Adopt-a-stream, Vol. 4, no. 2 (Mar./Apr. 1997)

GEORGIA
Adopt-A-Stream
Volume 4, Number 2, March/April 1997
Laurie Hawks and Eve Funderburk, Editors

Department of Natural Resources Environmental Protection Division

I'm clueless for a lead story.

Citizen Watershed Monitoring Workshop
Do you live in DeKalb County or within the Peachtree/Nancy/Peavine Creek Watershed? Are you interested in networking with other groups in your area who are monitoring? If so, please join Ginna Tiernan, DeKalb County Parks and Recreation, Alice Champagne, Upper Chattahoochee Riverkeeper, and Georgia Adopt-A-Stream at the first meeting of the Citizen Watershed Monitoring Workshop Tuesday, March 11 from 6 - 8 p.m. at Fernbank Science Center. A special guest speaker, Tina Laidlaw from Alabama Water Watch, will offer insight into the success and problems they have had with fecal coliform field tests kits. You will have a chance to network and compare notes with volunteers who are working in the same watershed and even the same stream as you! This is a great chance to come together and work towards improving your watershed. If you have not received any information and are interested in joining us, please call Ginna (404-508-7631), Alice (404-816-9888), or us (404-656-0069/0099).
Biological Trainers Workshop
Have you been to at least one Adopt-A-Stream biological workshop and have some background in science or education? Then you may be eligible to be an Adopt-A-Stream Biological Trainer! The annual workshop will be held in Atlanta Monday, March 24. If you attended the workshop last year, then its time for your yearly recertification. Trainers will be given the necessary guidelines to conduct quality assured workshops on their own. Call Laurie or Eve at 404-656-0099/0069 to get more information and register!!

Rome Conference Highlights Coosa Basin Issues
Martha Little, Rome Adopt-A-Stream Coordinator, will host the "Water Quality in the Coosa River Basin" conference March 24 accenting current management, pollution and resource issues. Several well respected government officials, business owners, and concerned citizens will discuss and share their insights on topics such as Industry and Agricultural Best Practices, Citizen Care of Rivers/Community Education, and Commercial/Residential Development Best Practices. Groups will come together to brainstorm for local solutions and development of a Local Action Plan.
For more information, please call Martha Little, Rome Director of Environmental and Historic Planning, at (706) 236-4564.
Introducing Adopt-A-Lake!
The first Adopt-A-Lake training workshop will be held April 12 at the 1997 Georgia Lake Management Society (GLMS) Annual Conference. The conference will be held at the Georgia Mountain Center in Gainesville, Georgia, April 11 and 12. The Adopt-A-Lake training will be at one of the Saturday sessions and is a great opportunity to learn more about how to monitor lakes or ponds in your area. If you are interested in learning more about the Adopt-A-Lake program, please call Dr. Joe Dirnberger at 770-423-6546. Both Georgia Southwestern College and Kennesaw State University will be future locations for Adopt-A-Lake workshops.

Not only will the GLMS conference offer presentations and discussions for scientists, lake managers, educators, and small pond and lake owners, interested citizens will also learn about protecting and better managing our precious aquatic resources. This year's conference theme is Georgia Lakes - Big and Small. Friday's session will focus on a variety of lake and watershed related issues while Saturday will have 2 sessions, one for small lake and pond management issues and, as mentioned, one for the new Adopt-A-Lake manual.
For the GLMS conference registration material, a preliminary program and information on local lodging accommodations, please contact Jim Lanier, Aquacape Environmental, phone 770-578-0333 or fax 770-973-8502.
Clean Water State Revolving Fund - Community Program Funding Idea!
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has published a new fact sheet, "The Clean Water State Revolving Fund", EPA publication number 832-F-96-003. This fact sheet describes this innovative partnership between EPA and the states to help finance a range of environmental projects. Currently, the program has more the $20 billion in assets. The State Revolving Fund (SRF) program allows states the flexibility to provide funding for projects that address highest-priority water-quality needs. While traditionally used to build or improve wastewater treatment facilities, SRF loans are increasingly used for: agricultural, rural, and urban runoff control; estuary improvement projects; wet weather flow control, including stormwater and sewer overflows; and alternative treatment technology.
For a copy of the fact sheet, please call EPA's National Center for Environmental Publications and Information at (800) 490-9198, fax (513) 489-8695 and ask for the document by its EPA number. You can also get information about the Clean Water State Revolving Fund program and other EPA activities on the Internet http:www.epa.gov.

Local Happenings
Muckalee Waders Get an Early Start
It's only March and already the Muckalee Waders from Americus, GA have completed 2 litter pick ups and 2 visual surveys for their adopted waterway, Muckalee Creek. The fifth grade students and their teacher, Ms. Lynn Weiland, were relieved chemical parameters for their January testing were within acceptable parameters, but were very concerned about the amount of litter around their creek (cans, bottles, fishing supplies, fuel cans, coolers and chairs!). The groups' future plans include obtaining a microscope to view plankton in their creek. According to Ms. Weiland, "we are all really excited about being Creek Cleaners!". We're excited about it, too!
Help Clean Up Proctor Creek!!
Are you interested in participating in River Awareness Day May 10? If you want to help, but don't have a specific site to clean, give Dana Poole a call at 404-816-9888. She is helping to coordinate the Proctor Creek Watershed Clean Up and Picnic by the Upper Chattahoochee Riverkeeper, Carver Hills Home Association, and the City of Atlanta Urban Watershed Initiative. Volunteers will be given a location where their help is needed to clean litter from the stream area. A picnic with lots of good food and music will end the day.
Adopt-A-Wetland News
The level I manual for Adopt-A-Wetland is in review and level II will be in draft form and ready for review shortly. Also - Bryan Wagoner will fax us news about the Ocmulgee settlement and how it is good news for Adopt-A-Wetland. It'll be here Friday.

1997 Adopt-A-Stream Training Workshops The following workshops introduce volunteers to specific water quality monitoring techniques and background information. Call to reserve your space in the following workshops. Space is limited!

What Level I/Chemical Biological&Chemical Biological Chemical
Level I/Chemical Adopt-A-Lake Biological

When March March 18 March 15 March 29
April 5 April 12 April 19

Where Dunwoody Nat. Ctr. Alpharetta Fernbank Science Ctr. Georgia College
Dunwoody Nat. Ctr Gainesville, GLMS Fernbank Science Ctr

To Register 404-656-0069 770-442-9057 404-656-0069 912-275-4140 Or 912-453-4549 404-656-0069 770-423-6546 404-656-0069

We have a list of scheduled workshops for the Atlanta area. Please call us if you would like to have this list mailed to you.

The Georgia Adopt-A-Stream Newsletter is published six times per year. For more information about the Georgia AdoptA-Stream program or to contribute to the newsletter, call or write to:
Georgia Adopt-A-Stream Environmental Protection Division 7 ML King Dr. SW, Suite 643 Atlanta, GA 30334

404-656-0099 or 656-0069