08/05/2026
From Coosa River Keeper on FB
Despite four years of river living under my belt, it still amazes me how much the river gives us.
When I first ventured to the Coosa River in the uncertainty of 2020, the river was giving respite to folks who wanted to escape the news reports and regain a sense of normalcy.
My in-laws had a riverfront campsite in Lincoln, so my husband and I would pack a weekend bag and drive up from Shelby County on Friday afternoons. Their bass buggy scooted us around to all reaches of Logan Martin and opened my eyes to a whole new world.
The Coosa River introduced me to moments I had no idea existed in my neck of the woods. Secluded coves for a day of conversation and swimming. Mussels in the sand as big as a grown man’s hand. Great blue herons in the shallows, feasting on crawfish. Trees filled with roosting snowy egrets at dusk. Bald eagles gliding soundlessly across the water.
(Okay, so you can see where my birdnerding really shifted into high gear.)
We always remember the moment when we fell in love. And when you’ve been around her, you know it doesn’t take long to fall in love with the Coosa River.
We fell so much in love that in 2022 we became homeowners along one of the Coosa’s creeks. We left the county we’d called home for ten years, packing up our senior pups and putting down roots in a new place.
Our new neighbors said the first summer on the water would be special, and they were right. I learned to listen for the rainfall flowing down the ephemeral streams on either side of our house. Two, sometimes three owls would get into hooting contests high up in the pines. We frequently saw deer, turkey, foxes, hawks, and more variety of songbirds than I was used to in the suburbs. My kitchen windowsill became crowded with river rocks, shells of all types and sizes, and a collection of feathers from water and woodland birds alike.
That summer, I also discovered Coosa Riverkeeper. I bought a hat from a table setup at Riverside Landing and started following the organization on social media. The weekly Swim Guide alerts during the summer became as crucial as the weather forecast. The more I learned what the organization stood for and the work they were doing, the more I appreciated it. Despite having never met, it felt like we were already friends -- because we had the love of our river in common.
Little did I know that after two years living on the river, I’d join Coosa Riverkeeper in working to protect her waters. The river has a head and a mouth, but it doesn’t have a voice to speak for itself. Now I get to be there for the river that’s been there for me.
Summer on the river is a special time, but one thing I’ve learned living on the Coosa is that the river offers beauty in every season, including seasons of life.
My little family is in a season of grief. In June, our yorkie crossed the rainbow bridge. He was what my good friend calls my ‘soul dog.’ We had a special bond spanning over a decade, and his absence has been greatly felt. I’ve worked to balance my gratitude for his companionship with the deep loss I feel for him – but mostly it’s just hard to be without him.
The river has held me during this time the same way she holds us all.
The river is there for our celebrations and our grief. The river offers us respite, peace, tradition, and memories. The river shapes our days, gives life to the plants and animals we love and rely on, and sustains our communities.
So, Vicki, I’m writing to ask you to think about what the river has given you. On the days you’ve laughed and made happy memories, as well as the days you’ve grieved and craved comfort. How you get to revisit that swim hole, sandbar, fishing spot, or slough where your mind finally gets quiet. You showed up exactly as you were and the river welcomed you.
The river has been there for you.
Consider being there for the river.
Your gift to Coosa Riverkeeper means supporting the work we do to protect and advocate for the river that’s given us all so much. Whether investigating a citizen complaint, teaching kids how to be river stewards, or publishing data from our water quality monitoring program, we keep the good of the river at the heart of our work.
Thank you for supporting our work and being there for the river we all love.
For the Coosa,
Kacey
Support our work today, make ripples in the river you love with a gift.
Make a splash today!
Coosa Riverkeeper
102-B Croft St Birmingham, AL 35242
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