Chestatee, Etowah, and Yahoola Cleanup

Lumpkin County
October 21, 2006
Cleanup of Chestatee and Etowah Rivers and Yahoola Creek and Reservoir
Sponsored by Lumpkin Coalition in collaboration with Rivers Alive

On Saturday, October 21, 2006, Lumpkin Coalition is sponsoring cleanup of publicly accessible areas of the Chestatee and Etowah Rivers in Lumpkin County and the Yahoola Creek Park and Reservoir as part of the Rivers Alive Annual Waterway Cleanup.

The cleanup will include on-river and land sites at public access points.

Interested individuals, civic and school clubs, Boy and Girl Scout Troops, and church groups are invited to participate. See contact information below.

Following are the currently planned land sites and river sections targeted. The times cited for canoeing sections are normal paddling times; they do not include the additional time involved in cleanup. Paddlers must provide their own boats.

CHESTATEE

Land teams will be needed for the following sites:

• Coppermine Rapid - a big job - will need 2 teams of at least 6 each
• Highway 60 access - 1 team of 6
• Highway 400 access - also big job - will need 3 groups of at least 6 each
• Lumpkin County Recreation Park (in collaboration with Parks and Recreation) - 1 team of 6

Canoe teams (at least 2 boats per team, preferably 3) will be needed for the following river sections (times are paddling only; they do not include time for cleaning around bridges):

• Coppermine Rapid to Highway 52 (at Oar House) - about 2.5 hours. Experienced paddlers.
• Highway 52 (at Oar House) to Highway 60 - about 2 hours. Paddlers will clean around 52 bridge also. Easy paddle - no experience required.
• Highway 60 to Appalachian Outfitters - about 2 hours. Paddlers walk upriver with canoes and pick up golf balls, then paddle back. No experience required.
• Appalachian Outfitters to Highway 400 - about 2 hours. No experience required.
• Highway 400 to Lumpkin County Recreation Park - about 3 hours. No experience required.

ETOWAH

Land teams will be needed for the following sites:

• Hightower Bridge - 1 team of 6
• Jay Bridge - 1 team of 6
• Castleberry Bridge - 1 team of 6
• Highway 136 - collaborate with Dawson County - 1 team of 6

Canoe teams (at least 2 boats per team, preferably 3) will be need for the following river sections (times are paddling only; they do not include time for cleaning around bridges):

• Hightower Bridge to Jay Bridge - about 5 hours. Experienced paddlers.
• Jay Bridge to Highway 52; clean around Hwy. 52 also - about 1 hour. No experience required.
• Highway 52 to Highway 9; clean around Hwy. 9 bridge also - about 1 hour. No experience required.
• Highway 9 to Castleberry Bridge - about 3 hours (with mandatory portage at Etowah Falls). Some experience required.
• Castleberry Bridge to Highway 136 - about 6 hours (water level will determine). The "tunnel" section - some experience required.

YAHOOLA CREEK PARK AND RESERVOIR

4 teams of 6 persons each

MEETING TIMES AND PLACES

Meeting times and places before and after cleanup will be announced.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, call or e-mail any of the following persons:

Joe Adams, Cleanup Chairman and Owner, Revival Organic Gardens
706 864 9787
joe@worldclass.net

Murray Lamb, Co-chairman of Lumpkin Coalition
706 973 9067
murray@lumpkincoalition.org

Elvin or Nancy Hilyer, Assistant Coordinators
706 864 9003
elvin3865@gmail.com