What's Happening on & in the Water Matters
Would it be a good idea to reconnect Wolf River to Wolf River Harbor?
In Memphis, most of us stay on the land, except perhaps for a riverboat cruise or a paddle in the harbor. Historically we've been afraid of the Mississippi River. It's big and powerful, and, at Memphis water quality is not safe for swimming or for eating the fish we catch.
But that's changing. Races like the Canoe & Kayak Race and Dragon Boat Race are getting more people out on the water. Groups, including the River Warriors, are tackling the trash. There's a plan to repair and encourage people to use the Cobblestone Landing, and now that the Wolf River Greenway has reached its confluence with the Mississippi, there's talk about looking into whether it'd be a good idea to reconnect Wolf River to Wolf River Harbor.
A picnic on one the pristine sandbars nearby and an afternoon swim can forever transform even the staunchest landlubber into a river steward for life. As Joe Royer, a longtime advocate for the River and recreation on it, says: people in the Rockies didn't level the mountains; they learned to ski and not only had fun but developed a huge new revenue source as they did it.
Click "read more" for a quick look at what's happening ON & IN the water in Chattanooga, Columbus, New York, and downriver at Clarksdale, MS. --
Chattanooga's Head of the Hooch brings more than 2000 rowers to race on the TN River feach November. The race, started more than 30 years on the Chattahoochee River, outgrew its site and moved first to the Olympic venue in Gainesville, GA and then in 2005 to the TN River in Chattanooga. The move coincided with the Chattanooga's $120M downtown water revitalization project. In 2012, the Hooch attracted 12,000 people to the waterfront and had an economic impact of $4.3M.
In the heart of downtown Columbus, the Scioto Mile is an urban oasis comprised of more than 145 acres of lush parkland. Stretching along the riverfront from the vibrant Arena District to the natural beauty of the Whittier Peninsula, the Scioto Mile reconnects downtown to the Scioto River through an integrated system of parks, boulevards, bikeways and pedestrian paths.
In Memphis, most of us stay on the land, except perhaps for a riverboat cruise or a paddle in the harbor. Historically we've been afraid of the Mississippi River. It's big and powerful, and, at Memphis water quality is not safe for swimming or for eating the fish we catch.
But that's changing. Races like the Canoe & Kayak Race and Dragon Boat Race are getting more people out on the water. Groups, including the River Warriors, are tackling the trash. There's a plan to repair and encourage people to use the Cobblestone Landing, and now that the Wolf River Greenway has reached its confluence with the Mississippi, there's talk about looking into whether it'd be a good idea to reconnect Wolf River to Wolf River Harbor.
A picnic on one the pristine sandbars nearby and an afternoon swim can forever transform even the staunchest landlubber into a river steward for life. As Joe Royer, a longtime advocate for the River and recreation on it, says: people in the Rockies didn't level the mountains; they learned to ski and not only had fun but developed a huge new revenue source as they did it.
Click "read more" for a quick look at what's happening ON & IN the water in Chattanooga, Columbus, New York, and downriver at Clarksdale, MS. --
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| Chattanooga, TN |
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| Columbus, OH |
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| New York City |
Don't think it applies only to a small body of water. New York City is surrounded by water. Vision 2020 calls for cleaning it up and treating it like the City's 6th borough. They're re-cultivating oyster beds, encouraging swimming, and the Parks Dept. provides free kayaks.
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| Clarksdale, MS |
Quapaw Canoe Company is getting people out on the River and sharing the history and culture of the people who have lived along the River for hundreds of years. They're creating a whole new generation of River stewards.
posted on 7/10/2017 | Permalink
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