Adopt-a-stream, Vol. 7, no. 2 (Mar./Apr. 2000)

GEORGIA
Adopt-A-Stream
Volume 7, Number 2, March / April 2000
Michele Droszcz and Harold Harbert, Editors

Department of Natural Resources Environmental Protection Division

What's New With Georgia Adopt-A-Stream?

You may have noticed that things continue to change within our program. The most obvious, for those who receive the newsletter, is that we got rid of the fish graphics and added some macroinvertebrates! We also moved our "Calendar of Events" to the third page, since the number of AAS workshops being offered keeps growing.

This year, the State AAS office is offering "specialty workshops" throughout the year. These workshops were listed in the January / February newsletter. These workshops offer more thorough information on topics that are discussed in the regular chemical and biological AAS workshops.

With all these specialty workshops, who has time to conduct the QA/QC chemical and biological workshops? Citizens of various counties and cities are very lucky to have local Adopt-A-Stream coordinators. At this time, there are 37 local coordinators who are funded through counties, cities or watershed organizations. Most of these coordinators have become Adopt-A-Stream trainers and conduct workshops in their area. In addition, there are four Adopt-A-Stream Regional Training Centers in State colleges and universities throughout the State. All the contact numbers are listed on page 3 of the newsletter.

The next big piece of news is that the "Level I / Getting Started With Adopt-A-Stream" manual will soon be replaced with the new manual, "Getting To Know Your Watershed." This manual contains the new registration form, watershed survey data forms and stream survey data forms. Except for the stream survey forms, the new manual and forms address streams, wetlands and lakes. Our new workshop "Getting Started With Adopt-A-Stream, Wetland and Lake" uses the new manual and takes you through the steps of registering, working with maps, and conducting the watershed survey.

As you will notice on the next two pages of this newsletter, there are many water-related conferences and workshops being held. Since Adopt-AStream participates in most of these events, we realize that there are plenty of conferences and workshops available to provide citizens with fantastic information on water quality, watersheds and outreach education. Therefore, Georgia Adopt-A-Stream had decided not to organize a conference but to put all its efforts into a big volunteer celebration! Please see the article on the back of this newsletter for more information.

We want to thank everyone who works to monitor and protect Georgia's
streams, rivers, wetlands and lakes. Georgia Adopt-A-Stream continues to grow and we enjoy working with all the wonderful people.

Michele Droszcz and Harold Harbert, State Coordinators Georgia Adopt-A-Stream, and Petey Giroux, State Coordinator Project Wet

Happenings . . .

Farm*A*Syst / Home*A*Syst Watershed Planning Conference
EPA and the Farm*A*Syst / Home*A*Syst partners are having a conference on April 10 12 in Atlanta. This conference focuses on reaching farmers, ranchers and homeowners with the message of pollution prevention. For conference registration information, contact Lisa Ann McKinley at McKinley.Lisa@epamail.epa.gov.
Community Watershed Workshop: Atlanta's 14 County Preliminary Greenway Trail Configuration
The next Community Watershed Workshop will be held at Southface Energy Institute (located next to SciTrek and the Atlanta Civic Center) on Tuesday, March 14 from 6:00 pm until 8:00 pm. This workshop offers a fantastic opportunity to network and learn. For more information, call 404/675-1636.
Fundamentals of Erosion and Sediment Control Courses
April 12-14, on Jekyll Island June 27-29, in Athens November 27-29, in Athens These courses are open to anyone interested in the Erosion and Sedimentation Law, Best Management Practices, and the NPDES storm water permitting process. They are sponsored by Georgia Soil & Water Conservation Commission and the UGA Center for Continuing Education. For more information, call 800-884-1381 or e-mail Register@gactr.uga.edu.
Check Out These Websites

Citizen Soil Watch Workshops
Tuesday, March 30 at 7:00 pm at the Marietta Central Library Tuesday, April 25 at 7:00 pm in Douglas County
This course may be for those folks who want to learn to effectively evaluate land-disturbing activities and learn the basics of the Erosion and Sedimentation Law but do not have the time to attend the 3-day course mentioned below. To register, call Dana Heil at 706/542-3065 or Alice Champagne at 404/3529828 extension 16.
Protecting Lakes and Watersheds: Innovative Solutions to Point and Nonpoint Source Pollution
The Annual Southeastern Lakes Management Conference will be held in Columbus, GA March 2225. The four concurrent tracks will focus on water quality, watersheds, technical issues and community outreach. There are also several half-day workshops and fabulous field trips. For complete information and registration forms, visit the website at http://science.kennesaw.edu/~jdirnber/SELMC2000. html
The Coastal Adopt-A-Stream and Wetland Regional Training Center Has A Website
If you are located in Coastal Georgia, you are lucky to have Dr. Joe Richardson as your AAS contact. He offers workshops, technical advice and monitoring guidance. To learn about upcoming events and other information, look to the new website at http://www.savstate.edu/scitech/aas/index.htm

Grant opportunity for grassroots programs at http://www.cec.org

EPA Region IV Non Point Source Page at http://www.epa.gov/region4/water/nps

EPA website on TMDL information at http://www.epa.gov/region4/water/tmdl

States' comments on the proposed TMDL regulations at http://www.asiwpca.org/pol/Index.htm

Adopt-A-Stream Calendar of Events

The following are workshops, taught by certified AAS trainers, which provide training in visual, biological and chemical monitoring of streams and wetlands. Please call to register.

What

Who

Advanced Chemical GA AAS

Biological

Fulton AAS

Visual/Chemical

Augusta AAS

Biological (same day) Augusta AAS

Bio/Chem recert

GA College RTC

Visual/Chemical

Fulton AAS

Biological

Georgia Wildlife Federation

Biological

Fulton AAS

Reducing NPSP

GA AAS / P2AD

Getting Started w/AAS GA AAS/Rockdale Co.

Biological

Chattooga AAS

Visual/Chemical

Georgia Wildlife Federation

Visual/Chemical

Peavine Watershed Alliance

Visual/Chemical

Fulton AAS

Biological

PWA

Wetlands

GA AAS

When
March 11 March 18 March 18 March 18 March 25 April 1 April 1 April 8 April 11 April 15 April 22 April 25 May 6 May 6 May 13 May 13

Where
Canton N. Fulton Augusta Augusta Milledgeville S. Fulton Covington Cochran Mill Atlanta Conyers Polk/Floyd Co. Covington Peavine Watershed N. Fulton Peavine Watershed Clayton Co.

To Register
404-675-1636 404-730-8006 706-828-2109 706-828-2109 706-485-9243 404-730-8006 770-929-3350 404-730-8006 404-675-1636 404-675-1636 706-802-5322 770-929-3350 404-508-7603 404-730-8006 404-508-7603 404-675-1636

There's more! AAS workshops are conducted throughout the State. Call one of these numbers to learn about upcoming workshops in your region of the State.

Where
Coastal GA West GA Central GA South GA

Who
Dr. Joe Richardson Dr. Becky Champion Sylbie Yon Dr. David Hedgepeth

To Register
912-356-2809 706-687-4090 706-485-9243 912-333-5611

E-mail
richards@tigerpaw.ssu.peachnet.edu champion_becky@colstate.edu sayon@peachnet.campuscwix.net dhedgepe@valdosta.edu

Georgia Greenways 2000 Conference
The Georgia Wildlife Federation is sponsoring a oneday conference/workshop for greenway coordinators and citizens involved in preserving green space throughout Georgia. This will take place on Friday, May 5, 2000 at the new Alcovy Environmental Education Center, centrally located in Covington, Georgia.
Most greenways are inherently a locally driven initiative with little interaction with other greenways across the State. The purpose of this conference is to

bring everyone who cares about this issue together to share ideas and resources, to network, and to gain some practical tools to make their greenway efforts more successful.
The conference will cost $10 and include lunch and materials. Pre-registration is required by April 26th. Contact Ellen Sutherland, the Alcovy River Greenway Coordinator, at 770-929-3350 or alcovy@gwf.org for more information and to preregister, and stay tuned to their web site for more details (http://www.gwf.org).

Apalachee River and Georgia Adopt-A-Stream Volunteer Celebration!
Walton County Clean and Beautiful will host the Georgia Adopt-A-Stream volunteer recognition celebration this year on the Apalachee River! Universal Rundle, a Walton County based company, has donated funds to Walton County Clean and Beautiful towards the effort of educating the citizens of Walton and neighboring counties about water quality and, specifically, the Apalachee River. Walton County Clean and Beautiful wants to show off their beautiful river while educating local citizens about Adopt-A-Stream and the fantastic efforts citizens have accomplished throughout the State. So, they have invited Georgia Adopt-A-Stream to come celebrate our volunteers with food, music and fun on the banks of the Apalachee River, May 20, 2000. If you are a member of an active Adopt-A-Stream group, your lead coordinator will be receiving additional information within the next two weeks. If, for some reason, you do not receive an invitation and wish to attend, please contact the state AAS office.
Reduce Nonpoint Source Pollution In Your Home
The Pollution Prevention Assistance Division (P2AD), along with Georgia Adopt-A-Stream, has developed a colorful and informative poster, which addresses how to reduce nonpoint source pollution in the home. P2AD is also designing a new brochure similar to the poster but easier to carry in your back pocket. Come get a free poster and talk to the experts about how to reduce non point source pollution in your home on April 11 at 6:00 pm. This workshop will be held at the Tradeport, home to the EPD Water Protection Branch. To register, call Michele Droszcz at 404-675-1636.
The Georgia Adopt-A-Stream Newsletter is published six times per year. For More information about the Georgia Adopt-AStream 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) 675-1639
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