Celebrating 50 years of The Chattooga River

The Chattooka River in South Carolina is a popular destination for outdoor activities such as rafting, fishing, and hiking. It has a rich history and cultural significance to the Cherokee and other tribes. The river gained attention after being featured in the movie Deliverance in 1972 and was designated as the first Wild and Scenic River in the Southeast. The designation aims to preserve the river's natural, cultural, and recreational values. The Chattooka River is now co-managed by three national forests and will celebrate its 50th anniversary in 2024 with various events and projects focused on river stewardship. The goal is to engage local communities and develop future stewards of the river. It is important for everyone to play a role in preserving the Chattooka River for future generations to enjoy. 50 years on the Chattooka River, words by Greg Cunningham. The Chattooka River has acquired a number of distinctions and nicknames over the years, including the honor of being considered by many as the crown jewel of the southeast. Here in South Carolina, the Chattooka is considered one of the state's seven natural wonders, and is featured prominently during the annual SC-7 expedition. To say the Chattooka River is a popular destination would be quite the understatement. On any given day, the Chattooka is abuzz with activity as people seek to enjoy the river through whitewater rafting and kayaking, fly fishing and swimming, as well as hiking and camping in the forests that surround the river. You can sense the energy in the atmosphere when you are standing along the Chattooka, whether it is the palpable excitement exuding from the thrill-seekers as they prepare to launch their boats into the turbulent waters, the serene silence as the solitary angler casts a line into the river, the carefree feeling as a family splashes around along the river's edge, or the contemplative wonder as folks take in the beauty of one of the many waterfalls along the river corridor. With all this activity, it can be difficult to imagine how not so long ago the Chattooka was practically unknown to the outside world. Centuries before European settlement of the area, the Cherokee and other tribes living along the Chattooka served as stewards of the river and its vital natural resources. The cane breaks along the river, the supply of fish and other aquatic resources, and the abundant forest resource played important roles in the cultural life of those who called this area home. A small Cherokee settlement called Chattooka Town was located along a well-used trading path and adjacent to an important river crossing that connected Cherokee communities on both sides of the Chattooka River. Even after European settlement, the rugged landscape of the area helped keep local communities small and isolated even well into the 20th century, and the local knowledge of the river was not as readily available to those who lived outside the region. Things, however, began to change as word of the Chattooka River started to spread beyond these local communities. Although the Chattooka caught the attention of theatergoers who watched the movie Deliverance in 1972, which prominently featured the river, by that point the Chattooka was already starting to see the rise in awareness within certain circles, especially among environmentalists and outdoor recreationalists. In fact, when Congress passed the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act of 1968, the Chattooka was specifically identified as one of the 27 rivers across the country to be studied for possible future inclusion in the new National Wild and Scenic River System. Following the study, it was concluded that the Chattooka was indeed eligible, and on May 10, 1974, the Chattooka River became the first river in the Southeast designated as the Wild and Scenic River. So what is Wild and Scenic River designation and why does it matter? The National Wild and Scenic River System was created to preserve certain rivers with outstanding natural, cultural, and recreational values in a free-flowing condition for the enjoyment of present and future generations. When a river is added to the National System, it is given a classification, Wild, Scenic, or Recreational, which are measures of level of development along the river at the time of designation. The Chattooka WSR has sections of the river representing all three classifications. Additionally, the Chattooka WSR has managed to preserve the following outstanding remarkable values, Ecology, Geology, History, Recreation, and Scenery. For more details, visit www.rivers.gov slash rivers slash river slash Chattooka. Commenting on the importance of WSR designation for the Chattooka, CEO of the Outfitter Wild Water, Jack Wise, states, The Chattooka River would be a very different place today without the direct actions of a few pioneers. Today's beauty and other special qualities of the Chattooka National Wild and Scenic River are due to the foresight of a coalition of river runners, state and national legislators, with the help of U.S. Forest Service. Some of the influential individuals and organizations during this early effort included Jimmy Carter, who was then the governor of Georgia, and the organization American Rivers, which had been recently established just prior to the Chattooka's WSR designation. Today the Chattooka's Wild and Scenic River Corridor is co-managed by three national forests that straddle the tri-state border, Chattahoochee National Forest in Georgia, Nantahala National Forest in North Carolina, and Sumter National Forest in South Carolina, which serves as the lead forest for the Chattooka WSR. As with anything of this scale and complexity, managing the Chattooka WSR involves near constant collaboration and engagement with local communities, stakeholders, and leaders in all three states. Speaking of a collaboration and engagement, throughout 2024, the Forest Service and our community's partner will be celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Chattooka's Wild and Scenic River designation. With a specific emphasis on river stewardship, we want to take the time in 2024 to reflect on the success and the challenges of the past 50 years since the Chattooka's WSR designation. Secondly, throughout the year, we want to also re-engage with our local communities in river stewardship through hands-on service events and projects, such as river cleanups. As we do this, we want to be intentional in connecting with undeserved communities to ensure everyone has the opportunity to be stewards of the Chattooka River. Finally, although 2024 is a time to celebrate an important milestone, the three forests plan to also focus on developing future stewards of the Chattooka. Forest Ranger Robbie Fitzlauer from the Andrew Pickens Ranger District of Sumter National Forest shares, As much as we want to take the time to celebrate where we've been and where we are today, we know that it is crucial that we continue to develop the next generation of river stewards through engaging children and families. Because at the end of the day, each one of us has a role to play in the health of the Chattooka and ensuring that the future generations can enjoy unique beauty and recreational experiences that the Chattooka Wild and Scenic River Corridor offers. Throughout 2024, you are invited to join us in celebrating the Chattooka River and what it means to South Carolina and the nation. We invite you to enjoy all that the Chattooka WSR has to offer, while remembering that it is up to each one of us to do our part in ensuring this important resource can be enjoyed for generations to come.