Adopt-a-stream, Vol. 4, no. 3 (May/June 1997)

GEORGIA
Adopt-A-Stream
Volume 4, Number 3, May/June 1997
Laurie Hawks and Eve Funderburk, Editors

Department of Natural Resources Environmental Protection Division

It's Been Four Fun, Fabulous Years!!
by Laurie Hawks
I have greatly enjoyed working with many of you to build the Georgia Adopt-A-Stream Program into what it is today. I am encouraged by what I see as a heightened awareness by the public, the private sector and many government agencies of the need to protect water quality. After all, we just can't take our streams, rivers and lakes for granted if we want to protect our quality of life and economic livelihood! After four years, we literally have thousands of volunteers cleaning up rivers, monitoring water quality in streams, and sharing their knowledge and concern about water quality with others in their communities. I am always impressed with the dedication of volunteers who want to and often do make a real difference. With the Adopt-A-Stream Advisory Board and many partners, we have created the first statewide volunteer monitoring program in Georgia. We have accomplished a great deal, but of course, there is so much more to do. Georgia Adopt-A-Stream needs your help to keep streams, rivers, lakes and wetlands on people's minds. The program will be in good hands with Eve Funderburk, as many of you already know. I am leaving Georgia Adopt-A-Stream at the end of April to pursue new challenges in watershed planning and management for local governments. Keep up the good work and stay in touch! I can be reached after May 12, 1997 at:
Laurie Hawks Brown and Caldwell 53 Perimeter Center East, Suite 500 Atlanta, GA 30346-1905
770-394-2997 lhawks@brwncald.com

Savannah Adopt-A-Stream Meets Bruce Babbitt
A brush with greatness! Dr. Joe Richardson, Savannah Regional Training Center Director, and Denise Ransom, Savannah Adopt-A-Stream Coordinator, met Secretary of the Interior, Bruce Babbitt during his visit to Effingham County and Ebenezer Creek. Keep a look out for an Adopt-A-Stream conference t-shirt in Washington, D.C. - Joe presented Mr. Babbitt with one of our t-shirts during his visit on March 12. Bruce Babbitt was recently touring Georgia promoting cooperative partnerships for environmental/conservation efforts. He also visited the Carver Hills Community Proctor Creek Adopt-A-Stream Project in Atlanta.

Streambank Section

Advice Column
Are you looking for some help with your streambank problems? In northeast Georgia, contact Dennis Martin, Georgia Forestry Commission 770-5345454, to get more information on assistance and technical advice the USDA Forest Service is willing to give, especially on private lands near the Chattahoochee. In the Oconee National Forest area, contact Mitzi Pardew, 770-536-0541, for more information.
Coffee Anyone?
Coffee Roasters has large quantities of burlap bags which they are willing to donate to streambank stabilization projects. If you are interested in this FREE offer - please call the Georgia Adopt-A-Stream office and ask for the Coffee Roasters' business phone number. 404-656-0099
Attention 4-H Groups!
Are you concerned about streambank erosion in your area? Are you working with local farmers? Are you a 4-H group? If so, you are eligible to receive a $100 grant from Mansano Chemical Company to conduct a streambank stabilization and seeding project. There are only 20 grants available for this riparian establishment program - so hurry and contact Diane Davies, Rock Eagle 4-H Center, at 706-485-2831 to get more details!
Adopt-A-Lake Kick Off Workshop
The first Adopt-A-Lake Workshop was held April 12 in conjunction with the Georgia Lake Management Society Meeting in Gainesville. Adopt-A-Lake manuals are complete and available for distribution. Workshops will be held as interest builds and in conjunction with the Adopt-A-Lake Regional Training Coordinators at Georgia Southwestern State University (Americus), Kennesaw State University (Atlanta), and State University of West Georgia (Carrollton). Contact Joe Dirnberger at 770-423-6546 or Georgia AdoptA-Stream for more information.

Mus
Don't Natur

t See TV
miss the Department of al Resources' new

endangered species films which will air on Georgia Public Television (GPTV). Look for Edge of Extinction about statewide endangered species on Tuesday, May 20, 8 p.m. and Saturday, May 24, 12 p.m. Also, Remnants of a Forest, a special on longleaf pine/wiregrass ecosystems, will air Wednesday, May 21 at 7 p.m. These films were commissioned by the Wildlife Resource Division's Nongame-Endangered Wildlife Program and produced by the DNR Film and Video unit. For more information on nongame wildlife, call the Nongame Program at (912) 994-1438
Conference Planning Underway!
Mark October 25th on your calendar as the day to attend Georgia's Living Waters: Watersheds, Wetlands, and Lakes, the Fourth Annual Adopt-A-Stream Conference. At the most recent Advisory Board meeting, several planning items were announced and assigned. Once again, North Georgia College will host the annual event at their beautiful campus. Also, the Georgia Water and Pollution Control Association will host a Youth Track which will feature hands on activities as well as the student paper and presentation. These partnerships, old and new, will make this conference the best yet!
Local Happenings
The C.R.E.E.K. Kids (Challenged to Recreate an Endangered Environmental Keepsake) of Stephens County Middle School recently placed first in the Middle Division (grades 7-9) of a state competition for Community Problem Solving. Their project uses AdoptA-Stream monitoring techniques to assess the quality of their adopted stream, Eastanollee Creek. Community Problem Solving is a division of the Future Problem Solving Program sponsored by the Torrance Center for Gifted Studies at the University of Georgia. The CREEK Kids will be competing in international competition at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor on June 13 - 16. Good Luck and Congratulations!!
CREEK Kids' Rap by Katherine Hubble
We are the CREEK Kids, And we're here to say A junked up earth Just doesn't pay.

So throw out all your trash And recycle all your cans And you'll really be groovin' it This is our demand.
Think about our fish. Think about their homes. Think about our water. Let's keep it free from foam.
You can make a difference. You can help our earth. You are our tomorrow, man. Show us what you're worth.
Proctor Creek Watershed Project Update
It's the end of the first year for the Proctor Creek Watershed Project and we're all excited about how well the schools and volunteers participated! After a long year of learning how important the community is to a creek's health and what each student can do to make their water quality better, what could be better than a canoe trip? Several of the elementary schools involved in the project will float the Chattahoochee River courtesy of the Chattahoochee Nature Center. We hope you have good weather and a fun float!!
Coosa Watershed Meeting a Success!
The "Water Quality in the Coosa River Basin: Solutions to Pollution" meeting held March 24 in Rome, Georgia brought both local people and folks from across the state together to talk about reducing water pollution in the Coosa River basin. Approximately 160 people attended to hear speakers from industry, government, and environmental organizations. According to Martha Little, Rome Adopt-A-Stream coordinator and the City of Rome Environmental and Historical Planner, everyone seemed to enjoy the "process" of being mixed up together and reaching consensus on recommendations for the region. She was happy to report the majority of attendees stayed all day and participated in the workgroups. The ideas and suggestions of the workgroups will be published.
River Awareness Day
Don't forget to be a part of the statewide River Awareness Day May 10! Check with local Keep America Beautiful affiliates to see if events are planned in your area. Of course, you can participate with your

own litter pick up or public outreach activity. Get out there and have a good day at your river! Volunteers in Atlanta who would like to work in the Proctor Creek Clean Up day should contact Dana Poole at 404-816-9888
Peachtree Creek Watershed News
Don't forget about the next quarterly watershed meeting scheduled for June 10! We're sorry if the postponed visual workshop inconvenienced those of you who had planned on attending! We will send out reminder notices along with the meeting place and time. We look forward to continued networking and problem solving in the Peachtree , Peavine, and Nancy Creek basins as well as DeKalb County!
Adopt-A-Wetland News The Level I Adopt-A-Wetland draft manual is completed and undergoing slight revisions. The Advisory Board will meet at the Georgia Wildlife Federation's Alcovy River wetland area May 29 to go through the wetland forms for the first time.

Georgia Adopt-A-Stream Receives High Honor
The Department of Community Affairs, Georgia Clean & Beautiful, presented Georgia Adopt-A-Stream Second Place in the State/Federal Government Environmental Improvement Award March 13, 1997. The award is for outstanding contributions to protect and preserve the environment of Georgia. We are very proud of all the volunteers and citizens throughout the State of Georgia who share in this honor. Way to go - you make it happen!

l-r Georgia Department of Community Affairs Commissioner Jim Higdon, Georgia Adopt-A-Stream representatives Laurie Hawks and Eve Funderburk, and Georgia Clean & Beautiful manager Lynn Cobb.

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 Level I/Chemical Biological&Chemical Biological Level I/Chemical Biological Biological Level I/Chemical Biological&Chemical Biological

When May 1 May 3 May 17 May 17 May 17 May 31 June 6 June 7 June 21 June 21

Where Savannah Newman Wetland Ctr. Alpharetta Fernbank Science Ctr. Athens Athens Loganville Loganville Alpharetta Fernbank Science Ctr

To Register 912-356-2809 404-656-0099 770-442-9057 404-656-0099 706-369-5708 706-369-5708 404-656-0099 404-656-0099 770-442-9057 404-656-0099

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

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 7 ML King Dr. SW, Suite 643 Atlanta, GA 30334 404-656-0099 or 656-0069