Freedom to Float Coalition focuses on success of Columbus

ATHENS – This summer, a new Georgia House Study Committee on Navigable Streams has been charged with determining where citizens can recreate on Georgia rivers and streams. This committee will convene later this year to collect data and testimony from Georgia citizens, residents and municipal officials about the role that river recreation plays in local communities and make recommendations for future legislation.

This has opened a conversation about the ways river recreation introduces us to hidden gems across Georgia and the role river recreation plays in local economies. On Monday, the Freedom to Float Coalition sponsored a Live Stream broadcast featuring the success story from Columbus.

During this first episode of the series, Dan Gilbert from Whitewater Express and Peter Bowden from Visit Columbus spoke about ways river recreation on the Chattahoochee River builds businesses, creates jobs and attracts visitors who return to this whitewater destination city several times each year. This live stream is the first in a series of episodes highlighting different river recreation destinations across Georgia every Monday night in July and August.

More tan 12 years ago, Columbus embarked on a river restoration project to replace two decommissioned hydroelectric dams with a dam-controlled environment for whitewater kayaking. Today, Columbus boasts the longest urban whitewater rafting course in the world.

“In Columbus you can float 2.5 miles of whitewater from an easy float trip in the morning to an almost Class 5 in the afternoon,” Bowden said. “We’ve seen an explosion of economic development because of that.”

The Chattahoochee River, the urban core of Columbus, is the main draw for the 1.9 million visitors who spent $300 million in the last fiscal year. Because of this visitor revenue, locals benefit as well with the average local household in Columbus saving more than $600 each year in property taxes.

“Many cities from all over the country come in each year to see what we’ve done and try to do the same thing,” Gilbert noted. “This is a great success story of private investors, government and recreation coming together.”

Columbus built on the success of their rafting and kayaking river experiences by shaping the river to include a course for freestyle kayaking. In the last two years, Columbus has hosted two international freestyle kayaking events of Olympic-caliber competition that included many local, home-grown paddlers who trained on other rivers in Georgia.

“We had great engineers involved on this section of the river, and great luck, and ended up with one of the best waves in the world,” Gilbert said. “One of our waves is considered one of the Top 10 waves for kayakers in the entire world, and we have some of the best whitewater in the Southeast.”

However, current debate over public access to Georgia’s rivers could stifle the bold visions of local leaders across the state who wish to build their region through river recreation.

“If we don’t have access to our rivers, we have limited access to entrepreneurial and community opportunities,” White warned.

The Georgia House Study Committee on Navigable Streams has indicated they will be determining where citizens should have the right to recreate on Georgia rivers based on an 1863 law defining “navigable streams” that was originally defined for purposes of river freight. Legislative debates have raised much concern among paddlers, boaters and fishermen that their favorite river destination may soon be declared “non-navigable” for recreation and the entrepreneurial businesses that depend on income from these recreational pursuits may be forced to shut down.

The success story of river recreation tourism in Columbus will be used as part of the Freedom to Float campaign to urge legislators to support the state’s robust outdoor recreation economy and protect existing river recreation uses. River recreation boosts tourism and impacts local economies, but more importantly, increases quality of life. The freedom to create memories and explore Georgia’s rivers is priceless

The Georgia Freedom to Float live stream schedule includes:

July 22 — 6 p.m.: Cartecay River, Ellijay

Moderator: Jonathan Mann, GCA/Former CNN

Panelists: Tripp Janssen, Cartecay River Experience Robert Ferguson, Georgia Mountain Trails Partnership

July 29 — 6 p.m.: Ebenezer Creek, Savannah

Moderator: Jonathan Mann, GCA/Former CNN

Panelists: Brian Cohen, Backwater Expeditions Sara Brune, Visit Savannah

August 5 — 6 p.m.: Upper Chattahoochee, Helen

Moderator: Todd Rehm, Editor, GA Pundit

Panelists: Tim Brenner, Wildwater Outfitters/Festive Watersports

August 12 — 6 p.m.: Cedar Creek, Rome

Moderator: Todd Rehm, Editor, GA Pundit

Panelists: James Lossick, Cedar Creek Outdoors Janet Cochran, former Explore Georgia and Georgia Rural Center, Virginia Galloway, Paulding County Commissioner

August 19 — 6 p.m.: South and West Chickamauga Creek, Ringgold

Moderator: Todd Rehm, Editor, GA Pundit

Panelists: Julie Wolff, Kayak Ringgold Mayor Nick Millwood of Ringgold

August 26 — 6 p.m.: Etowah and Chestatee Rivers, north Georgia

Moderator: Durrell Smith, Minority Outdoor Alliance

Panelists: Ben LaChance, Appalachian Outfitters Sam McDuffie, Visit Dahlonega

Special Photo: Georgia River Network