Category: Blog Post

Blog Post, Events, Press Releases , , ,

RELEASE: ORK announces Riverfest at the Mill

by Ogeechee Riverkeeper March 8, 2023

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
03/08/23
Contact: Meaghan Walsh Gerard
Communications and Administrative Director
meaghan@ogeecheeriverkeeper.org

OGEECHEE RIVERKEEPER ANNOUNCES RIVERFEST AT THE MILL
The day-long festival will be held in Warrenton, Georgia

Ogeechee Riverkeeper (ORK) will host Riverfest at the Ogeechee River Mill, on the border of Warren and Hancock counties, on Saturday, April 15, 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. Outdoor events and activities on the grounds of the Riverview Farms and the Ogeechee River Mill will include:

Music, cornhole, rubber duck race, archery demonstration, tractor display, mule-drawn wagon rides, raffle and more! Guests are also welcome to paddle or fish but must bring their own equipment. The mill will have fresh ground cornmeal and a chance to ‘bag you own’.

Admission is FREE for Ogeechee Riverkeeper members, and for children 12 and under. Admission is $10 per person for all others. Tickets will only be sold at the door.

All proceeds from the event will support Ogeechee Riverkeeper’s efforts to protect, preserve, and improve water quality throughout the basin.

Food, drinks, and snacks from Mill Rock Missionary Baptist will be available for purchase throughout the day. A limited number of vendors will also be on site. Note: All sales will be CASH ONLY.

There is no reliable GPS, internet, or cellular service in this area. The event is rain or shine. Outside food and drink is not allowed. No alcohol is allowed on site.

Where: Ogeechee River Mill, border of Warren and Hancock counties
When: Saturday, April 15, 9 a.m. – 4 p.m.
Details: https://www.ogeecheeriverkeeper.org/events/riverfest/

About Ogeechee Riverkeeper: Ogeechee Riverkeeper 501(c)(3) works to protect, preserve, and improve the water quality of the Ogeechee River basin, which includes all of the streams flowing out to Ossabaw Sound and St. Catherine’s Sound. The Canoochee River is about 108 miles long and the Ogeechee River itself is approximately 245 miles long. The Ogeechee River system drains more than 5,500 square miles across 21 counties in Georgia.

 

PDF of press release

PDF of flyer

Blog Post, Fellowship , ,

About Flood Pulses

by Ogeechee Riverkeeper February 27, 2023

Let’s talk about the floods we have been seeing throughout the Ogeechee River basin.

We have been experiencing some heavy rains this season and that has been causing the flood pulse to rise this year. But what is a flood pulse? The flood pulse is the annual rise and fall of the water levels. This is important for our river systems because it allows the floodplains to collect and channel water through and bring nutrients into the ecosystem. 

The winter and spring are the best seasons to notice the phenomenon of flood pulse occurring. In the winter, the rains can cause flooding because the trees have not started blooming and therefore do not have as much capacity for storing water. The flooding allows for saturation of the water in the floodplain and surrounding lands and that helps the plants receive a cue that spring is coming and soon it will be time to bloom and grow once again.

Why is this important to people, though?

Protecting the floodplain from development is an important factor in the health of waterways. Allowing natural flooding to occur is good for soil, wildlife, plants, and the river itself. Avoiding non-permeable surfaces and building in these areas also protects nearby homes and businesses from most flooding scenarios.

The flood pulse can cause hazardous conditions in the river. The river may appear somewhat calm, but the water may be moving at a much higher rate than usual and this can impose hazards for recreational usage. Please be careful when there are heavy rain events in the winter and spring months. 

There is publicly accessible data from the United States Geological Survey (USGS) that shows the average depth and the discharge rate in the river, which will help tell you how fast the river is moving. Make sure you are prepared before you head out on our beautiful waterways.

~ Molly McKeon, 2023 ORK Fellow

Blog Post , ,

Fauna: Lontra canadensis

by Ogeechee Riverkeeper February 23, 2023

Lontra canadensis
North American river otter

River otters can thrive in a variety of environments – hot, cold, low lying, mountainous – including freshwater and coastal marine habitats, like rivers, lakes, marshes, swamps, and estuaries. They need a healthy environment with plentiful food sources, and they will quickly move to other environments if there is pollution in their area. Water quality issues and loss of aquatic or wetland habitats pose long-term threats to the overall health of river otter populations.

They are semi-aquatic animals, meaning they live in and near water, but are land mammals. Their soft, dense fur keeps them warm in the variations of their environment. They have tiny ears and nostrils which they will close up when going underwater to hunt and fish. Their webbed feet help them swim while their claws allow them to dig up food or pry open prey. In the Ogeechee River basin, their main prey is crayfish.

River otters make their dens in the burrows of other mammals or in natural hollows, such as under a fallen tree, or tucked into river banks. They build underwater entrances for their dens, which protect a nest that otters will line with leaves, grass, moss, bark, and hair. Otter families tend to respect the boundaries of other otter territories.

Mating pairs will give birth to one to six pups per year, usually in the spring. They need their mother until they are about three months old. River otters can live more than 20 years in captivity, but typically live about nine years in the wild. Males can reach 25 pounds and females average about 18 pounds when they are adults. Their tail is about a third of their length.

River otter. © Oregon Zoo / Photo by Shervin Hess

They can stay underwater for about eight minutes and typically hunt at night. They are known for being “playful” as they can often be seen diving and swimming in waterways. They are also noted for using tools, such as rocks, to open the shells of the bivalves.

Blog Post, Press Releases , ,

RELEASE: ORK revives popular Canoochee Paddle Race

by Ogeechee Riverkeeper February 16, 2023

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
02/16/2023
Contact: Meaghan Walsh Gerard
Communications and Administrative Director
meaghan@ogeecheeriverkeeper.org


OGEECHEE RIVERKEEPER REVIVES CANOOCHEE PADDLE RACE
The popular event returns to Evans County

Ogeechee Riverkeeper (ORK) will host the Canoochee Paddle Race on Saturday, April 22, 2023 in Evans County, Georgia. The race will begin at 9 a.m., with fun paddlers to follow.

The race will take place along approximately seven miles of the Canoochee River, from Brewton Bridge to Rocks River Bridge landing. Rocks River Bridge landing will also serve as the headquarters for the awards presentation, winners circle, food vendors, and entertainment. Everyone is welcome to come cheer for the racers and enjoy a day out by the river.

Paddlers of kayaks, stand-up paddleboards, and canoes are welcome to compete. Non-racing paddlers are also welcome to follow the route after racers have started. Entrants will receive a vessel identifier, map, and official race t-shirt. Registrants will receive packet pick-up information via email. Entry is $50 per vessel, regardless of racing status.

ORK does not provide vessels or equipment. Personal flotation devices are required for each participant. Entry is limited to 100 participants and pre-registration is required. The deadline to register is Wednesday, April 19, 2023, at noon.

Where: Canoochee River, Evans County
Rocks River Bridge Landing: GPS 32.184196, -81.889276
When: Saturday, April 22, 9 a.m. – 2 p.m.
Cost: $50 per vessel; $30 for student paddlers; Free to cheer for the paddlers
Details and registration: https://www.ogeecheeriverkeeper.org/events/canoochee-paddle-race/

About Ogeechee Riverkeeper: Ogeechee Riverkeeper 501(c)(3) works to protect, preserve, and improve the water quality of the Ogeechee River basin, which includes all of the streams flowing out to Ossabaw Sound and St. Catherine’s Sound. The Canoochee River is about 108 miles long and the Ogeechee River itself is approximately 245 miles long. The Ogeechee River system drains more than 5,500 square miles across 21 counties in Georgia. More at ogeecheeriverkeeper.org.

***

Blog Post, Educational , ,

Amphibian Activity

by Ogeechee Riverkeeper February 6, 2023

Fort Stewart Army Base is home to the only remaining documented colony of frosted flatwoods salamanders in Georgia; The only other two groupings of the black-bodied amphibians with mottled bands of silvery white anywhere else on Earth are in Florida, although they once inhabited thousands of wetlands along the East Coast and the Gulf of Mexico. (gpb.org, March 6, 2021)

Listen to the story

Research everything you can find on the frosted flatwoods salamander (Ambystoma cingulatum). What does it look like? Use specific adjectives to describe it so that you can identify it if you’re lucky enough to see it in the wild.

What kind of habitat does it need? Does it live near you? What does it eat? What are its life stages? 

Vocabulary: Define these terms while doing your research:

  • Amphibian
  • Reptile
  • Cutaneous Respiration
  • Ectothermic
  • Endangered Status
  • Threatened Status
  • Deforestation

Once you have enough information, go into your backyard or neighborhood and see if the conditions are right for the frosted flatwoods salamander.

This species is unique in Georgia to the Ogeechee River basin and listed as federally threatened conservation status. Why is it threatened? What can we do to protect it?

Submit your ideas and ORK will share with the biologists at Fort Stewart.

Activity is open to all ages and meets the needs or can be combined with other activities for the following Georgia Standards of Excellence: Science

  • S3L1. Obtain, evaluate, and communicate information about the similarities and differences between plants, animals, and habitats found within geographic regions (Blue Ridge Mountains, Piedmont, Coastal Plains, Valley and Ridge, and Appalachian Plateau) of Georgia.
  • S3L2. Obtain, evaluate, and communicate information about the effects of pollution (air, land, and water) and humans on the environment.
  • S4L1. Obtain, evaluate, and communicate information about the roles of organisms and the flow of energy within an ecosystem.
  • S4E3. Obtain, evaluate, and communicate information to demonstrate the water cycle.
  • S5L1. Obtain, evaluate, and communicate information to group organisms using scientific classification procedures.
  • S6E3. Obtain, evaluate, and communicate information to recognize the significant role of water in Earth processes.
  • S7L4. Obtain, evaluate, and communicate information to examine the interdependence of organisms with one another and their environments.