Adopt-a-stream, Vol. 4, no. 5 (Sept./Oct. 1997)

GEORGIA

Adopt-A-Stream

Volume 4, Number 5, September/October 1997
Eve Funderburk, Editor

Department of Natural Resources Environmental Protection Division

Fourth Annual Adopt-A-Stream Conference
"Georgia's Living Waters: Watershed, Wetlands, and Lakes" October 25, 1997
North Georgia College Dahlonega, GA

Join us again this year at the exciting and electrifying Georgia Adopt-A-Stream Annual Conference!! We have a number of informative and fun sessions planned for the morning to be followed by fabulous field trips Saturday afternoon. A new addition to this year's conference is the Youth Track sponsored by the Georgia Water and Pollution Control Association. Students should contact their local municipal utility for conference sponsorship information. Don't pass up this wonderful opportunity!! Also, don't forget about the Student Paper Presentations on either nonpoint source water pollution or biodiversity AND the 4th Annual Adopt-AStream Awards. Nominate a deserving member from your group now!
Your $25 registration fee includes lunch, refreshment breaks, and a Georgia Adopt-A-Stream t-shirt. Register by October 18 to ensure you have a reserved spot and t-shirt (onsite registration the morning of the conference only after October 20)!! Checks should be made out to "North Georgia College". Student registration fees are only $20. A pre-registration brochure will be sent to you very soon - let us know if you don't receive one. Please call 404-656-0099 or 706-864-1893 or 706-864-1956 if you have any questions. Check inside for more details about lodging.

Space is limited for field trips. Register early!
Choose from: Lower Chestatee Canoe Float (contact Appalachian Outfitters for reservations at 1-800-426-7177, $35 per canoe or bring your own!) Recertification Workshop for Chemical and Biological Quality Assurance Monitoring Gold Mining and a History of the Dahlonega Area Introduction to Amazing Water Critters World Wide Web Computer Lab Get to Know the Local Flora
Of course, there are plenty of incredible sites to see and explore on your own adventure!!

1997 GEORGIA ADOPT-A-STREAM 4th ANNUAL CONFERENCE

Times GW&PCA Teacher Rules and Watersheds

Youth

Session Regulations

Track

Wetlands

Lakes

Computer Lab

8:00 - Registrat 8:55 ion

Exhibit Hall Open

9:00 - Welcome Keynote

9:30 and

Speaker

9:45 10:35

Project WET Activities

Stream Networks and School Groups

Erosion & Sedimentati on Laws and Streamside Buffer Regulations

Importance of Watershed Protection and The Chattahoochee RIP/REP Project

Introduction to Wetlands Is this a wetland? and Industry Protection Measures

Introduction to Lake Ecology

Using the Internet to Get A GRIP on Water, Internet Sites Related to Water

10:35 10:55

Break

Exhibit Hall Open

Refreshments

11:00 11:50

Project WET Activities

Outdoor Classroo ms Linking Education Through Water

Wetland Rules & Regulations and Lake Standards

Watershed Planning and The Big Creek Watershed

Adopt-AWetland

Adopt-ALake

I've been monitoring, now what ...? Role playing with a year of data.

11:50 12:00

Short Break

12:00 Careers

-

in Water

12:50

1:00

Lunch

-

and

2:00

2:30 Field

-

Trips

5:00

Basin Breakouts
Awards Ceremony
Computer Lab Open

Student Position Paper

The Welcome and Keynote Speaker session will be held in the auditorium of the Hoag Student Center. All other sessions will meet in the new section of Dunlap Hall.

' Georgia Adopt-A-Stream would like to thank Georgia Power and Chris Ellis for designing and printing

the pre-registration brochure again this year.
Student Position Paper Competition
High School Students are invited to present position papers at the 4th Annual Georgia Adopt-A-Stream Conference. Position papers will be read during a general session. A distinguished panel of Georgia educators and water quality professionals will critique and comment on the finalists.
NN N N N N N

Representatives from the Izaak Walton League of America, Georgia Adopt-A-Wetland Regional Training Center Directors, and International Paper are pleased to announce the first citizen wetland monitoring workshop to be held October 2 and 3 at the Jones Ecological Research Center, outside of Albany, GA. If you are interested in attending (spaces are VERY limited) please contact your local Regional Training Center director or Eve at 404-656-0099.
4th Annual Adopt-A-Stream
Awards

Presentations should be no more than 5 minutes long and may include slides, overhead transparencies, or other appropriate audio-visual enhancement. An individual or small group (no more than three) may present a position paper. Students may choose one or both position paper topics. The topics are as follows:
Nonpoint Source Pollution and its effect on Watersheds - What can communities do?
What is nonpoint source pollution? What are some sources of nonpoint source pollution? How can communities decrease or prevent nonpoint source pollution from negatively impacting their watershed?

If you would like to nominate an individual or project, choose a category and briefly describe (no more than 2 pages) what makes the nominee an outstanding candidate. Special prizes will be awarded to winners during a ceremony at the Adopt-A-Stream Conference. To be eligible, projects should mainly involve volunteers and take place July 1996 through July 1997. Categories will be judged by committee.
1. Volunteer of the Year A volunteer who has made an outstanding contribution to stream, river or lake protection with citizen involvement.

Biodiversity
Why is biodiversity of plants, animals, or both important in water ecosystems? What are some
consequences of lost biodiversity in stream, river, lake or wetland ecosystems? How can we protect and promote biodiversity?
A draft copy of the position paper must be submitted to Georgia Adopt-A-Stream no later than October 13, 1997.
Send award nominations and student papers to: Georgia Adopt-A-Stream 7 MLK Jr. Drive, SW Suite 643 Atlanta, GA 30334 Attention: Student Paper OR Awards Committee
Award nominations due by October 5, 1997

2. Program/Project of the Year An outstanding example of an education, restoration, or citizen monitoring program.
3. The Nymph Award Best new project involving any kind of Adopt-AStream effort.
4. Beautification Award The largest running or most substantial cleanup project.
5. Red-Flag Award Recognizing a serious water resource problem and bringing appropriate attention to it.
6. Student Project of the Year Outstanding students (K-12) participation in citizen monitoring and environmental stewardship.

Have Wetland, Will Travel

7. Partnership Award Excellence in a cooperative approach to citizen

monitoring and environmental stewardship.
8. Best Bug Story Most humorous story relating to volunteer monitoringa training session gone wrong, encounter with other groups while out in the field, etc.
9. Adopt-A-Stream Photo of the Year Send in your photos! The best photo will be featured in the next Adopt-A-Stream newsletter.
10. Special Recognition Awards A chance to recognize significant individuals and/or communities projects.
11. Project WET - Teacher of the Year A teacher who has gone above and beyond the call of duty to promote water education through Project WET.

Lodging in and around Dahlonega
Make your reservations early if you're planning on spending the night in Dahlonega! The North Georgia Mountains are a popular tourist attraction, especially at this beautiful time of the year.

Dahlonega Days Inn - 706-864-2338 - Identify yourself as part of the `North Georgia College Group' to get the group rate price of $69.00 plus 12% tax. Camp Wahsega has bunk beds in rustic cabins for those of you willing to rough it - $10.00 per night or $114 per cabin (cabins sleep 14 people). Please fax your room request directly to Camp Wahsega 706-867-2901. Be sure to include your phone number and the number of people in your party. There are limited bunk beds, so fax early!!

Other area accommodations:

Smith House 706-864-3566

Amicalola Lodge

706-265-

31

15

Econo Lodge 706-864-6191

Forest Hills Resort 706-864-

64

56

HoJo Inn

706-864-4343

Interesting Lunch Conversation
The Georgia Chapter of the American Water Resources Association (AWRA) is hosting a series of luncheon speakers this fall to facilitate dialog about important local water issues. The talks will be held at the ARC conference room from 11:30 to 12:30. Lunch can be purchased from a local caterer or you can bring your own. Tuesday, September 9 will be the first of the fall series. EPD Assistant Director David Word will share the latest on "hot" water issues: TMDLs, Tri-State agreement, Stormwater Permitting, Source Water Protection. For more information about AWRA or the monthly series, please call Chris Crow, 770-986-8092

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 Level I Wetland Monitoring Level I & Chemical Biological

When Sept. 6 Sept. 16 Sept. 27 Oct. 2, 3 Oct. 4 Oct. 18

TBA

Where

To Register

Flat Creek Nature Ctr.

770-486-9383

Fernbank Science Ctr.

404-656-0099

Gwinnett County

770-822-7157

Jones Research Center

404-656-0099

Dunwoody Nature Ctr.

404-656-0099

404-656-0099

A Pre-Registration form should be sent to you soon. If you don't get a Conference Registration form, please call 404-656-0099.

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