Adopt-a-stream, Vol. 16, no. 2 (Mar./Apr. 2009)

GEORGIA
Adopt-A-Stream
Volume 16, Number 2, March/ April 2009
Editors: Tara Muenz, Andrea Sproul

Department of Natural Resources Environmental Protection Division

2008 Adopt-A-Stream Volunteer Award Winners

This year's Volunteer of the Year Award goes to Renee Gracon, a local AAS coordinator for North Georgia. But that's not all! Renee has a long history with AAS, becoming a volunteer in 2002 and a trainer in 2008. Within a short amount of time Renee has gone beyond expectations of a volunteer, conducting over 15 workshops with over 80 participants! Renee also assists with many outreach activities within the Coosawattee Watershed, including participation as a coordinator for River Alive, volunteer coaching for the Science Olympiad group at Holy Innocents Episcopal School, conducting AAS trainings at various schools and conferences, assisting with creek restoration projects in Sandy Springs, co-authoring grants to increase public awareness of the Cartecay River, serving as an active member of the Coosawattee Watershed Council and also working on her Master's degree in environmental studies! Thanks Renee for going beyond the call of duty to support our waterways and Georgia Adopt-A-Stream!

Renee Gracon

The Broad River Watershed Association (BRWA) was selected for this year's Extraordinary Volunteer Watershed

Effort Award. Established as a non-profit in 1991, the organization has been involved with Adopt-A-Stream monitor-

ing since 2005. A small but mighty group, the BRWA has conducted AAS workshops and several watershedwide

monitoring events to gather water quality data at

over 170 sites within the Broad River watershed.

They have gone the distance to cooperate with

regional and state partners including Georgia

EPD's Total Maximum Daily Load

Implementation Program, the Northeast

Regional Development Center and the

University of Georgia's Feed and Environmental

Laboratory. As one of the first volunteer groups

in Georgia to jump on board with the AAS

bacterial monitoring program, they have

targeted local issues by taking on the task of

identifying possible sources of bacterial

pollution in the Broad River. Congratulations to

Members of the Broad River Watershed Association

the BRWA for their accomplishments, dedication, and foresight to protect the Broad

River Basin.

Congratulations to all of our award winners!

Members of the UERA

Congratulations to the Upper Etowah River Alliance (UERA) for their award, Outstanding Outreach and Partnership! Through workshops, presentations, brochures and on-the-ground demonstration projects, the UERA has dedicated their time to creating an awareness and appreciation of our water resources while also creating partnerships, fulfilling two of Adopt-A-Stream's primary goals. The UERA has partnered with the Cherokee County Stormwater Department to assist their educational work, and have also partnered with Forsyth County Clean and Beautiful, as well as local teachers, students and individual homeowners. They have conducted AAS workshops and many on-the-ground projects such as septic tank repair, rain garden repair, stormwater damage repairs, erosion control measures, xeriscaping, vegetated swale design and bank re-stabilization. In addition, the UERA provides advice, direction and support to multiple stakeholders within Forsyth County.

Tim Phillips and Stacey Haire have been honored with the Excellence in Data Collection award. Both members of the Sierra Club Cobb Centennial Group, Stacey and Tim have helped to monitor sites along Rottenwood Creek since 2006. Taking their pledge to monitor their stream segments seriously, they provide consistent water quality data, submitting data forms correctly, legibly and promptly to their local AAS coordinator Jennifer McCoy. As quoted from Jennifer, "Having worked with Cobb AAS for over five years, I can say with great reliability that their diligence is very rare." Tim and Stacey are also prompt about their recertifications and include pertinent notes in the field, eager to record extra information requested by Cobb AAS. Thank you, Tim and Stacey, for your hard work and energy given to assure accurate and thorough collection of AAS water quality data!

Tim Phillips & Stacey Haire

2008 Adopt-A-Stream Watershed Award Winners
The Adopt-A-Stream Watershed Award honors the efforts of city, county and regional governmental and nongovernmental agencies working to improve Georgia's waterways through participation in the Adopt-A-Stream program. Through a competitive application process, the Georgia Adopt-A-Stream advisory board is pleased to announce Gwinnett County, the City of Roswell Adopt-A-Stream and the South Georgia Regional Development Center for their outstanding programs that exemplify the Adopt-A-Stream goals. Four award categories were available based on population size. The following page highlights each award winner.

Thank you to Templeton & Associates Engineering Sales, A Division of Walkers & Cannon, Inc. for sponsoring the 2008 Adopt-A-Stream Awards!

Communities with populations of 100,000 or more

Gwinnett County has developed a wide range of

programs that meet the goals of Georgia AAS. These

programs span across departments, including the

Gwinnett Department of Water Resources, the

Gwinnett Environmental & Heritage Center and

Gwinnett Adopt-A-Stream. Among the many outreach

and education tools created and distributed throughout

the county are utility bill inserts, newsletter articles,

brochures, displays, septic tank maintenance kits and a

public website. These tools target topics such as

nonpoint source pollution, animal waste disposal,

septic tank management, car washing, landscaping,

composting and household hazardous waste disposal.

Gwinnett AAS alone reaches more than 16,000

people through their displays found around Gwinnett

County with a message of water quality awareness.

They encourage citizens to improve water quality,

Staff members from Gwinnett County

especially through activities associated with county

planning such as serving on the Citizen Advisory

Council. Gwinnett County leads by example, participating on planning committees, conducting AAS trainings and

workshops, as well as stream cleanups. Congratulations Gwinnett County!

Communities with populations of 50,000 to 99,000

The City of Roswell's program continues to grow as they increase their participation with AAS each year. The number of certifications has increased, and four school groups maintain an active AAS program in which the City provides assistance and guidance. Roswell also strives to provide education to homeowners on stormwater pollution through brochures, videos and their website. They also maintain a storm drain stenciling program that incorporates nopoint source pollution education materials. Together, their environmental education specialist and environmental code enforcement officer work with Roswell residents, school groups, administrators, churches and service groups, providing information on pollution issues and why certain practices are against City codes. The City is very pleased with the growth of the program and the involvement of individuals and groups throughout Roswell. Congratulations City of Roswell!

Laura Aikens, environmental educator for the City of Roswell, helps a local school group with AAS monitoring.

Angela Wall

Regional and local governmental agencies
The South Georgia Regional Development Center (SGRDC), led by their environmental planner, Angela Wall, covers a nine county region. Actively working with the Upper Suwannee River Basin Partnership, the SGRDC is continually promoting watershed stewardship in the Basin, expanding this jurisdiction to the Satilla and St. Mary's in the near future. Angela and the SGRDC use their AAS monitoring data to work with local governments and citizens throughout their region to promote use of best management practices and to work on solving water quality issues. They are also one of the first to have certain parameters of their AAS monitoring data used to update the list of impaired waters by EPD. As quoted from their nomination, "Angela and the SGRDC embody the spirit and intent of the Adopt-A-Stream program and will for years to come by continuously working with local governments, farmers, homeowners, and others within the South Georgia river basins." Congratulations SGRDC!

Updates from the Coastal Adopt-A-Wetland Program
The Environmental Protection Division's Georgia Adopt-A-Stream program partners with the University of Georgia Marine Extension Service's Coastal Georgia Adopt-A-Wetland program to work together in the coastal counties of Bryan, Brantley, Camden, Charlton, Chatham, Effingham, Glynn, Liberty, Long, McIntosh and Wayne. The program emphasizes the connection between land use, stormwater runoff and water resources, and provides citizens with the tools and training to monitor the health of adopted wetland habitats. Volunteers have documented invasive species, the salinization of the Upper Floridian Aquifer, incidents of marsh die-back, oil spills, trash and pollution, illegal poaching, illegal boat use and fish kills. The Coastal AAW program is in its 6th successful year of monitoring, with over 85 sites adopted, 35 of those being active, involving over 170 volunteers. The program is currently at the end of its funding cycle and functioning without an official coordinator. However, employees at MAREX are maintaining the program until new funding sources are acquired. Despite this setback, their monitoring program and volunteers are still active and going strong! To learn more about the Coastal AAW program or to get involved, please visit their website at www.marex.uga.edu/shellfish/wetlandhome.htm.
Please visit our calendar of events at www.GeorgiaAdoptAStream.org for upcoming monitoring workshops and Adopt-A-Stream events.
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 404.675.6240 www.GeorgiaAdoptAStream.org

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