Take a look at www.paddlingabc.com which is an online guide to rivers in my area. In the rivers tab you will see that I have them listed alhabetically, by area, etc. Right now that information is not stored anywhere. Just in basic html. I would like to have it in a database so that users could submit rivers and have them automatically added. Any ideas on some free software I could use to do this?

I would use mysql database.

You can use php codes to list them by order, number, location, alphabetical.

Yes that was the plan so far but the thing for me is that I dont really understand how to manage the database. My only experiences with managing databases have been applications where they have a graphical front end for the user.

I guess basically I am hoping I dont have to custom design a cms solution for myself which I dont know if I am capable of.

I think Mysql can handle this kind of databases.

The database SERVER (of which MySql is one) makes no difference to the kind of data that can be stored in it or the way it is stored.

For you application almost any style of data storage could be used, You are not looking to create something with millions of rows so even a flat file (XML) would be adequate.