Message from the Executive Director 

Every year when spring breaks roll around, we are reminded how grateful we are for all of our many student volunteers! Whether its Tri-County Early College H.S. students working on the Tri-County Community College campus through service learning program; Young Harris College students working through the Bonner Leaders Program; students from various schools across the Eastern U.S. traveling here to participate in an alternative spring break project; or local youth and young adults volunteering through Roots & Shoots, church, or other community organization... we offer our sincere thanks for your efforts helping facilitate water quality improvements in the upper Hiwassee River watershed!

We have added a new page to the web site called “The Good News!”  In December 2012, I started adding a “thumbs up” series to our monthly E-news.  I’ve gotten such good feedback that I decided an online archive was in order.  There is a link to the page in the Quick Links box where you can go every month to get the updated good news in the watershed.  Now, keep up the good work so that I have something to post!

Art, River & Music Festival – June 1

Volunteers Needed: Publicity, Canoe/Kayak Trips, Crazy Float Race

The Coalition has partnered with the Cherokee County Arts Council to provide river activities and education at the third annual Art, River, and Music Festival on Saturday, June 1 at the historic L&N Depot in downtown Murphy.  The event begins at 9:00am and goes until 4:00pm.  Volunteers are needed now to hang posters throughout the 4-county area and to distribute these attractive postcards at other area festivals to help get the word out! 

The Watershed Coalition will have educational and food booths at the festival and will provide free canoe or kayak trips from 9-1. Then at 2:00 we'll be hosting a Crazy Float Contest featuring homemade vessels.  Pre-registration is required before May 29th.  Register before May 17th and receive a $5 discount!  Volunteers will also be needed the day of the event to help with any of the above activities.  Contact Callie Moore if you can help.  And spread the word!

Grant Funds for Septic System Repair

Still Available in the Lake Chatuge Watershed

Thanks to a grant to Towns County from Georgia’s Environmental Protection Division, Section 319 Non-Point Source Pollution Program, funds are currently available to Towns County residents whose property lies within the Lake Chatuge Watershed for septic system repair. The Coalition has already helped several families who otherwise wouldn’t have been able to afford the repairs needed to fix their system and insure their waste is not the source of contamination to our streams and lake.  Residents may qualify for up to 100% assistance for septic repairs, depending on income level. This program is completely VOLUNTARY; however, once the Health Department determines that there is a problem, it must be appropriately addressed to prevent runoff into adjacent waterways.  Information packets are available from the Towns County Health Department. Residents are urged to read the packets carefully, determine if they have a problem with their septic system and contact Lake Chatuge Watershed Coordinator, Scarlett Fuller at 706-970-9069.

Registration Now Open for C.R.E.E.K.

Creative & Recreational Environmental Education for Kids

Our 2013 C.R.E.E.K. days are set! We will be holding four exciting and educational day camps. We'll be investigating microscopic pond dwellers, getting to know the difference between native and invasive plants, creating our own aquatic creatures, performing water quality tests, sampling the water for fish species and more. Four identical daylong camps will be offered from 9:00-3:00 on the following dates and locations:

Tuesday, July 9th

Riverbend Campground

 Towns County, Ga.

Thursday, July 11th

Meeks Park

Union County, Ga.

Thursday, July 25th

Konehete Park

Cherokee County, N.C.

Friday, July 26th

Rivercane Walk Brasstown, N.C.

NC Wildlife Resources Commission biologists help youth seine Brasstown Creek for fish.

The camps are open to 6th, 7th, and 8th-graders in Cherokee and Clay counties, NC and Towns and Union counties, GA and are FREE thanks to our sponsors: Blairsville Kiwanis Club, Grove Enterprises, Lake Nottely Improvement Assoc., Rotary Club of Lake Chatuge, and TVA. Registration forms are located on the C.R.E.E.K. web page.

Getting Geared up for Adventure!

An Adventure RACE that is... on August 24th at Jackrabbit

Adventure racing (also called expedition racing) is a combination of two or more endurance disciplines, including orienteering and/or navigation, cross-country running, mountain biking, paddling and climbing and related rope skills. Another driving factor in adventure racing is the emphasis that is placed on teamwork, rather than individual achievement. This is what attracted the Coalition to this type of racing fundraiser over others - teamwork!  And teamwork is what we'll need to pull off this fun event to raise the profile of the organization among outdoor recreation enthusiasts and eventually raise a good deal of money for our clean water mission.  Lake Chatuge coordinator, Scarlett Fuller, is looking for volunteers for a committee to help plan and execute this event which will include mountain biking, paddling, and running all in the Jackrabbit Recreation Area on Lake Chatuge. Also, we need a catchy, creative name for the race and there will be a prize for the person who comes up with the name we end up choosing. If you enjoy any of these sports, like event planning, or would like to submit a race name, contact Scarlett. There will be small jobs for everyone at this event, so save the date: Saturday, August 24th!