Pea River

Pea River
Main source	Bullock County, Alabama
Source elevation	21 m (69 ft)
River mouth	Choctawhatchee River
Cities	Alabama and Florida, United States
Length	248 km (154 mi)

The Pea River is a 154-mile-long (248 km)^[1] tributary of the Choctawhatchee River near Geneva, Alabama.^[2] It is a popular destination for those with canoes and other small boats, as well as fishermen seeking bass, sunfish, or mullet.^[3]

Course

The Pea River begins near Midway, in Bullock County, Alabama, then flows southerly through Elba, where there is a dam, and then south through Ino, Samson, and on to Geneva, where it joins the Choctawhatchee. The river flooded Elba in 1929 and in the 1990s, and joined the Choctawhatchee in flooding Geneva on those same occasions. Although the Pea River begins and ends in Alabama, it makes a short dip into Florida right before it joins the Choctawhatchee at Geneva, Alabama, which some fishermen have discovered to their chagrin when caught fishing without a Florida license. Alabama allows residents to fish in their county of residence without a license, so long as they only use a pole (no reels), and have proof of county residence on them, such as a driver's license.

The Pea River is navigable by boat to Elba, and beyond, although at low water the most common powerboats are 14 to 16 feet, and powered by outboards.

Etymology

The Pea River gets its name from its pea green color. Indeed, the Muscogee name for the Pea River is Talakhatchee, which means "Pea Green Stream". . (Tuscaloosa means "Black Warrior", so perhaps a Native American name is available, but just not used.

Aquatic life

Bass, bream, shellcrackers, mullet, and catfish are caught in the river. Mullet make the trip up from the Gulf of Mexico to feed on the moss that grows on the "rock" walls of the river (actually more of a clay-like substance, probably blue-marl clay, referred to sometimes as soapstone, because it is so slippery when wet) periodically, and a large number are caught from time to time. Bass are more of a challenge.

Historically, the river has been home to sturgeon, who were fished commercially in the early 1900s. Since they have been protected, the sturgeon are making a comeback, and sturgeon as long as six feet long have been seen jumping near the junction in Geneva. Dr. Dwayne Fox did research for his Ph.D. in the Choctawhatchee and Pea Rivers by radio-tagging sturgeon in the Gulf of Mexico and tracking them up the Choctawhatchee and Pea Rivers upstream of Geneva. He even was able to collect samples of eggs to prove they were breeding in the Pea and Choctawhatchee rivers.

Suckers are another fish that travel upstream as the weather changes. About the time that the sap beings to flow in the early spring, suckers will seek small tributaries in which to spawn. Fisherman set out gill nets to catch these tasty fish, which are rather difficult to catch with hook and line. Shad are common in the river, but, since they eat moss, are seldom caught.

The last Saturday in April is set aside by the city of Geneva to celebrate its river heritage and the rich history of the Choctawhatchee and Pea rivers.

References

↑ U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline data. The National Map, accessed April 15, 2011
↑ Alabama Tourism
↑ Outdoor Alabama

Significant waterways of Florida

Larger rivers	Alapaha Apalachicola Aucilla Blackwater Caloosahatchee Chattahoochee Chipola Choctawhatchee Econlockhatchee Escambia Hillsborough Indian River Kissimmee Myakka Ochlockonee Ocklawaha Pea Peace Perdido Santa Fe St. Johns St. Marys Suwannee Withlacoochee (North) Withlacoochee (South) Yellow

Lakes	Apopka Crescent Blue Cypress East Tohopekaliga George Harney Harris Iamonia Istokpoga Jackson Jesup Kissimmee Miccosukee Monroe Okeechobee Poinsett Rodman Rousseau Seminole Talquin Tohopekaliga Tsala Apopka Washington Weir

Smaller rivers	Alafia Alapahoochee Anclote Banana River Braden Carrabelle Chassahowitzka Crooked Crystal Dead East East Bay Eau Gallie Econfina Estero Homosassa Hontoon Dead Ichetucknee Imperial Little (Biscayne Bay) Little (Ochlockonee) Little Econlockhatchee Little Manatee Little Wekiva Loxahatchee Manatee Matanzas Miami Mosquito Lagoon New (Broward) New (Carabelle) New (Santa Fe) Oleta Orange Pithlachascotee Rainbow Ribault Shark Silver Sopchoppy St. Lucie St. Marks St. Sebastian Steinhatchee Tomoka Trout Waccasassa Wacissa Wakulla Weeki Wachee Wekiva

Creeks and streams	Billy Black Blackwater (Hillsborough) Blackwater (Lake) Crane Cross Econfina Fisheating Myakkahatchee Orange Pottsburg Shingle Snapper Turkey

Canals	Canaveral Barge Canal Cross Florida Barge Canal Haulover Canal Hillsboro Canal Miami Canal Mud Lake Canal St. Johns-Indian River Barge Canal Tamiami Canal Tampa Bypass Canal

See also	Coastal waters of Florida Everglades Intracoastal Waterway Indian River Lagoon List of Florida rivers List of major springs in Florida Okeechobee Waterway Outstanding Florida Waters

Coordinates: 31°36′11″N 85°43′04″W / 31.6031366°N 85.7178174°W / 31.6031366; -85.7178174

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