Over the years, many things have been dumped into the Chattahoochee River.

Add dead goats to the list.

Decapitated goats.

“Whoever done it,” area resident Johnny Davis told Channel 2 Action News, “they are very cold blooded.”

Jason Ulseth of Chattahoochee Riverkeeper, who patrols the river looking to stop sources of pollution, was also taken aback.

FLASHBACK: Chattahoochee River through the years

When he looked out from a bridge headed into Cobb County on Wednesday, he saw something unusual.

“Because I saw the body first, I was like, ‘Oh, that looks like a goat.’ And then got a little closer and saw there was no head.”

Then he saw more decapitated goats along the river, more than 10.

“People that are dumping in this river go home and drink it out of their taps,” he said, “and they don't make that connection — that they're actually polluting their own water source.”

He finds it hard to believe.

“This is pretty disturbing personally.”

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In 2022, Georgia Power projected its winter peak electricity demand would grow by about 400 megawatts by 2031. Since then, Georgia has experienced a boom of data centers, which require a large load of electricty to run, and Georgia Power's recent forecast shows peak demand growing by 20 times the 400-megawatt estimate from just three years ago. (Illustration by Philip Robibero/AJC)

Credit: Illustration: Philip Robibero / AJC