Adopt-a-stream, Vol. 12, no. 5 (Sept./Oct. 2005)

GEORGIA
Adopt-A-Stream
Volume 12, Number 5, September / October 2005
Harold Harbert, Editor

Department of Natural Resources Environmental Protection Division

After 3 years of fruitful service to Georgia Adopt-A-Stream, Kim MorrisZarneke has left our program for greener pastures, or bluer water as the case may be a job with the new Georgia Aquarium. One of Kim's primary contributions to AAS was to coordinate Rivers Alive, helping the waterway cleanup program draw 20,000 participants annually. Kim also contributed towards increasing the Adopt-A-Stream presence in our schools, helping to refine the AAS Educator's Guide as a more useful tool for teachers. While Kim's energy and enthusiasm will be missed, the Environmental Outreach Unit looks forward to future partnership opportunities with the Aquarium.

The Environmental Outreach Unit's newest employee, Mitch Russell, joined our Unit on July 18 as the Rivers Alive Coordinator. Mitch previously worked as the Volunteer Event Coordinator with the Georgia Wildlife Federation and has served on the Rivers Alive Board for 5 years. We're excited to tap into Mitch's experience as we look forward to continued growth and development of the Annual Waterway Cleanup.

Mitch Russell, on the left, with fellow AAS Trainers Angela Davis and Chris Kodani

Thanks to some new software from Google, the view from above has never looked so good. The software, called Google Earth, is a free download from the Google website at www.earth.google.com. Once loaded on your computer, this software interacts with streaming layers of satellite imagery, each layer providing higher resolution as you zoom in for a closer view, of say... your group's monitoring site.

Google Earth has many intriguing functions, but of greatest interest to our program is that it will serve as the platform for displaying our volunteer monitoring data. It's taken some fancy programming for us to display the information on Google Earth, and this fancy programming has come from you guessed it another dedicated volunteer.
Our volunteer, a self-proclaimed map geek, is one of the more talented programmers in what used to be the niche field of fly through satellite imagery. And, lucky for us, he's a long time friend of clean water.
With our volunteer's help, anyone in Georgia after installing the Google Earth program can download an Adopt-A-Stream bookmark that can be viewed in Google Earth. The Adopt-AStream bookmark allows the viewer to activate a layer that displays dots representing each monitoring site in Georgia.
Click a monitoring site and a window opens to display graphs of DO, temperature and pH. Future plans include a link to a website with all volunteer water quality data displayed in graphs and in a downloadable format.
Our website www.riversalive.com/aas.htm will provide you with everything you need to know to download and view your volunteer monitoring data.
Keep in mind, with every technological breakthrough there are certain caveats. In this case, you'll need an up-to-date fast computer and a fast Internet connection. Presently Google Earth does not work on Apple computers.
Enjoy the view!
Grants up to $2,000 are available for teachers through a program sponsored by the Lowe's Charitable and Educational Foundation, International Paper and the International Paper Foundation, and NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC EXPLORER classroom magazine. For school districts with major outdoor classroom projects, grants may be awarded for up to $20,000. Teachers may apply at www.Lowes.com/outdoorclassroom.
The Joint Southeastern Stormwater Management and Erosion and Sediment Control Conference is being hosted by the Southeast Chapter of the International Erosion Control Association and the University of Georgia. The conference is being held in Peachtree City, Georgia from October 2-6, 2005. Local governments, watershed organizations, industry professionals and consultants will share methods and strategies for involving and educating communities for improving stormwater quality. For registration information visit www.griffin.uga.edu/grf/events/smescc/.

Adopt-A-Stream Calendar of Events
The following workshops, taught by certified AAS trainers, provide training in visual, biological and chemical monitoring of streams. Teachers may receive 1 PDU credit for participating please go to the AAS website under Teacher Corner for more details. Please call to register for a workshop.

What
Bio & Chem Recertification Biological Getting Started with AAS Biological Biological Chemical Chemical

Who
Phinizy Swamp Adopt-A-Stream Georgia Wildlife Federation Upper Etowah River Alliance UOWN AAS Upper Etowah River Alliance Upper Etowah River Alliance UOWN AAS

When
Sept 24 Sept 24 Oct 8 Oct 8 Oct 22 Nov 5 Dec 3

Where
Augusta Covington Cherokee Co. Athens Cherokee Co. Cherokee Co. Athens

To Register
706-796-7707 770-787-7887 770-355-6477 706-542-7880 770-355-6477 770-355-6477 706-542-7880

NOTE: Workshop times vary. Please call to get exact times and locations. Workshop information is updated weekly on our website at www.riversalive.org/aas.htm
QA/QC Recertification: All QA/QC volunteers must renew certification on a yearly basis. This can be accomplished by participating in the second half of our regular chemical or biological workshop. To register, please contact one of our scheduled workshops.

NALMS 15th Annual Southeast Lake & Watershed Management Conference
"Integrating Science, Technology and Citizens for Sustainable Lake and Watershed Environments"
March 8-10, 2006 Columbus, Georgia Deadline for abstracts is October 15 at www.riversalive.com/aas.htm

This fall, help celebrate the Etowah watershed by participating in river cleanups, hikes, canoe trips, Adopt-A-Stream classes, workshops and seminars. All participants will receive a Celebrate Etowah T-shirt! For more information on specific events, go to the Celebrate Etowah website at www.celebrateetowah.org.

!"#!$
Call for proposals due October 12 at www.riversalive.com/aas.htm
Rivers Alive is upon us, but it is not too late to get involved. Last year Rivers Alive was the largest waterway cleanup in the nation based on trash collected per volunteer and was second largest in the nation based on volunteer participants! To find out more & join the fun visit, www.riversalive.org or call 404-675-1636.

!"
A message from Harold Harbert, Outreach Unit Coordinator
The past year has seen some big changes. Georgia Adopt-A-Stream and Georgia Project WET were consolidated into a single Unit with new management. Then, yours truly was selected as the manager. With my promotion and Kim MorrisZarneke's departure (see our first article), Adopt-AStream is presently functioning without a State Coordinator. Look for more changes in the near future as our newly formed Unit hires 2 Adopt-A-Stream State Coordinators and a long vacated Project WET State Coordinator. Expect the same unremitting excellence from both programs as we continue to grow and serve the citizens of Georgia.
Pictured from left to right, Anna Salzberg, Monica Kilpatrick-Castro, Petey Giroux, Deron Davis, Harold Harbert and Mitch Russell.
The Georgia Adopt-A-Stream Newsletter is published six times per year. For more information about the Georgia Adopt-A-Stream program or to contribute to the newsletter, call or write to:
Georgia Adopt-A-Stream Environmental Protection Division 4220 International Parkway, Suite 101 Atlanta, GA 30354 (404) 675-1639 or 1636 www.riversalive.org/aas.htm
Printed on recycled paper