Working Timeline, Alapaha Water Trail

Last updated Wednesday 12 March 2015.

See News for press releases and news items.

The grant application materials requested: “Include a brief timeline for your project plan, highlighting major milestones and tasks to be accomplished including expected completion dates.”

This timeline originated with the one in the grant proposal, and material from the proposal is in italics. The grant contract did not include the proposed material about the Alapaha River Park that Lowndes County is establishing, so references to that are struck through in this timeline. WWALS is still talking to the Lowndes County Commission (LCC) and the Valdosta-Lowndes County Parks and Recreation Authority (VLPRA) about the park, but it’s not part of the work to implement the grant, other than wanting to get signage and brochures at the park for the Water Trail.

All dates are proposed, and may change in communication with other organizations, especially VLPRA and LCC, and with river water levels.

June 2014: Draft plan for Alapaha Water Trail south section (AlapahaSWT): Alapaha River from Lakeland (Lanier County), to site of Hotchkiss bridge (Lanier County), to the new park at US84 in Lowndes County, to Statenville (Echols County), connecting to the Suwannee River Wilderness Trail (SRWT) near Jennings, Hamilton County, Florida, including identifying landowners, likely trail users, and affected organizations. With side trips for Grand Bay Wetlands Management Area (Lowndes County) and Banks Lake (Berrien County).
See Alapaha River in the Maps page on the WWALS website.
See affected organizations.
Identifying landowners and trail users is in progress.

July 2014: park facilities and Water Trail meeting in Naylor, Lowndes County, GA.

July 2014: form Water Trails advisory committee; contact more stakeholders.

2014-07-09: The Alapaha Water Trail Committee was established by the WWALS Board at its regular meeting of 9 July 2014, with initial members Chris Graham (Chair), John S. Quarterman, Bret Wagenhorst, Karan A. Rawlins, Kathy Brunot. April Huntley was added by the WWALS Executive Committee at the request of the committee chair. Current members are listed under committees on the WWALS website.

2014-07-10: est. email list wwals-art@googlegroups.com. WWALS Alapaha Water Trail Committee established by WWALS Board at its regular meeting.

2014-07-21: Press Release

22 July 2014: WWALS gets grant from River Network, by Matthew Woody, Valdosta Daily Times.

24 July 2014: Coal plant mercury in the Alapaha River.

2014-08-05: First in-person committee meeting, at El Cazador Mexican Restaurant in Valdosta. Attendees: Chris Graham (chair), John S. Quarterman, Dave Hetzel, April Huntley, Brett Huntley, Chris Mericle, Deanna Mericle, Gretchen Quarterman, and Bret Wagenhorst (by phone).

2014-08-05: facebook group established.

6 August 2014: WWALS receives Alapaha Water Trail grant, Tifton Gazette.

6PM Monday 18 August 2014: one of two proposed times for telecon with GRN. Physical meeting location (if any) to be determined.

1-3PM Thursday 21 August 2014: Workshop, Georgia Recreational Trails Program, Ramada Perry, 200 Valley Drive, Perry GA 31069. Picture of WWALS and Satilla Riverkeeper at that workshop.

6PM Thursday 21 August 2014: one of two proposed times for telecon with GRN. Gwyneth Moody picked this one. Physical meeting location (if any) to be determined.

24 August 2014: Cities and Counties in WWALS watersheds.

2PM Sunday 24 August 2014: Outing proposed to approved by WWALS Outings Committee from Lanier County Hotchkiss Road to US 84, the site of the proposed park. Alapaha Water Trail Committee to meet at the outing.

August 2014: outing on Alapaha River from proposed site, and inventory along AlapahaSWT of invasive and native species, water level and quality issues, geology, etc. See 24 Aug outing instead.

31 August 2014: Lewis Lake pictures and videos from 17 May 2014 WWALS outing to that bird rookery on a mill pond.

September 2014: park facilities recommendations completed.

3 September 2014: Alapahoochee River at Hwy 135/141.

16 September 2014: In Search of Alapaha’s End “a last minute Labor Day trip down the Alapaha in search of where it goes under ground or dries up”.

23 September 2014: Letter to Lowndes County, GA Commission, like ones delivered to all the other counties and county seats along the Alapaha River Water Trail (Echols, Lanier, Berrien, and Atkinson Counties, Georgia, and Hamilton County, Florida).

27 September 2014: Cleanup at US 82 on the Alapaha River.

September 2014: Revised plan for AlapahaSWT including water level records and seasonal boating recommendations, water quality records and ongoing measurement recommendations, major invasive species sites and tips on recording spread, etc.

October 2014: Draft brochures for AlapahaSWT. See Alapaha River Water Trail web page.

2 October 2014: Glenn Dowling of Georgia River Network sent this brochure from the 1970s for the Alapaha River Trail.

2,3,4 October 2014: Aquifer Conference, Monticello, FL got many good contacts with Suwannee River Water Management District (SRWMD) and others, including Gulf Restoration Network and Florida Audubon Society.

5 October 2014: WWALS table at Second annual Flatlander Canoe and Kayak Race at Lake Irma in Lakeland, GA got good contacts and information for the Alapaha River Water Trail.

15 October 2014: “I met with Amanda Peacock today from the Georgia Tourism (Explore Georgia) and gave her a copy of the current brochure, the map that Chris M had printed and the map that Dennis Price had brought. She got us set up by the afternoon with the exploregeorgia.org web site so we can announce our events there. Once we have our brochures and/or cards she can help us get them into the 12 Visitor centers across the state.” –Gretchen Quarterman

26 October 2014: Dead River Sink Outing, Alapaha River, near Jennings, Florida.

26 October 2014, Received $250 check from Hamilton County, FL Tourist Development Council.

30 October 2014: Video of WWALS Ambassador Dave Hetzel explaining WWALS and the Alapaha River Water Trail plus presentation slides adapted from Georgia River Network.

1 November 2014: Alapaha River Water Trail mentioned at Alabama Sierra Club annual retreat in Eufaula, AL by WWALS president John S. Quarterman.

3 November 2014: Alapaha River water levels, with live charts from USGS.

5 November 2014: Letter of support from Valdosta-Lowndes County (Georgia) Chamber of Commerce.

5 November 2014: Check for $500 from Valdosta-Lowndes County Convention Center and Tourism Authority.

6 November 2014: Request for assistance from Echols County for boat ramp siting.

8 November 2014: WWALS at Alapaha (Georgia) Station Celebration, assisting with their theme of River Days.

12 November 2014: Rivers go underground at the Cody Scarp

13 November 2014: Committee members Chris and Deanna Mericle hiked to the Alapaha River Sink and reported back with pictures.

November 13 December 2014: Organizational meeting for AlapahaSWT.

20 December 2014: Cleanup on Alapaha River near Jasper, FL: WWALS Outing

15 January 2015: mid-year progress report for GRN grant was submitted and approved by GRN.

2. Final Report – A complete report, showing the expenditure of funds (budget) and the progress made in accomplishing the purposes of the grant will be submitted by Grantee to GRN by May 15, 2015. A mid-year progress report will be due January 15, 2015. Failure to submit a report by this date will render the organization ineligible for a grant in the next grant cycle.

Saturday 17 January 2015: Expert paddle on the Alapaha River from US 82: WWALS Outing 2015-01-17

Monday 2 Saturday 17 February 2015: submission deadline for high school student designs for a logo for the Alapaha River Water Trail.

1 March 2015: Draft map with all boat ramps and canoe launches and many other access points, three outfitters, camping, two sinks and several springs, all river gauges, all road bridges and railroad bridges, all sponsors of the Water Trail, and all logo contest prize donors.

14 March 2015: Park and Water Trail conference, emphasizing organizing for ongoing upkeep, outreach, and expansion after establishment. Press release with agenda: Prizes to high school logo contest winners Saturday at Alapaha River Water Trail Conference.

February March 2015: Final brochures for AlapahaSWT, and draft map, guide, website, and signs.

Spring 2015: Alapaha River Park at US84 completed (this date depends greatly on LCC and VLPRA).

May 2015: AlapahaSWT established, with brochures, map, guide, website, sign, and at least one wayside exhibit at Alapaha River Park. Still to do: fact sheet and signage.
Lowndes County won’t finish Naylor Boat Ramp until September 2015 at earliest.

15 May 2015: Final report for GRN grant.

AlapahaNWT: Alapaha River north section, from Alapaha (Berrien County), past Willacoochee (Atkinson County), to Lakeland, connecting to AlapahaSWT. Include notes on side trip to Lewis Lake (Avera’s Mill Pond), rookery for a dozen water bird species, on Ten Mile Creek near Nashville in Berrien County. See Outing at Avera’s Mill Pond (Lewis Lake) /?p=1663.

See News for press releases and news items.