Registration is open for 11th annual River Race!

Paddlers of all ages and skill levels will take to the water on Saturday, June 15, for the 11th Annual Back to the Chattahoochee River Race & Festival. Registration is now open.

CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP!

The race is organized and presented in partnership with the National Park Service and the city of Roswell. It begins at 9 a.m. at Garrard Landing Park on Holcomb Bridge Road and includes competitive and recreational categories for Kayaks, Canoes and Stand Up Paddle Boards. This 8-mile course includes exciting Class I-II rapids and concludes at Riverside Park, the site of the free family-friendly festival, music and awards presentation.

The free festival is at Roswell’s Riverside Park from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., is a family-friendly with live music, food, children's activities and environmental exhibitors. Our music lineup features Jimmy Hall and Friends, with the lead singer of Georgia Music Hall of Fame inductee Wet Willie ("Keep On Smilin'"); the Women of Rock trio of Caroline Aiken, Diane Durrett and Donna Hopkins; and the Music Matters "Rock U" Bands! Visit the event page for more info here, and check out highlights from last year's event!

Paddle down one of Georgia’s ‘Hidden Gems'

We’re excited to participate in the Georgia River Network’s (GRN) 4 Seasons Hidden Gems Paddling Events, starting this spring and running through the fall. This program helps paddlers discover some of Georgia’s most treasured waterways, and kicks off May 18 with a 13-mile trip down Chattahoochee below Atlanta.

REGISTER HERE.

Each paddle will include lunch and presentations along the route, ranging from natural history and water quality testing to river clean-up training and kayak fishing. CRK will lead this trip in partnership with GRN, West Atlanta Watershed Alliance and Keeping It Wild. The trip begins at 8 a.m. at the Highway 166 boat ramp, 6498 Campbellton Road, SW, Atlanta, 30331. Fees range from $15 to $50.

Download the flyer here.

Busy spring in store for West Point Lake Region

The West Point Lake Region will warm up this spring with lots of fun and informative events. We opened our office in LaGrange in 2011 and have been growing steadily ever since, and our events are growing accordingly. We've already hosted the LaGrange College Water Conservation Forum on April 16 as well as the Wild & Scenic Film Festival on (April 23).

We also rescheduled the start of our Watershed Outings program, the Shoal Lily Viewing Walk, for on Sunday, May 26 (see below). Future events in the area include our 2nd Annual Clean Water Festival at Yellowjacket Creek Beach (pictured, June 1) and the Wolfe Farm Tour (June 3).

Check out our Events calendar for more details.

Warmer weather brings our 2013 Outings Program

While this year's 2013 Outings Program includes the usual paddle trips (including our River Discovery Series), overnight paddle trips, and paddle cleanups, we've added Watershed Outings. These are staff-led hikes and other excursions that bring you up close and personal to our amazing watershed. First up: a hike on Saturday, May 26, to view the beautiful and rare spider lilies along Flat Shoals Creek in Harris County, led by CRK Regional Outreach Manager Jill Sistino. Admission is free to this event, which was rescheduled from its original May 11 date. Capacity is limited; register here.)

The program kicks into high gear with the popular River Discovery Series (in partnership with the National Park Service), starting with a paddle trip from Buford Dam to McGinnis Ferry on June 29.

(UPDATE: Our Headwaters Camp and Paddle Trip has been rescheduled for the weekend of July 6-7. Register here.)

Record turnout removes 3.7 tons of trash at Sweep the Hooch

A record number of 553 volunteers removed 3.7 tons of trash at our 3rd Annual Sweep the Hooch on April 13! This comprehensive cleanup, in partnership with the Upper Chattahoochee Chapter of Trout Unlimited and the National Park Service, sent volunteers to clean up at 22 sites throughout the 48-mile stretch of river through the Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area. We also had cleanups at two sites at Chattahoochee Bend State Park in Coweta County downstream of Atlanta. Breaking down the numbers further, we recycled more than a half-ton of the trash!

A big "thank you" to all our volunteers as well as our sponsors: Colonial Pipeline, The Home Depot Foundation, Hewlett-Packard Company, The Coca-Cola Foundation, Cox Media Group, PTS Screen Printing and Embroidery, Republic Services, 755 Restaurant Group, American Rivers, Eze Castle Software. Watch some of the highlights from this year's cleanup here.

Report: Local governments, businesses help fill Atlanta's water gap

CRK’s update to our 2011 report, Filling the Water Gap: Conservation Successes and Missed Opportunities in Metro Atlanta, outlines water conservation efforts across metro Atlanta as implemented by nine local governments and select businesses. In our report, we conclude that although the region has made incremental progress in reducing water use, we can and should do more.

We estimate there is nearly 150 million gallons per day (MGD) of water we can save through modest measures, including leak repair, conservation pricing, replacing outdated plumbing fixtures, and rainwater harvesting. If we add reuse, the savings increase to nearly 400 MGD, or enough water to supply 2.6 million people in metro Atlanta.

Download a copy our 2012 report here. Read more about Filling the Water Gap here.

Newly redesigned CRK Store is open for business!

One great way to get in the mood for the warmer weather and the many offerings we have in our Outings Program and seasonal events is to shop for CRK merchandise in our newly redesigned CRK Store! We premiered our new merch at our Wild & Scenic Film Festival in March, which included our wildly popular new long-sleeve T-shirt (pictured).

Also fresh on our virtual shopping shelves are three different styles of caps to suit your taste: an army-style cap, a “trucker”-style cap, and the more traditional ball cap.

We also feature a CRK koozie (made with recycled materials) and a dry pouch to keep your gear water-proof, perfect for storing your key and phone during your trip down the Chattahoochee.

Shop with CRK by visiting this link.

Wells Fargo grant will help protect our river!

What a way to celebrate Earth Day! CRK is excited to announce that we have received a $25,000 grant from Wells Fargo & Co. to support our water conservation efforts! The grant, part of the company’s national $3 million Environmental Solutions for Communities program, will help staff respond to citizen hotline alerts, reduce stormwater impacts from construction activities, protect stream buffers, and restore a section of a tributary creek in Connally Nature Park (pictured).

The Wells Fargo Environmental Solutions for Communities program is funded by the Wells Fargo Foundation, and is administered by the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation. Read more about the program here.