The Georgia River Network (GRN) is a nonprofit organization whose goal is, in my words, to protect the purity of Georgia’s waterways. Or, in their words, GRN is “working to ensure a clean water legacy by engaging and empowering Georgians to protect, restore and enjoy our rivers from the mountains to the coast.”
GRN’s Joe Cook might be best known for coordinating the Georgia River Network’s Paddle Georgia Event. He is also the Executive Director and Riverkeeper for the Coosa River Basin Initiative (CRBI).
In Joe’s spare time, he is an author.
Joe Cook’s recent book, “Etowah River User’s Guide,” is the first in a series of GRN guidebooks planned for publication by the University of Georgia Press, in cooperation with CRBI.
The Etowah River flows 163 miles from the North Georgia mountains in Lumpkin County to the ridges and valleys of Floyd County in Northwest Georgia. Along the way the Etowah touches the roots of NASCAR racing, flows past a former nuclear aircraft facility and harbors an incredible array of fish and wildlife.
“Anybody that has an interest in the Etowah River and Georgia’s rich natural and cultural history will consider this a page turner,” said Cook. “On one page you might learn about the ‘Moonshine King of Georgia’ and on the next you might learn how sand from the Etowah ends up on the Atlanta Braves playing field. It’s more than just a guide. It tells the story of the Etowah and its people.”
This GRN guidebook is an appealing perspective of the biologically diverse and beautiful Etowah River. The unique resource offers a fascinating history of the area and information valuable for novice or experienced paddlers as well as fishermen. Explorers using the guidebook learn of the threats facing the river and what steps can be taken to protect it for future generations.
The 163-page Etowah River User’s Guide features 150 color photos and 17 color maps. Printed on waterproof paper, it is designed as an on-river guide for canoeists, kayakers and anglers.
In 2002, Cook traveled the length of the Etowah during a month-long canoe trip, but the concept for the book originated with Paddle Georgia, a week-long canoe and kayak trip attended by more than 300 people annually. During these trips, GRN provides detailed maps of each day’s paddle route. Creation of the maps for the guidebook and the Etowah Water Trail website were made possible through a grant from the Lyndhurst Foundation in Chattanooga.
The next book in the series will be The Chattahoochee River User’s Guide, planned to be released in 2014. The Broad River User’s Guide is expected in 2015.
Etowah River User’s Guide is available at bookstores and outdoor retailers. Information contained in the Etowah River User’s Guide is also available online at : www.etowahwatertrail.org.
