Remember those Halloween Darter jokes? The Halloween Darter is now officially a new species!

 

On Paddle Georgia 2008 on the Flint River we learned about the Halloween Darter (and heard all those Halloween Darter jokes). We were lucky to have Mary Freeman, who discovered the Halloween Darter, along with us on Paddle Georgia to teach us all about the Flint, especially the Halloween Darter. We heard the story of how, while surveying fishes in Georgia’s Flint River, Mary and her husband Bud noticed that a certain darter fish had a striking orange color in its fins–much different than the Blackbanded darter that is prominent in the southwest Georgia River. They had come across a new species: the Halloween darter or Percina crypta.

You may be surprised to learn, though, that it wasn’t until after Paddle Georgia that the Halloween Darter “officially” became a new species.

This is what Mary had to say about completing the process to get the Halloween Darter officially declared a new species: “Hearing folks who might never have heard of a “darter” before telling Halloween darter jokes was a bit of a surprise for me, especially on that first night that I arrived at the camp at Camp Thunder.   Bud and I had years ago figured out that this little darter was different than any other known to science, but frankly, finishing a species description is tedious stuff.  Spending a week on the Flint with people from so many different walks of life, evincing such interest and concern about the river and what lives in it – especially those paddlers who helped pull a seine and at least acted  enthused about seeing what came up in the net – really motivated me to put other projects aside and do this one thing that I could do for the Flint.  That is – put an official, scientifically recognized name on one of the river’s unique critters.”

“The Halloween darter is a great example of ‘cryptic biodiversity’ — species that have gone unrecognized because they look a lot like other species that are known,” explained Mary, an ecologist with the U.S. Geological Survey and the UGA Odum School of Ecology. “Ichthyologists have documented many new fish species in the southeastern U.S., showing that despite nearly 100 years of scientific study of fishes in this region, there are still surprises.”The newly discovered Halloween darter is less than five inches long and upon analysis, was found to have a host of differences from the Blackbanded darter. The fish is common to only a few areas of the Chattahoochee and Flint River systems because it requires habitats with swift water currents over rocky areas–shoals. Findings were reported in a recent issue of prominent zoological journal Zootaxa.

According to Mary, there are far fewer shoals today because of the rise of dams on rivers and streams, as well as the removal of rock shoals to improve rivers for navigation. The discovery of the Halloween darter has definite implications for conservation strategies.

“Keeping track of the status of the Halloween darter, along with other species that require shoal habitats in the Chattahoochee and Flint Rivers, will provide information on how shoals as ecological systems are responding to changes in land use, water management and climate,” said Mary.

In addition to the Freemans, the research team included Noel Burkhead of the U.S. Geological Survey and Carrie Straight, a Ph.D. student at the UGA Odum School of Ecology.

 

Cold Coosawattee Scouting on New Year’s Eve

April Ingle takes in the scenery along the Coosawattee on a cold, blustery New Year's Eve Day.

“The Lower Coosawattee doesn’t have any rapids. What’ll I need a change of clothes for? 40-degrees and windy? That’s what fleece is for!”

If you ever hear me saying these words, don’t get in a canoe with me…I know April Ingle may never again.

New Year’s Eve Day, April and I along with Doc Stephens in his solo kayak ventured up to the Carter’s Re-regulation Dam to scout Day 3 and Day 4 of Paddle Georgia 2009 on the Lower Coosawattee–a 24-mile section through rural farmland begining just below the re-regulation dam and ending in the shadows of the New Echota Historic Site, the old Cherokee Indian Capitol near the confluence of the Coosawattee and the Conasauga rivers.

Truth is there is one small rapid right below the dam, and within one minute of lauching our canoe, April and I were swimming down the Coosawattee tugging our canoe to shore to drain it and ourselves. April was smart enough to bring a change of clothes. I, on the other hand, was not. After ringing out the fleece we continued down river.  Sun and wind dries out fleece quickly, but doesn’t do much for feet encased in wet sneakers.

Doc Stephens inspects a "cave" along the banks of the Coosawattee on what will be Day 4 Paddle Georgia 2009 route.

Despite the cold feet, we did take in the charms, curiosities and scents of the Lower Coosawattee.

Indeed, the section is void of any significant rapids, but frequent strainers stretching bank to bank keep you on your toes…wet though they be. One required that we climb out on the tree and pull our boat over.

Day 3 will begin just below the re-regulation dam at Carter’s and our launch site is actually the bed of the former Coosawattee prior to construction of the dam. The re-reg dam serves to moderate the flow in the Coosawattee below the larger dam and it also holds water that is pumped uphill back to the main reservoir in order to generate additional power at the hydro-electric facility.

Bluffs typical of the scenery on what will be Paddle Georgia 2009's Day 3.

Downstream from the dam, the river offers beautiful views of rock bluffs, a Native American fish weir near the mouth of Rock Creek and regular riverfront dwellings and fish camps. Here, you see how man and rivers don’t always mix appropriately. At one riverfront home, property owners have cut large trees off the top of a bluff, dropping them into the river in order to provide a clear view of water from the back porch. Not a bad view from the porch, but an ugly view from the river and a reminder that we river advocates still have much education to do when it comes to the importance of stream buffers and riparian vegetation.

And, sadly along the way there’s much evidence of mankind’s “out-of-sight-out-of mind” inclinations. At a handful of locations, the rusted hulks of cars and kitchen appliances litter the river banks, out of view of nearby farm fields but in full view from the perspective of the river.

Despite these distractions, the paddling is peaceful and pleasant.

Day 4 will offer up more of the same and plenty of curiosities–like an abandoned boat stuck high in a tree above the water line or crevices and cave-like cuts in riverside bluffs that are typical of the Oostanaula and Coosawattee through the limestone terrain of Georgia’s Ridge and Valley region.

Ruins along the Coosawattee. By June, we'll have the full story behind this structure for the daily descriptions!

We passed old industry–an abandoned mill structure. We scented more recent remains–farm fields sprayed with biosolids from a local wastewater treatment plant (like chickens and cows, we have our distinct scent). We took in the City of Calhoun’s water intake (it used to be on the Oostanaula, but pollution from Dalton carpet mills prompted a move to the Coosawattee years ago). And, we finished our trip within site of the Conasauga’s confluence where the Cherokees settled on a new capitol in 1825.

Interestingly, as the rivers wind toward their meeting place, at one point they are separated by only a half-mile wide ridge, yet you have to travel four and a half miles on the Coosawattee before you reach the Conasauga’s mouth.

Given wet feet and cold windy weather, this 24-mile paddle took us only 7 hours to complete. Warmth is quite the motivator.

Joe Cook

Jan. 6, 2009

Scouting trips will continue through the winter and spring as we continue to gather information to make Paddle Georgia a memorable trip. Paddle Georgia 2009 online registration is expected to begin in early February and brochures and registration forms will be ready by late February.

GCA Helps Scout PG 2009 Day 1

Running the rapids near the mouth of Mountaintown Creek

With four inches of rain dumping on North Georgia this week, Georgia Canoe Association members who volunteer as Paddle Georgia safety boaters organized a scouting trip of the Upper Coosawattee and Day 1 of Paddle Georgia 2009–13 miles of fun whitewater punctuated by playful Class I & II rapids.

Dropping off one of many small ledges that highlight the 13-mile run from Ellijay to Carters Lake

The rain swelled the river to 1.6 feet, nearly twice the level that Doc Stephens and I paddled this section back in October. The extra foot of water made for a lot more fun on this shoal-strewn section of river. Without question, this will be the first true “whitewater run” that Paddle Georgia has ever tackled. Rather than rapids interupted by long stretches of flatwater that we found on the Chattahoochee, Etowah, Ocmulgee and Flint, the Coosawattee offers up some quarter mile sections of continuous swiftwater; series of pools and ledges and some rather technical paddling sure to challenge less-experienced paddlers.

Working with Vincent Payne, Jamie Higgins and others from the Georgia Canoe Association (www.georgiacanoe.org), we’ll come up with a game plan for getting everyone down this thrilling run safely.

This will be the only day of whitewater on the PG 2009 itinerary, however. Day 1 will be followed by a day of lake paddling on Carters Lake, followed by gentle paddling on the Lower Coosawattee and Oostanaula rivers where only small shoals interupt long stretches of flatwater.

A typical ledge on the Upper Coosawattee

The Upper Coosawattee starts out slowly, but as it winds its way through the Coosawattee River Resort it flows over a series of ledges and reaches a crescendo as it approaches Mountaintown Creek where you must navigate nearly a half mile of almost continuous swiftwater, including at least two Class II shoals.

We’ve mapped these shoals on our topos and logged them in our GPSs and hopefully, our Day 1 map will reflect these details. With another run of the Upper Coosawattee under our belts, we are inching closer to having the entire PG 2009 route scouted. By year’s end, we’ll have paddled all seven days of the trip.

In other news, we continue to work with the Coosawattee Watershed Alliance and the Gilmer County Chamber of Commerce on plans for our stay in Ellijay. Look for some neat surprises from Georgia’s Apple Capital. You can learn more about Ellijay and Gilmer County by visiting www.gilmerchamber.com You can learn more about the Coosawattee Watershed Alliance, the local organization working to protect Gilmer County’s rivers and streams, by visiting www.coosawatteewatershedalliance.org.

Joe Cook

12-15-08

Deserving Design Does Paddle Georgia

John Branch answers questions from Deserving Design producers while taping an interview at the Coosa River in Rome.

Paddle Georgia participants John Branch, Tim and James Watson and Georgia River Network Executive Director April Ingle will be featured on an episode of Deserving Design With Vern Yip sometime in late winter, early spring 2009.

Yip and gang invaded Rome, evicted me from my home for six days (I gladly left) and redesigned two rooms. When I returned the house was transformed…or at least the two rooms. Branch, the Watsons and Ingle were all interviewed for the 30-minute HGTV show. The show picks out “deserving” individuals who volunteer or work in the non-profit field and then tranforms appropriate rooms in their homes. Lucky for me, John Branch got a call from one of the show’s producers when the show was looking for an “environmental angle.” Branch, an employee at CNN in Atlanta and fresh off his journey down the Flint, suggested my name. After they looked at my circa 1890 home–and its decaying state–I think they took pity on me.

From left, Tim Watson, Joe Cook, April Ingle and James Watson take in Vern Yip's handy work in Joe's new living room.

Now, I’ve got a beautiful living room and workroom. Of course, the workroom is too nice to actually work in, so I’ve moved the workroom elsewhere. Ingle and the Watsons were here for the “reveal day” and you’ll catch their reactions as well as my maniacal cackling at the tranformation when the show airs.

And, when booted from home, where do paddlers go? To the river, of course. The eviction gave me an appropriate excuse to scout another day of Paddle Georgia 2009 on the Coosawattee and Oostanaula River. This time I explored the last 25 miles of our journey from Reeves Station Road in Gordon County to downtown Rome.

Rock formations flank a shoal near journey

The Oostanaula in Gordon and Floyd counties is predominantly rural (a University of Georgia cattle experiment farm hugs the river bank for some three miles at one point). Mostly, farm fields flank the river, periodically giving way to picturesque bluffs. Rock wing dams jut out from the river banks in places…the remnants of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers 1870s’ effort to improve navigation on the river, and some six miles upstream from downtown Rome, the remains of a Native American fish weir channel the Oostanaula’s flow.

Along the way, I spotted racoons, deer, beaver and, as always, mussels. At one shoal, I stumbled upon a three-horn wartyback graveyard–a spot where a raccoon, or perhaps an otter, made a feast of the racquetball-sized mussels with the funny name. The shucked shells littered the river bottom. I retrieved several (bringing one back for Vern!).

A Native American fish weir bisects the Oostanaula upstream from downtown Rome.

Three-horn warty back mussels litter the river bottom where an otter or raccoon feasted.

After a cold night camped on an island at Jones Bend, I pushed into Rome. In the journey’s last mile, you pass beneath five birdges, but you are rewarded with picture postcard views of downtown Rome’s most prominent skyline features, the Floyd County Courthouse and the City Clocktower.

Like Vern Yip ready to do a ”reveal” those of us who know the rivers of Northwest Georgia are anxious to show off our gems. I hope you’ll be as excited to see the Coosawattee and Oostanaula as I was to see my new rooms…A big thanks to John Branch, the Watsons and April Ingle for taking part in this fun adventure in TV.

We’ll let you know when the show airs. In the meantime, if you want to see some of Vern’s handy work at my house, go to http://news.mywebpal.com/partners/680/public/news937053.html where you can read a story in the Rome News Tribune about the redesign and see a video of the rooms.  

And if you’d like to see the redesign in person, on Dec. 6-7 you are welcome to attend Rome’s Holiday Tour of Art Spaces, our annual tour of artists’ homes/studios and art sale. The show hours are 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday, with a reception and party following at the Rome Area Council for the Arts, and Noon to 5 p.m. on Sunday. River photos, including many bargains, will be for sale.

Joe Cook

Nov. 24, 2008

Paddle GA 2008 Vet. Sends TV Show to Rome

Nov. 13, 2008

Paddle Georgia 2008 veteran John Branch, an employee at CNN, knows all the right people so far as I’m concerned. When a producer with the Home & Garden Television Show “Deserving Design with Vern Yip” called looking for an “environmental angle” for an upcoming show, John suggested me!

The producer visited my home in October, witnessed first hand its derelict state (circa 1890 and in need of renovation) and a day later, the producers agreed to feature my home and my work with Georgia River Network and the Coosa River Basin Initiative in the show.

On this show, interior designer Vern Yip comes into the home and redesigns/decorates two rooms. Thus, this Saturday Ramsey and I are getting booted from our home for five days…(the design is intended to be a surprise.) My plan is to spend a couple of days scouting the river while the home is undergoing its transformation.

Look for the show to air sometime in late winter/early spring 2009. April Ingle will be featured on the show along with Paddle Georgia participants Tim and James Watson…and of course, John Branch! Don’t be surprised if you see some footage from Paddle Georgia as well!

In the meantime, the Coosawattee and Oostanaula continue to flow, unconcerned about reality TV shows and window treatments. A note on the biological diversity of these rivers…There’s some 27 different species of mussels in the Upper Coosa River Basin, many of which can be found in the Oostanaula and Coosawattee. Paddle Georgia 2009 will be a visit to the backyard of the Pistolgrip, Alabama Orb, Southern Mapleleaf and Three-horn Wartyback. With any luck, you’ll be able to pick up a shell souvenir to take home.

Other news…Scott McBride with the Coosawattee Watershed Alliance has been assisting us with contacts in the Ellijay area, and we’re looking forward to a great stay in the Apple Capital of Georgia.

Joe Cook

Nov. 13, 2009

Paddle Georgia 2009 Day 1 Scouting Trip

A mammoth root ball uprooted by a Coosawattee flood dwarfs Doc Stephens

For those wondering how Paddle Georgia comes together each year, we’re providing this blog with news of how the trip’s coming along. Hopefully, it will generate interest in the trip and, perhaps, help us make contacts with individuals along our paddle route that can assist us in pulling off another great Paddle Georgia.

On Oct. 12, Doc Stephens and I scouted the 13-mile section of the river from Ellijay to Ridgeway Road Boat Ramp on Carters Lake. This was the first time for both of us on this section of river and we’re hooked. It was a beautiful paddle, full of shoals and rapids. We paddled with the gauge at 1 foot, just enough water to get through in some places. In late June next year, there should be at least an additional half foot of water. Lets hope the drought breaks this winter.

The route leaves Ellijay and the pace of paddling gradually picks up with numerous series of Class I

A Native American fish weir bisects the river downstream from Ellijay

shoals, reaching a crescendo at the mouth of Mountain Town Creek and just downstream where Class II rapids appear. The rapids end aburptly in the backwaters of Carters Lake. This is a place where you feel a river die, and you understand the inspiration for James Dickey’s novel Deliverance–a tale of survival on a wild river soon to be tamed by a dam project. The playful rapids at Mountain Town Creek make you long to see the remainder of the river that now lies beneath the water of Carters Lake. You especially long to see them in the midst of the three-mile lake paddle that completes the journey!

Riverfront development crowds the Coosawattee

Much of the course runs through the Coosawattee River Resort, a 7,000 acre community that borders both sides of the river for some 12 miles. Riverfront homes crowd the banks throughout the course of the paddle. Within this stretch, there’s also signs of the original riverfront homeowners–the Cherokee indians. A Native American fish weir bisects the river just a few miles downstream from Ellijay.

…Back to Dickey. A trip down the Coosawattee was, in fact, Dickey’s inspiration for his novel, but his poems about the river were published before the book. If you’d like to read “On the Coosawattee” and “Below Ellijay” follow this link http://books.google.com/books?id=_74A2UW8C_UC&pg=PA140&lpg=PA140&dq=James+Dickey+on+the+Coosawattee&source=web&ots=GvTgk6rUSW&sig=9-Gt4mUgy5NF1nbGUALe4_aNGvg&hl=en&sa=X&oi=book_result&resnum=9&ct=result#PPA142,M1

One of the many shoals that line the 13-mile run from Ellijay to Carters Lake

You’ll find in the poems some of the images depicted in the novel and in the movie.

Sighted along our paddle route…osprey, heron, soft-shelled turtle, map turtle and water snake…and lots and lots of homes.

More to come later…

Joe Cook 10-15-08

The Coosawattee's rapids spill out into the backwaters of Carters Lake.

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