In May 2026, for the first time since Hurricane Helene, the whole Augusta Canal towpath reopened, from the headgates at Savannah Rapids Park to the far end. "The canal is open, both for kayakers and joggers, and the entire towpath is open from one end to the other," Augusta Utilities Director Wes Byne told the Augusta Chronicle in May 2026. Two other facts explain both the reopening and what could close the trail again. The city's Utilities Department runs the canal for water supply and flood control, and the canal still delivers about 70% of Augusta's drinking water.
From River Island, the trail starts at the Columbia County end, 3300 Evans to Locks Road. Those headgates are where a lot of this fall's canal events happen. Before planning a regular route or a weekend on the water, it helps to know how the trail came back and what work is still left.
Three Reopenings in Seven Months
The towpath didn't reopen all at once. It came back in stages, and the canal was drained along the way.
- November 3, 2025. Officials partly reopened the towpath, about 1.5 miles from the Savannah Rapids Pavilion headgates to the I-20 bridge. That made a three-mile round trip, with barriers and restricted zones still up. They said they hoped to open the rest by the end of the second quarter of 2026.
- January 12, 2026. The city started maintenance on seven miles of canal, from the headgates to 13th Street. Crews drained the water so they could reach the pumping station and clear trees and debris. They warned that the towpath and the Lake Olmstead Trailhead Bridge could close during the work, which was expected to take four to five weeks.
- May 22, 2026. The Chronicle reported the canal open again to kayakers and walkers, with the full towpath open.
The January drain-down came just as the first section had reopened. WRDW's headline that week said the closure came "just as it was starting to reopen after Helene." The drain-down was about the water system. Chad Hendrix, assistant director of Augusta Utilities, said lowering the water would let crews reach "a good many trees and old debris, waterlogged stuff that's just below the surface." The work also covered the raw water pumping station, where Helene damaged one of the hydro turbines. Paddlers lost access for those weeks. Russ Gambill, vice chairman of the Augusta Canal Authority, said at the time that the canal would be "dry where you can't get a boat down or a kayak for that matter."
Why the Water Decides the Schedule
Built in 1845, the Augusta Canal carries water to the Highland Avenue treatment plant without electricity, using its original mechanical power system. The Chronicle calls it the only intact industrial canal in the South still in continuous use. Because of that, the towpath runs on the utility's repair schedule. The January work wasn't timed around walkers or paddlers. It was timed so crews could reach the turbine and the submerged debris, and the dock repairs at the clearing and the hydro plant work were planned for the same low-water window.
The same thing applies now. As of the May report, embankment repairs were still going on, and crews were still clearing Helene tree debris, including uprooted root balls. Safety fencing had been put in along the towpath. Officials said they don't expect another full closure, but temporary shutdowns are possible while the embankment work is finished. We didn't find any closure notices from June through early October 2026. Even so, "open end to end" describes the trail as of May, between rounds of repair work. It isn't a promise for the whole fall.
"There's no immediate issue that needs to be addressed. We've been working to ensure everything is safe and secure." Wes Byne, Augusta utilities director, May 2026
The Repair Bill Behind the Open Trail
Funding will decide how often the remaining work interrupts the trail. In May 2026, Augusta estimated the total rehabilitation cost at $32 million and was negotiating with FEMA over damage costs. Three days before that report, on May 19, Richmond County voters approved SPLOST 9, 22,213 to 15,705, or 58.6% in favor. Here's where canal money appears on the $375 million project list the city adopted on January 6, 2026:
Funding source | Amount | What it covers |
|---|---|---|
SPLOST 9, Utilities line | $12.5 million | "Canal Repairs, Water System & Treatment Improvements," with no separate canal-only figure |
SPLOST 9, Augusta Canal Authority line | $957,000 | "Pedestrian Bridge & Canal Projects" |
FEMA | Not settled | Damage costs still being negotiated as of May 2026 |
Georgia Environmental Finance Authority | Not secured | Loan and grant package being pursued as of May 2026 |
The $12.5 million utilities line shares its money with water system and treatment work, so even the full amount would cover less than half of the $32 million estimate. That gap, and the FEMA talks, are what to watch for the trail's long-term schedule. "We're trying to secure funding from multiple sources to complete the repairs we know we'll ultimately need," Byne said.
What's on the Water This October
The Augusta Canal Authority has a full fall calendar posted. The departure point matters, because some trips leave from the Savannah Rapids end near Evans and others leave from downtown.
Run the Rapids 5K, Saturday, October 10. The race starts at 9 a.m. at Savannah Rapids Park, which Columbia County's calendar lists as the Historical Canal Headgates and Savannah Rapids Pavilion. Registration is $35 for the first 100 people and $40 after that. Columbia County's November and December calendars show no other Savannah Rapids Park events, so this is the park's last listed event of the year.
Hunter's Moon Music Cruise, Saturday, October 24. This two-hour fundraising cruise leaves the Augusta Canal Authority dock at Savannah Rapids Park at 6:30 p.m. and returns at 8:30. Tickets are $50, there are only 36 seats, and proceeds benefit the Augusta Canal National Heritage Area. Of this fall's special cruises, it's the only one confirmed to leave from the Columbia County end.
Moonlight Music Cruises, five October evenings. The lineup:
- Chris Hardy, October 9, 6 to 7:30 p.m.
- Tom Reed, October 16, 6 to 7:30 p.m.
- Chris Ndeti, October 17, 7 to 8:30 p.m.
- Jeff Liberty, October 23, 6 to 7:30 p.m.
- The Henry's, October 30, 6 to 7:30 p.m.
Fares are $27 for adults and $25 for seniors 60 and older, military, and students. You have to RSVP and pay ahead. The listing doesn't name a departure dock, so confirm before driving to Savannah Rapids.
Nature & History Boat Tours, Tuesdays through Saturdays through November 14. These leave from the Augusta Canal Discovery Center at 1450 Greene St. in downtown Augusta, not from Savannah Rapids. November 14 is the last date on the Canal Authority's current calendar. Availability can change, so the Authority asks visitors to call 706-823-0440 x 502 first.
The Next Way Onto the Canal
The SPLOST line that mentions a pedestrian bridge matches a project already underway on the Augusta side. On May 6, 2026, city officials and partners held a groundbreaking for the Village at Riverwatch Trailhead and Pedestrian Bridge. The site is the future access road between Bass Pro Shops and Topgolf. Plans include a bridge across the canal, a kayak launch, designated fishing areas, and connections to shops and restaurants in Riverwatch Village.
There's no opening date yet. Canal Authority Chairman Richard Isdell put the total need at about $5 million and said construction should take about 18 months. State Rep. Mark Newton described a $3 million Georgia Outdoor Stewardship Fund award added to $500,000 in earlier seed money. Isdell said, "I believe we're close to halfway there," and that they hope to start "within the next six months." For now, the Savannah Rapids headgates are still the closest way onto the canal from the Evans side.
If you want ideas for what comes after the towpath, our paddle circuit guide follows the water outward from River Island, and our River Island trails guide covers the paths closer to home.
At the Fairey Team, we follow changes like the canal's recovery because they affect daily life in the neighborhoods we serve, from River Island to Bartram Trail. If you're thinking about selling a home near the Savannah River, we'll build a marketing plan that shows buyers what's actually open nearby, and a portion of every transaction goes back to local nonprofits. Get a free home marketing plan: sell smarter and give back.
