Water Trails & Paddling

Water Trail Toolkit

This toolkit is designed to give you a step-by-step guide to developing a water trail. The first step to getting a water trail in your community is to evaluate the resources available, river access and the potential economic return for the community. Use this planning checklist ‘click here for a list’ to help you get started. We also have a list of budget items ‘click here for a budget list’ you may consider while evaluating your resources.

Planning

Best Practices to Build a Water Trail
Funding
Access and Liability
Economic Benefits
Health Benefits
Planning Presentations
- - Ocmulgee River Blueway – Karen Hunt, Hawkinsville-Pulaski Riverfront Park Advisory Council
  - Upper Chattahoochee River Canoe Trail Study – Gary Gaines, Upper Chattahoochee Riverkeeper
  - Etowah River Canoe Trail – Matthew Pate, Forsyth County Parks and Rec
  - Southeast Coast Saltwater Paddling Trail – Charlotte Gillis, National Park Service & Sonny Emmert, Department of Natural Resources
  - Southeastern Water Trail Efforts – Christine Olsenius, Southeast Watershed Forum
  - Benefits of Water Trails; Georgia Trails Overview – Charlotte Gillis, National Park Service
  - Gilmer County Blue Trails – Dave Teffeteller, Coosawattee Watershed Alliance
  - Introduction to Water Trails – Charlotte Gillis, National Park Service
  - Building a Trail in Your Community: A Case Study – Karen Hunt, Hawkinsville-Pulaski Riverfront Advisory Council & Karen Bailey, Hawkinsville Better Hometown Director
  - Water Trails Conservation and Education – Joe Cook, Coosa River Basin Initiative
  - ‘ Economic Benefits of Water Trails’ – Katherine Edmonds, American Rivers
  - ‘ Planning a Water Trail: Vision & concept development, fund acquisition & execution’ – Bob Thomson, City of Porterdale
  - How to Reduce the Impacts of Transportation Projects on Rivers – Brian Gist, Southern Environmental Law Center
  - Funding Your Water Trail Project – Cheryl Delk, Newton County
  - Build the Perfect Launch for Your Water Trail – Don Wells, Mountain Stewards

Recreational Opportunities & Access

Launch Design, Permitting, and Construction

“River Access Planning Guide” – provides a process for planning river access with recreation users in mind

Scroll down for ADA Access and Restroom facility Resources

National Park Service and River Management Society have useful guidelines for developing water recreation access sites:

Planning, Designing, Constructing and Operating Blue Trail Launch Sites: Dave Teffeteller
An overview of site selection, permitting, design and cost estimating, construction, capitalization and maintenance.

Presented at Georgia River Network’s ‘Water Trails that Work’ Workshop.

Designing and Constructing a Launch: Don Wells from Georgia Mountain Stewards

Don Wells talks about how he and his crew designed and constructed canoe and kayak launches for the Coosawattee River Water Trail.

Presented at Georgia River Network’s Weekend for Rivers Conference.

Rec Opportunity Presentations
- - Permitting Presentation – Keith Parsons,
  - Launch Designs – Don Wells, Mountain Stewards
  - Launch Design, Permitting and Construction – Keith Parsons and Don Wells, Mountain Stewards
  - ‘Fundamentals of Launch Design: What you need in your toolbox’ – Anne Nguyen, UGA College of Landscape Architecture

‘Planning, Designing, Constructing and Operating Blue Trail Launch Sites’ – Dave Teffeteller
‘The Chattahoochee Valley Blueway; how we are adapting an existing reality to fit a concept’ – Mike Crook, City of West Point
Navigating the Shoals and Rapids of Permitting – Keith Parsons, Mountain Stewards

Permitting Construction of a Canoe/Kayak launch in Georgia: Keith Parsons, Georgia EPD Water Protection Division

One of the biggest parts of building a Water Trail is creating places to put in and take boats out of the river. Keith Parsons talks about how to apply for the correct permits necessary to build your launch.

Presented at Georgia River Network’s Weekend for Rivers

Army Corps of Engineers

Savannah District Regulatory
www.sas.usace.army.mil/regulatory/permits.html
This will put you on the permitting page. Look for Nationwide Permits.
The general phone number for the Savannah Office is: 1-800-448-2402.
For projects in the piedmont and mountains call the Morrow office at 678-422-2721 and ask for the project manager for the particular county the project would be located in.
For SW Ga. call the Albany office at 229-430-8567 (Lower Flint, Lower Chattahoochee, Suwannee, Ochlocknee river basins).

Georgia EPD

Georgia EPD Stream Buffer Variance Permits would be needed for impacts within the 25 foot protected buffer (50 feet for trout waters) of streams and rivers.
Visit: https://www.georgiaepd.org/Documents/epdforms_wpb.html#erosion

Helpful Canoe Launch Construction Budget Guidelines

EnviroGrid: This product was originally developed for the US Forest Service to help stabilize forest roads. It is a cellar containment structure which when opened to its full extended size and filled with gravel can support heavy loads. EnviroGrid was used for the Etowah River Water Trail Amicalola WMA Site.

ADA Access

Designing ADA Accessible Launches – National Park Service
Canoe-Kayak Launch Sites and Accessibility – Florida Dept Environmental Protection

Restroom Options & Specs at Water Trail Access Locations

The biggest concern when developing a water trail is the usability and comfort of the put-ins, because without a good put-in it is harder to get people (especially families) on the river. A major factor in developing an appealing place to start and end your day on the river is the availability of a restroom that is clean and private. Being able to run into a restroom to change out of wet clothes or to use the restroom before piling back into the car has a tremendous, and often overlooked, influence on a day on the river. Having clean and well-managed restroom facilities plays a major role in consistent use of your put-in.

The information and chart below outlines the basics about each of the main restroom options including: port-a-potty, vault-style, composting, and conventional flush toilets.

Company Name/ Toilet Type	Contact Information	Installation Cost	Maintenance Fee	Handicap Option?	Service Option	Pros	Cons
Portalet Portable Services (Augusta, GA)	(706)724-8420	Free	$99/month	Yes, $132/month	Weekly	Cheap, easy installation/ maintenance	Ease of vandalism; smell and sanitary concerns; requires regular upkeep and check-ups; visually unappealing
Portalet Potty Man Portables (Albany, GA)	(706)724-8420	Free	$85-$95/month	Yes, $200/month, must be accessible to service truck	Weekly	Cheap, easy installation/ maintenance	Ease of vandalism; smell and sanitary concerns; requires regular upkeep and check-ups; visually unappealing
Portalet Prico Tents and Portable Toilets (Moultrie, GA)	(229)985-7268	Free	$60/month in Moultrie, $65-$75 outside the city, same price for handwash/ sanitizer station available upon request (holds 35-40 gal for handwashing)	Yes, $75/month in moultrie, $85-95 outside the city	Weekly	Cheap, easy installation/ maintenance	Ease of vandalism; smell and sanitary concerns; requires regular upkeep and check-ups; visually unappealing
Portalet Taylor Restrooms 2 Go (Macon, GA)	(478)743-0021, Doodle employee cell: (478)258-4106	Free	$75/month, $75 for handwash station, free sanitizers instaled inside upon request	Yes, $100/month	Customer preference	Cheap, easy installation/ maintenance	Ease of vandalism; smell and sanitary concerns; requires regular upkeep and check-ups; visually unappealing
Composting Toilet Nicro Day/Night Solar Vent	888)361-0014	$1,389, delivered	Regular maintenance if messy. Clean vents/vent caps once every 2 months. Vent cap cleaning is very easy, can be done with a hose and scrub brush.	N/A	N/A	Extremely eco-friendly	Require user to be educated on proper use procedure and are easily destroyed. Low maximum number of users; most require electricity, typically for in house/boat/RV situations
Composting Toilet Sun Mar Composting Toilets	1-888-341-0782	Self-Contained Systems: Excel: $1845.00, Excel N-E: $1645.00, Compact: $1785.00- Central Flush Systems: Centrex 2000: $2045.00, Centrex 2000 N-E: $1845.00, Centrex 3000: $2245.00, Centrex 3000 N-E: $2045.00		N/A	N/A	Extremely eco-friendly	Low maximum number of users; most require electricity, typically for in house/boat/RV situations
Vault Toilet CXT Concrete Buildings (Jeff Chambers-SE Sales)	(678)206-6426	Single-toilet Models -Gunnison: $22,000.00 -Cascadian: $25,000.00 -Rocky Mountain: $19,600.00 Double-toilet Models -Tioga Special: $40,000.00 -Double Cascadian: $45,000.00 -Double Rocky Mountain: $45,000.00 *Expect $3000-$5000 in shipping charges to GA	Cost of sewage removal (low price per gallon), 15,000 uses before waste removalis needed	Yes, additional $4,000 for concrete slab in front to make more easily accessible	Customer preference	Little smell; irregular maintenance; visually appealing; hard to vandalize, very sanitary, 3rd party inspected	High initial cost, hire of outside sewage removal company, must acquire a permit (couple hundred dollars)
Vault Toilet BMS Waterless Systems	(800)524-1097	Single: ~$19,600* Double: ~$46,000* This is the cost of the unit, but installation and shipping are not included in this total	Cost of sewage removal (low price per gallon), and utilities (A/C required)	Accessible	Customer preference	Little smell; irregular maintenance; visually appealing; hard to vandalize, very sanitary, 3rd party inspected	High initial cost, hire of outside sewage removal company, must acquire a permit (couple hundred dollars)
Flushable Vault Toilet Green Flush Technologies (Asheville, NC)	360-718-7595	Single Toilet Options -Aspen Model: $60,000 (low 70’s if chance of flooding in the area, must install concrete pad) Dual-Gender Options -Durango Model: $85,000-105 (depending on location and size) -Breckenridge Model: $100,000 (covered entry, more spacious) Multiple Toilet Options -Breckenridge 2: Price on request -Grand Park 3: Price on request -Telluride: Price on request, does not include crane rental (~$3,000), shipping (~$1500), or site prep. Option available for a rainwater collector to bolster waterflow ($2,500). Plus contractor for installation	Cost of pumping sewage (low cost per gallon, below $1.00)	Accessible	Customer Preference	Option of not connecting to sewage, water, or power systems. Very low-flow, use of water removes all waste from the bowl instead of simply relying on gravity. No tap fees or monthly service charges from utility providers.	Must be road accessible for sewage pumping to be possible

Land-based restroom

Joe Welch Companies

504–367–7327

Double Unit: 1 side handicap accessible with ramp, 1 side unisex: $38,000 Double Unit: 1 side male, 1 side female, not handicap accessible with steps: $35,000 Single Unit: Non handicap accessible with steps: $28,000.00 Back Country Units: All aluminum shipped in kit form, non handicap accessible: $9,700

It depends, call for specifics

Option available

Customer preference

No option to place trash/ other waste (diapers, wet wipes) in toilet, further reducing smell

Purely concentrated waste introduces a hazard that is not present with the use of other styles of restroom. Most water treatment facilities cannot handle pure waste, so waste must be retro-actively diluted so that it can pass through for treatment.

Floating Restroom

ARAMARK Construction Division

Joe Ligon: (928) 645-1056

Complete Assembley: $161,500.00 -4000-gallon double-walled waste tank, -double restroom, -porta-potty dump station, -boat-pumpout system -solar power system, -anchor system -motion sensor lighting, and alarms

Yes





Conventional Flush Toilets If none of the earlier options appeal to you, then perhaps installing a conventional flush toilet may be the best option for you. This is by far the most permanent option of all, and requires the installation of a septic tank and a water line or well to supply the plumbing. Because of this, there are numerous permits to meet sanitation and drainage requirements that vary from county to county. This option also requires the construction of a structure to provide privacy and protection from the elements, which is an additional expense that is avoided by choosing a vault, micro-flush, or porta-potty option. A conventional flush toilet uses clean water to clear the waste from the bowl and pump it into a septic tank where it is stored until it is pumped out. A conventional flush toilet would be ideal for construction near an already water-equipped structure, so that you would only need to run a water line. Unfortunately the high variability from job to job makes it hard to provide an accurate base price for installation, but another benefit of conventional flush toilets is that there are huge numbers of contractors that are well qualified and easy to reach

Community Support

Partnerships & Stakeholders
Resolutions of Support
Community Support Presentations
- Chattahoochee Whitewater Park, Conception to Completion – John Turner, WC Bradley Co.
- ‘Partners Mean Progress: Etowah River Canoe Trail’– Matthew Pate, Forsyth County Parks and Rec
- ‘Understanding Private Property Issues and Working with your Community to Avoid Conflict’– Dan MacIntyre, Page Perry LLC

Public Information

Maps
Signage
River Etiquette & Paddling Safety Information
Marketing Your Water Trail
Public Info Presentations
- - Water Trails and Private Property Concerns – Dan MacIntyre, Page Perry LLC
  - Status of Water Trails in Georgia and the Economic Benefits of Water Trails – Katherine Edmonds, American Rivers
  - Water Trails Marketing and Tourism – Cheryl Smith, GA Dept of EcD – Tourism Division
  - ‘Who wants an Interactive Map for their Water Trail?’ – Harold Harbert, GA Environmental Protection Division
  - ‘The Wonders of the Georgia River Network Water Trails Clearinghouse’ – Gwyneth Moody, Georgia River Network
  - Use Social Media to Create Winning Messages – Chandra Brown, Consultant
  - Get the Word Out! Marketing Tools and Resources for Your Water Trail – Janet Cochran, GA Dept of EcD – Tourism Division

Conservation, Stewardship & Education

Water Quality Monitoring, River Cleanups and more…
Develop Watershed Plans to Restore and Protect Our Waters – EPA’s Watershed Management Handbook
Conservation and Stewardship Presentations
- ‘Get your Community Involved! Lessons Learned on the River’ – Bonny Putney, Rivers Alive & Chattahoochee Riverkeeper
- ‘How River Restoration Can Play a Vital Role in a Healthy Water Trail’ – Robby Bowen, Meanders River Restoration, Inc.
- Is Dam Removal Right for Your River? – Lisa Hollingsworth-Segedy, American Rivers
- From Lemons to Clean Water – Katherine Baer, River Network

Water trail users should be provided with opportunities to learn about the value of water resources, cultural heritage, boating skills, and outdoor ethics.

Education Presentations
- ‘Water Quality & Quantity: Ecosystem Health= Community Health’ – William “Hap” Tietjen, Georgia Adopt-a-Stream

Trail Maintenance

There is a demonstrated ability to support routine and long-term maintenance investments on the water trail. Facilities are designed, constructed, and maintained by incorporating sustainability principles.

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