Canoeing down the Cahaba

Introduction

Canoeing down the Cahaba River was an awesome experience! We went with Wil Rainer from the Cahaba River Society here in Birmingham. The purpose of our trip was to explore the river and learn more about its ecosystem - including the various plant and animal species that call it home.

Cahaba River

The Cahaba River is known for its beautiful scenery and diverse flora and fauna. Some species here aren’t found anywhere else in the world!

We saw various birds, fish, a few turtles, and (surprisingly) an alligator during our trip. At one point, Wil turned over an underwater log and pointed out at least 10 different types of animals living on it. One of these was a dragonfly nymph, which is an aquatic larval stage of the dragonfly.

Conservation

Human activity has threatened the river’s ecosystem, leading to habitat loss and declining populations of some species. One example that Wil gave us was the mussel - the Cahaba used to be home to 40+ species of mussels, but now a little over half of them remain. In all, Alabama ranks in the top 5 states for freshwater biodiversity, but we also rank highly for the number of species that have gone extinct.

Damming and water diversion for agriculture and development have also impacted the river’s flow and water quality, and have cut off access to upstream waters for anadromous fish like the Alabama shad, which lives in saltwater but lays its eggs in freshwater. Efforts to convince the local governments and the Army Corps of Engineers to modify dam operations and restore natural flow patterns are ongoing but face significant challenges.

Cahaba River Society

The CRS is dedicated to protecting the Cahaba River and its unique ecosystem. They work on various conservation initiatives, including habitat restoration, water quality monitoring, and public education. I’m very glad I got the opportunity to go out and learn from them and look forward to being at many of their future events.

Please visit their website for more information.

Summary

Our Cahaba River canoe trip was a very memorable experience. Gliding through the waters, we witnessed incredible scenery and learned a lot, including some of the environmental pressures threatening this unique ecosystem. The experience deepened our commitment to protecting this natural treasure for future generations.

Photo Credits: some were taken by my wife Abbigail; others were taken by folks on our trip.

Note: if you would like to be credited, please email me and let me know!