Cahaba Blueway

The Cahaba is one of the most biologically diverse and beautiful rivers in North America, and it has tremendous potential to become a broadly valued local recreational asset and a nationally recognized ecotourism destination.  The Cahaba Blueway initiative of The University of Alabama Center for Economic Development (UACED) is designed to remove the informational and physical barriers that currently prevent people from experiencing the Cahaba, and create a program that will draw people to the river from near and far.  Creating the Cahaba Blueway will not only improve quality of life in nearby communities by enhancing access to green space, but it will provide expanded opportunities for hospitality and retail business, as we have seen in towns along similar “water trails” that already exist.  Sustainably developing the Cahaba for recreational access will increase the river’s value as an economic asset, and we believe this effect, combined with an increasing number of people who come to know and appreciate the river, will also lead to better conservation outcomes for this outstanding natural resource.