAINT EDIT: WHAT ARE THE ODDS. I've eaten at that subway before; after a hike on the AT!

[@TheGeoModels]

I was hoping someone would have been to it

[@barefoot3662]

Thank you this is neet i live near the Savanah river.

[@TheGeoModels]

Good place to be!

[@rolltider71]

As a kid I caught these in a creek in Columbus Georgia

[@davidhyder1632]

The Chatauga headwaters are near Cashiers, NC.

[@ibmgrunt]

I've caught red eye bass all my life in Sullivan Co. Tennessee... in particular Beaver Creek in my back yard in Bristol, TN.

[@theclamhammer4447]

I’ve got a picture of a red eye that we caught in the Back Warrior about 3 years ago. Was NOT expecting to pull up a demon bass that day😂

[@comfortablynumb9342]

Thanks for explaining this. Well done.

[@Tripplebeem]

Fish Genetics is a good name for a band.

[@waggscole4971]

Love fly fishing the chattooga always wonder why it was so steep and rocky compared to other rivers I’ve fished in Appalachia

[@Josephreed66]

Add the Conasauga to the Coosa system to complete that gap to the mountains