Explore the wild Altamaha River Delta! Join our weekend paddle May 2-4! Register here.

Dear River Protector,

After a long legislative session working to protect Georgia rivers, we are ready to hit our water trails and connect with our rivers! We believe exploring Georgia rivers is not just fun, it renews our passion for preserving our waterways for future generations to enjoy. We now ask you take action to protect Georgia rivers by signing up for a spring paddle trip!

Each paddle trip highlights the ecology of the area as well as the rich cultural and natural history on each river. Our upcoming Altamaha River Delta Adventure will highlight Black history and Gullah-Geechee culture on the coast.

Georgia Rivers paddlers also have the opportunity to be the first to see the new paddle-in campsites by Chattahoochee RiverLands! Join our Chattahoochee River Camp + Paddle  to experience the river in south Fulton County and camp at Campbellton and Chattahoochee Hills.

We also encourage you to plan your own river adventures! Join the over 13,000 users discovering water trails on our Georgia River Guide app. Those who paddle Georgia rivers, protect Georgia rivers!

Yours in river recreation and conservation, 

Rena Ann Peck

Executive Director

P.S. Thank you for showing your swamp spirit at our Mardi Gras Benefit Party! Nearly 130 people gathered at Fire Maker Brewing in Atlanta on March 4 for brews, an impressive low- country boil by Isham Colosetti, tasty pancakes by Joe Cook and Scott Hendricks and live music by Michelle Malone.

Read on for our next steps to protect Okefenokee Trail Ridge!

Georgia's 2025 legislative session is almost over! Sine Die is April 4.

Over the 40 day session we presented freedom to float and Okefenokee protection at a number of meetings such as the Senate Majority Caucus, Senate Economic Development & Tourism Committee, House Chair Leadership Luncheon, House Black Caucus and House Democratic Caucus.

Under the Gold Dome we participated in Okefenokee Day at the Capitol, Georgia Tourism Day, Capitol Conservation Day, DNR's Keep it Wild Day and Georgia Forestry Association Day.

Across the state we participated in DNR’s Weekend for Wildlife, the Okefenokee Partnership for Economic Development meeting in Waycross Board of Natural Resources meetings and more. 

Keep reading for a full recap of our priority issues!

Protecting Okefenokee Trail Ridge

This legislative session, Georgia Rivers worked with Rep Darlene Taylor to introduce The Okefenokee Protection Act and Okefenokee Trail Ridge Mining Moratorium bills, helped secure 77 co-sponsors and gave support testimony at the House Natural Resources & Environment Committee hearing to show the science-back evidence for supporting HB 561 and HB 562. (Watch a recording of the meeting here.)

These two bills did not cross over from the House and are no longer under consideration this session, but remain viable for the second half of the 2025-2026 biennial session.

However, surprise bills happen during the last days and we will continue to work at the Georgia General Assembly to achieve legislative protection of the Okefenokee. Recall that the House passed 3-year moratorium on dragline mining last session but it didn’t get a vote in the Senate. 

Did you know? Georgia barrier islands like Cumberland and Little Tybee were once threatened by mining. This spurred the Georgia General Assembly to pass the Coastal Marshlands Protection Act to protect Georgia's coastal beaches, dunes and ecosystems from being impacted by human activity.

Remember, Trail Ridge is an ancient barrier island that regulates water levels in the swamp. The General Assembly could again pass legislation to save this vital area from mining with the Okefenokee Protection Act, or at least pass a short-term mining moratorium to provide time for conservation buyers to assemble the Okefenokee Trail Ridge protection deal forever. Even a short-term moratorium could lead to long-term protection.

Boaters Day at the Capitol

Boaters from across Georgia gathered at the Capitol to tell legislators to protect their Freedom to Float!

A group of more than 25 paddlers from diverse districts across the state talked with their senators and representatives to urge them to protect public passage down all streams capable of floating recreational watercraft and support Georgia's record-breaking tourism industry and our outdoor recreation traditions. Rep. David Jenkins and Sen. Shawn Still recognized Boaters Day from the wells of both chambers. 

To develop your own perspective on the best path forward for Georgia's boating laws, consider the following questions:

1. Is it just and right for a single stream front property owner to have the authority to close a stream to the public? This action denies every other stream front property owner along said stream the ability to use and enjoy that stream, in addition to impacting outfitters that use the stream for business.

2. Is our state policy on river and stream access and passage best serving the interest of Georgia's tourism industry? Four of five neighboring states have policies that welcome recreational boaters while Georgia's policies dissuade recreational boaters from visiting.

Next Steps: We need YOU to meet with your legislator in the coming months.



If you'd be willing to arrange a meeting with your legislator and include representatives from Georgia Rivers, please contact Joe Cook at joe@garivers.org. Educating legislators out-of-session is key to raising awareness for the need to enshrine right of passage in Georgia law.

Upcoming Events

All 2025 kayak and water safety classes are open for registration!

Our classes are intentionally structured for buildable education from Intro to Kayaking in a lake and Intro to River Kayaking in moving water to Rescue for Rec Boaters to master recovery skills.

Join the Beaver Crew and become a certified kayak instructor! 

Our “Beaver Crew” kayak instructor training program provides coaching from certified ACA river kayaking instructors over the spring and summer and culminates with an August/September instructor certification class. 

This cohort is perfect for outdoor recreation leaders who would like to offer more paddlesports activities to their communities and organizations!

Paddle Scholarships Are Available! 

Through funding from our many supporters and sponsors, Georgia Rivers is offering scholarships that provide full and partial complimentary registrations for qualifying individuals. Priority will be given to women, people of color, recent immigrants to the U.S. and low income individuals and families.

Paddle and History Tour of Ebenezer and Abercorn Creeks

To tell the full stories of our rivers, Georgia Rivers hosts paddle trips to often overlooked historical sites only accessible by water.

Georgia Rivers recently paddled through Ebenezer and Abercorn Creeks to learn more about the history on these legendary creeks.

Ebenezer Creek was the site of a tragic massacre of freed slaves during the Civil War. This horrific event shaped history and resulted in the temporary promise of "40 acres and a mule" for formerly enslaved people. Bear Creek Island in the Savannah River was home to a community of maroons, (free Blacks and freedom seekers) who refused to be subjugated following the Revolutionary War. The resilient, autonomous community lived on the island for five years.

Our next trip on the Altamaha River Delta will highlight the rich Black history found on the state’s coastal islands and celebrate Gullah-Geechee culture. Sign up for the Altamaha River Delta Adventure May 2-4!

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