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Jan 2015
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Georgia Water Trails News
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| Trails in the News Upcoming Events Useful Resources Flotsam and Jetsam How Can Others Sign Up for This List Clearinghouse Corner  Greetings Water Trail representatives!Ahhh winter in Georgia... Although not most people's favorite season by any stretch of the imagination, let's not forget that this is an important time in the temperate zone for rest and recharge. And also a time to start brainstorming about all the water trails you plan to paddle this year, or maybe you've been meaning to get involved or even take the lead in the development of a water trail in your watershed... Now's the time! Hopefully, we will get enough rain over the next few months to recharge the ground water so river levels are up for an awesome 2015 paddling year! Take a peek at the events held by Georgia River Network and watershed groups throughout the state listed on our calendar. And, of course, make sure to get out on Georgia’s beautiful water trails which you can learn more about on the Georgia Water Trails Website. Please don't hesitate to give me a call or come by for a visit if you have any questions, concerns, need resources, or just want to chat about rivers. Keep on rollin' down the river in 2015! Gwyneth Moody Trail Developments and Trails in the News!
1. Check out the NEW Upper Chattahoochee River Water Trail Website!
Chattahoochee Riverkeeper & Upper Chattahoochee River Water Trail (UCRWT) recently redesigned their website. The website features maps, and a feasibility study of the trail which includes launch location information, paddling guidance and information for each paddle segment.  The UCRWT is approximately 36.2 miles long and is located upstream of Lake Lanier, beginning at the confluence of Sautee Creek and the Chattahoochee river in White County and ending at Clarks Bridge Park in Hall County. There are eight access points and six sections along the corridor that may be used by boaters. Paddling classifications range from Class I-III (depending on water levels) on upper and middle sections to flat water/lake paddling on lower sections.Be sure to check out the new UCRWT website, the Georgia Water Trail Clearinghouse, and the Chattahoochee River User's Guide for more information. 2. 2-Yr Old Adventures Down 11 Georgia Rivers and 6 Water Trails in 2014! By Suzanne Welander It was January 2014, and I had just signed on to update the Georgia river guidebook. Inspired by previous GRN challenges, we thought “why not try to paddle 14 different rivers in 2014?” We needed to paddle rivers. Braylin had just turned two. Why not?  The three of us—husband Tom, son Braylin, and I—started on the Little Ocmulgee River on a warm day in January. Braylin’s early interest was stoked by adventure, having his own paddle, and searching for “kooky crocodiles.” The pint-sized saddle Tom built proved a comfortable place for Braylin to perch. He even napped in the boat. We spent spring break paddling and camping in the swampy upper reaches of creeks that feed the Flint River. By summer, Braylin was enjoying breaks on our river trips, tossing stones, sticks, and  leaves into the water. These are some of my favorite memories—watching him explore. On the Ogeechee River, he “helped” portage. On the Alapaha, he gleefully splashed through the sandy shallows “pulling” the boat as we searched for a deeper channel. On northwest Georgia’s Chattooga River, he laughed raucously when a summer storm drenched me, not seeming to notice that he too was drenched. He surfed a wave with his dad on the Tallapoosa River, floated in the Broad River, and had a personal first descent of Section II of the Chattooga.Now every trip involves pirate shenanigans encouraged by Tom, the pirate captain. We tried to hang the moniker “Ten-Toe” on the dread pirate, but he corrected us, saying: “No! It’s ‘Chattahoochee Braylin!’” Braylin’s 17 Georgia River Trips in 2014:
3. High School Student Logo Contest for Alapaha River Water Trail by WWALS Excerpted from the Jasper News Bulletin by Joyce Marie Taylor  Willacoochee, Withlacoochee, Alapaha, Little River System Watershed Coalition (WWALS) is excited to announce a contest among high school students in Echols, Lanier, Lowndes, Berrien, Atkinson, and Tift Counties in Georgia, and Hamilton County, Fla. to design a logo for the Alapaha River Water Trail. The logo will be used on the Water Trail website, on promotional brochures, and on information at access points along the river that will be posted on kiosks.Winners will be announced, prizes awarded, and the winning logo unveiled at the WWALS Alapaha River Water Trail Conference on Saturday, March 14 from 1-4 p.m., at Gaskins Forest Education Center, 3359 Moore Sawmill Rd., Alapaha, Georgia. Read the full article here, learn more about the Alapaha River Water Trail and get involved! Upcoming Events Organized Paddling Trips  Check out all of the upcoming river trips all over Georgia. To learn more about these events, see our calendar. To have your water trail events added to the calendar, just send the details with a note to info@garivers.org. Mark your Calendar for GRN's 2015 Events: Brews, Boats & BBQ for Better Rivers! Feb 8: SweetWater Brewery - Register HERE Capitol Conservation Day Feb 18: Atlanta (GWC) - Register HERE Hidden Gem Paddles May 17:Middle Oconee River - Athens Aug 22: South River - Metro Atlanta Nov 14:Ochlockonee River - SW Georgia Stay tuned for details! Paddle Georgia 2015 June 19-27: Ogeechee River Weekend for Rivers Sept 19-20: Chattahoochee Nature Center Fall Float Oct 9-12 (Columbus Day Weekend): Flint River Inaugural National Water Trails Forum in Ann Arbor, MI - June 24 -26, 2015 Join fellow and aspiring National Water Trails (NWT) leaders to learn from one  another, share best management strategies and practices, and establish a lasting national network.Attend plenary, breakout, and working sessions based on input from NWT leaders on topics of mutual interest and importance. Discover Southeast Michigan’s nationally recognized water trails and awesome paddling opportunities with the region’s water trail leaders and enthusiastic hosts. Register at www.river-management.org Useful Resources 1. Updated Roadway Sign Package for Water Trails in Georgia Many groups in the State of Georgia are interested in starting water trail projects in their communities. Requests have been made for signs that these groups can use to provide directions and identify their water trails.  Currently there are various individual or project signs, but we are not aware of a model that cities and counties can use on their roadways that will create one visually recognizable graphic for the public to look for when driving to water trails in Georgia. This sign package has been compiled in an effort to provide an option for the water trail projects that might want to use it. Hopefully it will gain in usage around the state so that the water trails are identified and more easily located and used by paddlers. The sign specifications and estimated costs are included as well as information for ordering the signs. These signs are to GDOT specifications; they were designed by Stan Armstrong, the GDOT state sign manager. They may be fabricated by other sign shops as desired by the local community. Guidance on how to prepare the signs for your water trails  is included in this package.There are two sets of guidelines. One set is for signs in the right-of-way belonging to G-DOT. The other set is for signs in the right-of-way belonging to counties and cities. Download the packet and find other Launch resources. If you have any questions or comments regarding this information, please contact: Charlotte Gillis - National Park Service -Rivers, Trails & Conservation Assistance Program. 404-507-5692 charlotte_gillis@nps.gov 2. Nine Tools to Help Nonprofit Staff Implement Their Resolutions Excerpted from River Network Blog by Merritt Frey, Director of Science and Policy at River Network  Frankly these tools will help with just about anyone's resolutions, but I've tried to focus on tools addressing the resolutions nonprofit staff (including me) make pretty much every year.
3. KEEN Effect Grant Program Launches - $10,000 ~ Apply by March 1st KEEN is committed to inspiring responsible outdoor participation to help preserve the places we all love to play. Through the  KEEN Effect, grants of $10,000 will go to nonprofit organizations around the world who are dedicated to getting people outside to responsibly enjoy the outdoors!
4. NPS Launch Design/Construction Guide 'Prepare to Launch!' Prepare to Launch! is an update to Logical Lasting Launches, a National Park Service publication that has been a reliable resource for river managers at the federal, agency, state, local, and community level across the country since 2004.  It includes guidelines for assessing, designing and building access sites for carry-in watercraft and can be used to help facility and trail planners, and park and recreation project leaders when planning, building, or updating access sites that are tailored to the needs of the canoeists, kayakers, tubers, stand-up paddlers, rowers, or small craft sailors (commonly referred to as “paddlers” in this document). Prepare to Launch! is a joint project of the NPS Rivers, Trails, Conservation Assistance Program and the River Management Society. Visit the Georgia Water Trail toolkit to learn more about Launch Design, Permitting & Construction, download 'Prepare to Launch!' and watch the webinar. 1. Watching the Water Flow - From Kayaking to Paddleboarding, Augustans are Taking to the Water to Get Fit and Have Fun Excerpted from the January 2015 issue of Augusta Magazine by Angie Byrd: You don’t have to be on the water to spot a  kayak. Just take a look around the next time you’re in traffic; vehicles topped with kayaks and paddleboards are becoming a common sight in our area. Paddle sports have surged in popularity in the past few years, offering active residents fitness opportunities that are as diverse as the enthusiasts who enjoy them...Augusta offers a rare option: two routes side by side...the canal as “a special little slow moving river.” For the more daring, the Savannah awaits... Read the full article. 2. Winter and Cold Weather Paddling Tips Excerpted from About.com by George Sayour: Winter is a lonely time for boaters and once it begins it seems like there is no end in sight. It's a time where kayaks become fixtures in garages and the rest of the paddling gear gets buried until the spring. Of course "serious" boaters will say that in order to stay at the top of your game you need to paddle year-round... Here is some advice from expert paddler George Sayour:
How can others sign up for this GA Water Trails Newsletter? It's EASY! Just fill out this sign up form. Please send news and developments on your trail, contributions to be included in the newsletter, and any suggestions to gwyneth@garivers.org |
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Georgia River Network 126 South Milledge Ave. Suite E3, Athens, GA 30605 706-549-4508
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