Tag Archives: Blueway

WWALS logo contest for Alapaha River Water Trail

Update 2015-01-20: High school student logo contest for Alapaha River Water Trail by WWALS in Suwannee Democrat.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

High school student logo contest for Alapaha River Water Trail

Update 2015-03-11: Winners have been selected by the judges and prizes will be presented at the conference.

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, Florida 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.

Our judges for the contest include:

Julie Bowland, Art Professor at Valdosta State University,
John Fitton, member of the Lakeland Georgia Chamber of Commerce,
Dennis Price, member of the Hamilton County Florida Tourism Council,
and Chris Graham, Chairman of the WWALS Alapaha River Water Trail Committee.

Winners will be announced, prizes awarded, and the winning logo unveiled at the

WWALS Alapaha River Water Trail Conference Continue reading →

1970s Canoe Trail FAQ

The rivers may be the same, but technology and the cast of characters have changed, as indicated by this Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) list from the 1970s. The acronym FAQ hadn’t been invented yet, for that matter.

This Canoe Trail FAQ is courtesy of John Leonard, Executive Director of the Southe Georgia Regional Commission (SGRC). I’ve added some links and clarifications.

QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE CONCERNING THE CANOE TRAILS

Days to float entire trail (Alapaha) 4 days-normal water; (Withlacoochee) 3 days-normal water.
That’s for the 83 miles of the 1970s Alapaha Canoe Trail brochures, and the 65 miles of the 1970s Canoe Guide to the Withlacoochee River Trail brochures. Those distances are shorter than the current Continue reading →

Alapaha River @ GA 135, Berrien County south of Willacoochee

Update 2020-09-07: This location is now known as Nashville Landing.

There is a long sandy beach upstream from the bridge, which is a popular summer hangout for locals.

Bret Wagenhorst took these pictures 14 September 2014.

Alapaha River access at Riverside Church

Nine miles south of Willacoochee on GA 135 and twelve miles east of Nashville on GA 76, which turns into Riverside Road as it crosses GA 135, is this traditional put-in for the Alapaha River. However, it is not clear that access is public, so we can’t recommend it unless that is clarified. Continue reading →

Canoeing Guide to the Withlacoochee River c. 1979

Including both Florida and Georgia, a second river got map and guide attention back in the 1970s. To be updated in the Withlacoochee River Water Trail.

This Withlacoochee River guide is courtesy of John Leonard, Executive Director of the Southern Georgia Regional Commission (SGRC).

I would speculate that it is the most recent of the three guides posted thus far, because the Continue reading →

Alapaha River rainy season?

Veteran boater Bret Wagenhorst asked:

Is there a defined “rainy season” on the Alapaha? I have seen the water high in December, March, July, and once even in September.

Good question!

Looking at the record high water levels for the gauges, they’re all in April, March, February, or January.

Also, the only January one is for Irwinville, the farthest upstream, which also had its highest ever in February with that January high only slightly lower.

Downstream, Continue reading →

Canoeing Guide to the Alapaha River c. 1979

Here’s a different guide to the Alapaha River from the one WWALS previously received; this one is courtesy of John Leonard, Executive Director of the Southern Georgia Regional Commission (SGRC). The Alapaha River Water Trail WWALS is currently developing is merely a continuation of this more than three decade old Alapaha Canoe Trail.

John Leonard said that when he started at the predecessor of the SGRC in 1980, calls came in frequently asking about water levels on the Alapaha River. It took him a while to realize why: the Alapaha River Trail had been written up in Southern Living! He did not have Continue reading →

TDC Letter of support for Alapaha River Water Trail from Hamilton County, FL

First a $250 check, then a letter of support, from the Hamilton County, Florida Tourist Development Council (TDC). WWALS thanks TDC!

In this picture taken at the 26 October 2014 Dead River Sink Outing Continue reading →

Organizational Meeting for Alapaha River Water Trail 2014-12-13

WWALS Watershed Coalition, Inc.
a 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation
3338 Country Club Road #L336
Valdosta, GA 31605
17 November 2014

Re: Alapaha River Water Trail

Dear Neighbor,

You are invited to an organizational meeting for the Alapaha River Water Trail by WWALS Watershed Coalition (WWALS). This updates and slightly extends the old Alapaha Canoe Trail from the 1970s, with new map, brochure, and website in the making.

When: 1-4PM Saturday December 13th 2014
Where: Continue reading →

Thank you for your efforts on behalf of the Alapaha River Water Trail –Valdosta-Lowndes County Chamber of Commerce

The Chamber of Commerce in the center of the Alapaha River Water Trail sent a very nice letter of support that connects the dots between water recreation, education, and economy.

VALDOSTA – LOWNDES COUNTY
CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
Leading Businesses.
Leading Communities.

November 5, 2014 Continue reading →

WWALS Watershed Coalition (WWALS) is Suwannee RIVERKEEPER®

A healthy watershed with clean, swimmable, fishable, drinkable water.