The distance to its farthest head waters (as the Chattahoochee River) in northeast Georgia is approximately 500 miles (800 km).

The watershed contains nationally significant forests, with some of the highest biological diversity east of the Mississippi River[2][3] and rivaling that of the Great Smoky Mountains.

Where the river enters the Gulf of Mexico, it creates a rich array of wetlands varying in salinity.

Over 230,000 acres (93,000 ha) of this diverse delta complex are included within the Apalachicola National Estuarine Research Reserve.

In a good harvest year, the value of the tupelo honey crop produced by a group of specialized Florida beekeepers approaches $900,000 each spring.

[3] To raise awareness about the importance of preserving the natural state of the river and its inhabitants, Florida film producer Elam Stoltzfus highlighted this system in a 2006 documentary[9] broadcast on PBS.