Apalachicola Bay and Riverkeeper, Inc.

Saving an American Treasure

aka Apalachicola Riverkeeper | Apalachicola, FL | www.apalachicolariverkeeper.org

Mission

The mission of the Apalachicola Riverkeeper is to provide stewardship and advocacy for the protection of the Apalachicola River and Bay, its tributaries and watersheds, in order to improve and maintain its environmental integrity and to preserve the natural, scenic, recreational, and commercial fishing character of these waterways.

Ruling year info

1999

Riverkeeper and Executive Director

Ms. Georgia Ackerman

Main address

P. O. Box 8

Apalachicola, FL 32329 USA

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EIN

59-3550426

NTEE code info

Natural Resource Conservation and Protection (C30)

Water Resource, Wetlands Conservation and Management (C32)

IRS filing requirement

This organization is required to file an IRS Form 990 or 990-EZ.

Communication

Programs and results

What we aim to solve

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Our programs

SOURCE: Self-reported by organization

What are the organization's current programs, how do they measure success, and who do the programs serve?

ACF Stakeholders

Apalachicola Riverkeeper is Florida's representative in the Apalachicola-Chattahoochee-Flint Stakeholders (ACFS) www.acfstakeholders.org . This program represents multiple numerous and diverse entities within Florida, Georgia and Alabama who all have a vested interest in the outcome of the entrenched and persistent ""water wars"" between these three States. The purpose for Riverkeeper helping to establish this stakeholder group was to create a different approach to developing equitable water allocation methodologies, one that does NOT involve time-wasting and unsuccessful (for Florida) litigation. Apalachicola Riverkeeper helped to orchestrate a consensus among the stakeholder entities to conduct the first-ever (neutral) instream flow assessment and agreement to abide by the results. The data from this assessment is extremely important as it lays the groundwork for the Apalachicola Riverkeeper to continue to facilitate a sustainable water management plan that will document an equitable allocation of water for all three states in the future - a problem that has compounded and confounded leaders in all three states for more than 20 years. This program is highly dynamic and requires intense Lawmaker education & advocacy and public education/input and legislative policy development, all requiring regular travel to the States of Georgia and Alabama. This year, Apalachicola Riverkeeper and its partner organization (Riparian County Stakeholder Coalition - RCSC) were key players in getting public dollars to find the answers to the problems in the River.

Apalachicola Riverkeeper Eco-Educational Outings

As part of its mission to reach out and educate the public, Apalachicola Riverkeeper offers a guided kayak/canoe paddle expedition to the public. The paddle is free to members with a suggested donation for non-members. This program provides the public who might otherwise never be exposed to this national treasure natural resource, an opportunity to experience the mighty Apalachicola River up close and personal. The suggested donations from the public do not cover the cost to obtain and maintain canoes, kayaks and all associated paddle and safety gear.

Multi-year Slough Restoration Project

Begun in 2020, the Slough Restoration Project is working to unplug three main sloughs of sediment to increase flow to the main stem of the Apalachicola River. The project requires survey and field work. The 3 areas of focus are Spiders Cut, Douglas Cut and East River Slough. The timeframe for the project is 2020 - 2024. The effort will allow for a greater fresh water flow into the main Apalachicola River channel and the Bay. Funding for this projected is provided through the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation. Georgia Ackerman (Riverkeeper), Dan Tonsmeire (Riverkeeper Emeritus) and Ken Jones, Project Engineer, are the leaders of the slough restoration project.

Population(s) Served

Adults