Adopt-a-stream, Vol. 5, no. 3 (May/June 1998)

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GEORGIA

S/3 Adopt-A-Stream

Volume 5, Number 3, May / June 1998
Michele Droszcz, Editor

CotIltIlunity / Watershed ProgratIls



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Department ofNatural Resources Environmental Protection Division

Several counties, cities and not for profit organizations coordinate community / watershed Adopt-A-Stream programs throughout the state. There are 160 active Adopt-A-Stream groups in the state and only 52 groups are not affiliated with a local community or watershed program. Of these 52, more than half are within the boundaries of an established community / watershed program. We, at Georgia Adopt-A-Stream, encourage individual groups to network with other groups in their area and to coordinate their data sharing with a local community or watershed program.

Georgia Adopt-A-Stream Community Programs and Contact Names

Roswell Clean and Beautiful Chattahoochee Community Programs City of Atlanta River Kids NetworkiColumbus Gwinnett County DeKalb County Hall County/City of Gainesville Rome Adopt-A-Stream Alpharetta Project Ripple Savannah Adopt-A-Stream Clayton County Adopt-A-Stream Social Circle Adopt-A-Stream GSAMS River Internet Project Get a G.R.I.P on Water Barrow County Adopt-A-Stream City of Cumming Athens-Clarke County Adopt-A-Stream Conasauga Watershed City of Austell City of Kennesaw

Kathleen Dickson Alice Champagne Dan Lemmey Dee Shore Rebecca Rowe Nicole Vachon David Dockery Martha Little Dee West Denise Ransom Eric Osborne Elizabeth Cravey Ginny Brady
Shannon Navarre John Heard Svea Bogue John Lugthart Duane Demeritt Jeff Smith

770-641-3715 404-352-9828 404-330-6605 706-569-2501 770-822-7157 404-508-7602 770-532-7462 706-236-4406 770-442-9057 912-651-1457 770-474-7128 770-267-1443 706-821-0251
770-307-3020 770-781-3474 706-369-5708 706-226-6211 770-944-4325 770-429-4554

Members of Give-A-Hoochies prepare for visual survey at Rock Flat along Mill Creek

Adopt-A-Lake Update
The Georgia Adopt-A-Lake second edition training manual is now available. If you are interested in getting an Adopt-A-Lake group together and going through training, contact Marty Williams at The Wilcom Group, PO Box 440885, Kennesaw, GA 30144, phone number 770-427-8794 or voice mail 404-681-6356. She will put you in contact with the regional coordinator in your area. You can also search their web page at
http://science.kennesaw.edu/~jdimber/lake.html.
In Honor of Ed Mayhew
A Dedicated Educator and a Leader in Water Quality Advocacy
He Will Be Missed
Wetlands of North Georgia
The Adopt-A-Wetland program is now in full gear and we're ready to train you in wetland monitoring! The fIrst Adopt-A-Wetland conference will be held on Friday, June 5 at North Georgia College and State University from 9:00 am to 3:00 pm. The conference is for professionals, volunteer groups and citizens. Unique wetland features of the North Georgia environment will be highlighted as will wetland functions, unique characteristics and inhabitants, location and identifIcation of riparian zones and mountain bog protection.
The registration fee is $12 and includes lunch. For more information contact Mac Callaham at (706)864-1956 or mcallaham@nugget.ngc.peachnet.edu.
Project WET Teacher of The Year
Nominations are being accepted for Project WET Teacher of The Year. If you are aware of a teacher who has a great water education program, please nominate them! To do so, obtain an application from Petey Giroux at 404-651-9998 or petey...Eiroux@mail.dnr.state.ga.us.

AmeriCorps Groups Learn To Restore Streambanks by Sheri Fountain
Recently, three AmeriCorps programs came together to increase their knowledge of streambank restoration and to help improve the quality of North Peachtree Creek. Unfortunately, most streams in the Atlanta area suffer from erosion and pollution, in tum causing slow extinction of surrounding plant and animal life. In the past, streambank restoration has included grading the bank and laying rock to slow erosion and the water. Time has proven these methods to be ineffective in protecting banks, as well as the stream itself. By understanding stream evolution and hydrology, one can determine the needs of a damaged stream. The new method is a more natural approach which allows plant life to grow and thrive.
These fascinating scientifIc fInds and methods were the topic of a four day workshop provided for the AmeriCorps members sponsored by the Georgia Commission for National Community Service, The National Service Leadership Institute, GEO AmeriCorps, and Dekalb County Department of Parks and Recreation. The agenda included lectures on local watershed issues, hydrology, soil bio-engineering, steps to restoration and daylighting creeks. Two days were spent on North Peachtree Creek where the AmeriCorps members laid fabric, staked willows, installed a brush mattress, brush layers, and wall revetments.
To learn more about streambank restoration, contact Jack White, GEO AmeriCorps, at (404) 6050998, Ginna Tieman, Dekalb County Parks and Recreation, at (404) 508-7631 or Michele Naporano, Atlanta Outward Bound Center, at (404) 298-8900.
Become A PASS Volunteer!
Join the PASS (Plant-A-Streamside) program by becoming a planting volunteer or as an interested landowner to fmd out what you can do to protect your streambanks. Visit the demonstration sites on the Soque River at the Habersham County Outdoor Classroom. For more information, contact U.S. Forest Service Fisheries Biologist, Mitzi Cole at (706) 754-6221.
Adopt-A-Stream Training Comes to Augusta
The Ecosystem Institute, Inc. will be offering Adopt-A-Stream workshops at the Phinizy Swamp Nature Park. For more information, contact Michele Barry at (706) 828-2109.

Local Happenings...

-.--.- Anatomy of a Sewage SpiIl-.--.--.--.-
by Jerry Hagerty

Many ofyou may have read in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution about the leaking pipe that was discovered by Jerry Hagerty dUring his monthly Adopt-A-Stream survey. Below are excerpts from Jerry's documentation ofthe event.

Sunday - March 22, 1998

4:00pm

During my monthly monitoring of Poplar Creek, I discovered a sewer line had broken and was dumping raw sewage into the stream. The stream enters into Rottenwood Creek, which enters into the Chattahoochee River. The total distance from the sewer break to the river is less than 2 miles.

5:00 pm

I called Cobb County Water and Sewer Department's emergency number. Then I left a message with Alice Champagne ofthe Upper Chattahoochee Riverkeeper and with Eve Funderburk of Georgia Adopt-AStream.

Monday - March 23, 1998

8:00 am

I contacted Philip White at the Cobb County Environmental Compliance Division.

11:30 am

I arrived home to fmd Philip White had brought Cobb County Water and Sewer onsite. Philip took water samples and found fecal coliform counts greater than 3,000 [colonies/ml]. A supervisor arrived and determined that the pipe belonged to the apartment complex. The county informed the apartment complex that they were responsibly for fixing the sewer pipe. I called the Georgia Environmental Emergency number and reported the incident.

4:00 pm

A sewer and drain company (hired by the apartment complex) arrived onsite and began clearing a path down to the creek.

Tuesday - March 24, 1998

11:30 am

Alice Champagne ofthe Upper Chattahoochee Riverkeeper arrived onsite with a reporter and photographer from the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Philip White was taking more water samples (the fecal coliform registered greater than 12,000 [colonies/mIl). He estimated that 10,000 gallons of raw sewage had already made its way to the Chattahoochee River. No repair crew was onsite.

1:00 pm

I called Jeff Larson at the Georgia Environmental Protection Division and left a message informing him of the incident report number.

3:30 pm

Keith St. Cyr from the Georgia EPD (Permitting Compliance and Enforcement Program) arrived to take water samples and to assess the situation. Simultaneously, the sewer and drain company showed up and began repair work.

Wednesday - March 25, 1998

10:00 am

Philip White and Keith St. Cyr returned for more water samples. The fecal coliform registered greater than 49,000 [colonies/mI].

4:00pm

Repair on the sewer line is complete. However, in the process the streambanks have been decimated. [Jerry is now in the process ofmonitoring the streambankerosion]

EPD Publications To Help You In Your Stream Protection Efforts

Environmental Management Requirements for Stream and River Corridors in Georgia is a handy summary of the environmental laws, regulations and programs used to manage and protect Georgia's waters.

Land Development Provisions to Protect Georgia Water Quality describes provisions that could be modified in or added to local development regulations to better protect water quality. Municipal ordinances where these provisions could be used include zoning and subdivision ordinances, erosion and sediment control codes, stormwater management ordinances and design standards documents. The provisions outlined in this document were developed from reported experiences and studies around the country.

Copies of the above may be obtained by calling the Georgia EPD Customer Assistance Program at l-888-EPD-5947 (in Atlanta, (404) 657-5947.

Adopt-A-Stream Calendar ofEvents

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The following are trainings and workshops which educate citizens about wetland and stream monitoring. Please call to

register. Space is limited!

What Biological Workshop CommunitylWatershed Workshop Chemical Train-the-Trainer Level I / Chemical Workshop Wetland Conference Biological Workshop Level I / Chemical Workshop

When May 16 May 19 May 20 June 6 June 5 June 13 July 11

Where Cochran Mill (Fairburn) Dunwoody Nature Center Valdosta Chattahoochee Nature Center North GA College Davidson-Arabia Mtn. Newman Wetland Center

To Register 404-656-0069 404-508-7602 404-656-0099 404-656-0069 706-864-1956 404-508-7602 404-656-0069

.r The Georgia Adopt-A-Stream Newsletter is published six times per year. For m e MAY-6

information about the Georgia Adopt-A-Stream program or to contribute to ~'" i)

newsletter, call or write to:

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Georgia Adopt-A-Stream Environmental Protection Division 7 ML King Dr. SW, Suite 643 Atlanta, GA 30334 404-656-0099

printed on recycledpaper

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