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 Dragonfly Riffle Beetle Dobsonfly Stonefly Net Spinning Caddisfly