The Coosa River Basin Initiative had the annual “Polar Bear Paddle” this past Saturday on the Etowah River.  While temperatures were in the upper 60’s to low 70’s for the “Polar Bear Paddle”, organizers said it was a success.

The paddle began at Grizzard Park and continued to Heritage Park in downtown Rome.

CRBI is a grassroots environmental organization based in Rome with the mission of informing and empowering citizens to protect, preserve and restore North America`s most biologically diverse river basin. Since 1992, our staff, board and members have served as advocates for the wise stewardship of the natural resources of the Upper Coosa River basin, or watershed, which stretches from southeastern Tennessee and north central Georgia to Weiss Dam in Northeast Alabama. This includes the Coosa River, the Etowah and Oostanaula rivers and the tributaries of these waterways as well as the land drained by these streams and the air that surrounds this land area.

Participants in the “Polar Bear Paddle” traveled six miles on the Etowah River this past Saturday.