Our Mission:
To increase access to Tennessee waterways.
To increase awareness of these resources.
To increase education as to the value of Tennessee's water resources.
To increase conservation of aquatic resources and riparian habitat.

History

Despite the wealth of rivers, creeks and lakes in Tennessee, access to them can be difficult for the paddler.  In June of 2005, while discussing the issue with Mack Pritchard, the State Naturalist, he suggested bringing the issue to TSRA.  The board of TSRA was interested in the concept and requested we do some preliminary exploration and get back to them.  For a number of months Mack Pritchard, Patty Shultz, Ann and Marshall Spencer, brainstormed on the issues involved.  We developed a mission statement and outlined a plan of action.  Marshall presented our work to the board and they unanimously voted to officially create the Access Committee in March of 2006.  From there we were off and running.

We have met with a number of state officials from a variety of agencies as we pursue access issues.  Among them are TWRA, TDOT, and TDEC as well as Watershed Associations (Harpeth, Stones and  Duck), Metro Councilmen, Parks and Greenways and State Park Managers.  We hope to form alliances with other groups ho share our interests and work on common goals.

Current Access Committee Members include Sherry Beard, Randle Branch, Craig Burr, Michael Cain, Mary Coffee, Rob Karwedsky, Jane Logan, Steve Logan, Mack Prichard, Randy Hedgepath, Patty Shultz, Ann Spencer and  Marshall Spencer.

Grants

In December of 2007, we got our first grant from the Tennessee Parks and Greenways Foundation (TPGF).  This was matched by a grant from TWRA.  Under the direction of Jane Logan and Patty Shultz as grant writers and Steve Logan as contractor and planner we built an access site on the Harpeth River at the Hidden Lake site of the Harpeth River State Park.

In August of 2007 we received an $8,000 grant from REI to improve three access sites.  In November and December we did major improvement at the Franklin Recreation Complex along the Harpeth River.  Thirty five volunteers turned out to help with this project masterminded by Steve Logan and carpenter Tom Brenner.  This represented a total of 383 volunteer hours. A lot of sites are simple but this one required extensive bank stabilization.

We are in the planning stages for the access at Pinkerton Park in Franklin along the Harpeth.

In December 2007 we received another grant from TPGF.  We will use  this grant with the remaining money from REI to develop another site in the Harpeth River State Park System.

Goals

Ideally we would like to see access points at least every 5 miles along all of Tennessee's paddlable rivers.  Currently we have a sub group working on the Harpeth River, the Stones River, the Duck River and the Cumberland River.  We have a wish list  for making unofficial spots official.

Interested in helping out?

If you are interested in joining our committee, volunteering to work at an access site project or have ideas for access sites please contact Patty Shultz at patshultz@comcast.net.  Particularly, if you know of bridge repair work being done in an area that would be good for a put in or take out please let us know.