The Altamaha flows through Holland like blood does through other folks. You hurt the river, and you hurt him. When we were little, we didn't know no better. But now we know. Now we know what it's worth and we may lose it.
Sewage runs through it.
Plenty of people still dump in Holland's river, though. There are more than 100 state permits allowing treated sewage and other pollutants to be discharged into the Altamaha. There is untold runoff from timber plantations and farm fields. A private utility wants to take out fresh water for future development. The level of nutrients in the river has doubled in the past 20 years.