Georgia sound, Vol. 17, no. 3 (Fall 2011

Fall 2011

Vol.17, No.3

Biologists sample estuarine wetlands along Coastal Georgia
Wetlands: More than Meets the Eye...

In May 2011, the Coastal Resources Division (CRD) launched an intense field season as part of the National Wetlands Condition Assessment a national project of the Environmental Protection Agency. A team of Georgia biologists and interns spent the summer collecting data from multiple wetland habitats throughout coastal Georgia. The project's goal was to monitor freshwater and estuarine wetlands during 2011 to determine their current condition.

Two Georgia teams participated in the Assessment - the

freshwater wetlands were monitored by the GA DNR Environmental Protection Division (EPD); the estuarine

Vegetation, soil profiles and hydrology are used to evaluate

wetlands were monitored by CRD. Nationally, nine hundred wetland assessment locations

were randomly selected from the US Fish and Wildlife Status and

Trends plots using a survey design that ensures the sample is

representative of wetland resources at national and regional

scales. From a total of 50 randomly selected sites for Georgia,

CRD received 32 estuarine wetland sites to sample.

CRD intern uses a GPS and compass to locate the

In the field, biologists used a 40 meter radius surrounding a point to assess vegetation, soil, water chemistry and algae. A larger, 140 meter radius was established around each point to assess external stressors. A Rapid Assessment Method (RAM) was used to explore relationships between stress and condition as mediated by buffers. Once all data has been compiled, EPA will correlate the RAM with the lab collections to determine if rapid assessments could be useful to resource managers. Together, these parameters provide an indication of overall wetland condition.
This assessment is scheduled to take place every five years to determine changes in wetland health across the country. EPA will generate a report once data is analyzed.

By Jan Mackinnon Ecological Services

www.CoastalGaDNR.org

Fall 2011

Page 2

Coastal Incentive Grants Application Deadline Approaching Soon!
Due: Tuesday, January 17, 2012, 4:30 pm, at Coastal Resources Division Headquarters office in Brunswick
Grants available for up to $100,000 per year ($50,000 for construction projects). One or two year project proposals accepted. Eligible applicants include county and municipal government in the 11 coastal counties, regional and state agencies, and state affiliated educational and research institutions.
Visit - coastalgadnr.org/cm/grants/cig/apply for application information and forms.
Questions? Call Susan Reeves, 912-264-7218.
New Report Available
`Georgia Coastal Water Quality 2000 -2006'
CRD regularly collects water quality information through programs such as the Shellfish Sanitation Program, the Beach Water Quality Monitoring Program, and the Sound and River Nutrient Monitoring Program. Recently, with funds provided by a Coastal Incentive Grant, the Georgia Coastal Research Council (GCRC) evaluated six years of water quality data to determine the overall health of Georgia's coastal waters.
The GCRC identified seven factors that would be useful indicators of coastal water quality and proposed thresholds that could be used to determine whether a measurement was "good," "fair" or "poor." Data for four of these factors have been regularly collected as part of the CRD programs - nitrogen, phosphorus, dissolved oxygen, and pH.
If nitrogen and phosphorus are present in excessive amounts, resulting decreased water oxygen levels allow bacteria to grow. Low levels of dissolved oxygen can result in fish kills and other negative impacts
to fish populations. pH is the measure of the acidity or alkalinity of water. A pH value outside the normal range can be stressful to organisms.
The `Georgia Coastal Water Quality 2000 - 2006' publication provides information on the levels of each of these indicators for nine sites sampled between 2000 and 2006, indicating median ranges and instances of extreme episodes. The brochure analyzes the coast as a whole and also breaks down the information into nine regions organized around the major sounds.
The brochure is available online at: gcrc.uga.edu/Indicators/GACoastalWQ2000_6.pdf. A companion technical report, The Condition of Georgia's Coastal Waters: Development and Analysis of Water Quality Indicators (Sheldon and Alber), can be downloaded at: gcrc.uga.edu/Research/sheldon_indicators.html

Fall 2011

Page 3

CoastFest 2011...catch the Excitement
Perfect fall weather brought record-breaking crowds to CoastFest at Ga DNR/Coastal Regional Headquarters along the South Brunswick River on Saturday, October 1st. In 1995, CoastFest began as a celebration of national `CoastWeeks'. It is sponsored by Coastal Resources Division/Coastal
Management Program and made possible through a grant provided by NOAA.

Magician Arthur Astma.

With more than 80 environmental, educational research and resource exhibitors from throughout the southeast, CoastFest visitors of all ages learned about recycling ... coastal weather ... native plants ... turtles ... water conservation ... archeology... herpetology ... geology ... commercial shrimping

Cannons from Fort McAllister.

Throughout the day under the show tents: a bubble-ologist used imagination and science to explore how bubbles work; the magician performed fast paced circus stunts and magic tricks to demonstrate marine science and Newtonian physics; Jim Sawgrass and his Creek Indian family entertained with Native American songs and ritual dances; a puppet show from the Georgia Sea Turtle Center entertained the youngest visitors; emmy-award winning cartoonist Jim Jenkins created an outdoor gallery with `cARToons at the Marsh'.

Alligators always draw a crowd.

CoastFest Facts:
One day, six-hour event - 10am - 4pm 1st CoastFest - 1995
Attendance in 1995 - 200 2011 Attendance - 9,134 Since 1995 - 80,000 visitors

Kids could stop by the Coastal Georgia Audubon Society to build a bluebird

The F/V Amazing Grace.
cARToons at the Marsh.
Save the Date... CoastFest 2012 Saturday, October 6th

Young angler gets a casting lesson from the Golden Isles Chapter-
Visitors waiting to enter the CRD www.CoastalGaDNR.org

Fall 2011

Page 4

Georgia Food Shrimp Season Rebounds From 2010 Winter Chill
Each December the Marine Fisheries staff must make a decision they've made annually since the 1970's. The Georgia food shrimp season closes by law on December 31st, unless the Commissioner decides conditions are favorable to extend the season. The season can be extended through February, if conditions warrant. The decision to extend the shrimping season is based on a suite of biological, climatic and economic factors that have supported an extension in all but three years (1983, 1989 and 2001) since 1978.
December 2010 produced some of the coldest temperatures we've seen on the coast in years - but not lethal as in 1983, 1989 and 2001. However 2010 conditions were cold enough to push most shrimp out of the estuaries and southward to Florida. Our trawl surveys indicated monthly white shrimp abundance during January - July, 2011 to be over 96% below average.
The opening of shrimp season is based on criteria similar to the data used to determine season closing with the addition of observed percentage of spawning (roe) females. With a low abundance of white shrimp in May and June 2011, the decision was made to delay the opening of state waters until June 22, 2011. From late June through August shrimpers had an above average harvest of brown shrimp and, fortunately, white shrimp abundance returned to normal levels in autumn. Given the warm temps thus far in December the commissioner has decided to extend the season in early 2012.

By Pat Geer Chief of Marine Fisheries

Longline Survey Crew Completes Sixth Season

Coastal Resources Division personnel are wrapping up their sixth season of longline sampling. Currently, there are two longline projects, one targeting immature sharks, the other targeting adult red drum. Sampling occurs in nearshore and offshore waters during the spring and summer months for a variety of shark species and during the fall and early winter for the red drum.

Biologists tag a blacknose shark.

The 2011 season has been productive for red drum and

marks the highest number of captures to date - 87 This year was also

an above average year for the capture of species including Atlantic

sharpnose sharks, sandbar sharks and tiger sharks.

To learn more about the longline projects, please contact Carolyn Belcher (carolyn.belcher@gadnr.org).

Large sharks, like this adult male lemon shark, are brought along side the RV Marguerite for tagging.
www.CoastalGaDNR.org

Fall 2011

Page 5

Spotlight on CRD Staff
Operations Program Manager - Jill Andrews
Jill Andrews joined GA DNR in 2001 as a Coastal Technical Assistant. Today, Jill is the Manager of Operations Program in CRD's Ecological Services Section. Staff working in the Operations Program provide technical assistance and Coastal Incentive Grants through the Georgia Coastal Management Program, monitor water quality at Georgia beaches and estuaries and manage the Georgia Shellfish Program.
A native of Medina New York, just east of Buffalo, Jill figured out early on that she wasn't going to spend all of her days shoveling mountains of snow in frigid cold temperatures. "I made it through my undergraduate education in Buffalo, but when it came time to go to grad school, I went as far south as I could. Miami!" Jill received a Master's in Marine Affairs and Policy from the Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science at the University of Miami. While there, she had a chance to study the effects of state and federal coastal management policies on local fishermen, tourism and natural resources. She decided then that her dream job would be one where she could act as a liaison between government decision-makers, coastal citizens and the environment." I feel so lucky to be able to do that here in Georgia," says Jill.
When not working, Jill and husband Paul devote all of their free time to son, Matthew, who arrived in December 2010. "I love that we get to raise him in Coastal Georgia. We already take him to the beach, bike riding, and exploring in the woods. This area has so much to offer in terms of outdoor fun and access to nature. I want him to enjoy all of it - responsibly, of course - and then be able to share it with his family in 30-40 years. That makes coming to work every day just that much more satisfying."

Coastal Permit Coordinator - Matt Hinman

While working on his Master's Degree in Marine Sciences at Savannah State University, Rincon, GA native Matt Hinman began volunteering at CRD with the adult red drum and juvenile shark longline projects. In April of 2009, Matt began working at CRD as a marine technician where he assisted with research and surveys projects. When those projects were completed, Matt took the opportunity to work with the DNR's Wildlife Resources Division on Ossabaw Island as a wildlife technician assisting with quota hunts. In April 2010 he rejoined CRD as a member of the longline survey team.

Matt accepted a position with the Habitat Management Program as a Coastal Permit Coordinator in Fall 2011. In his new position, he assists with bank stabilization and private recreational docks permit projects in McIntosh, Glynn, and Camden counties.

Away from work, Matt enjoys time spent in the outdoors - hunting, shooting sports and photography. Looking to the future newly-married Matt and his wife,Christine, are excited about purchasing their first house and adopting a dog.

www.CoastalGaDNR.org

Fall 2011

Page 6

CZM News and Notes
By Brad Gane, Chief of Ecological Services
Governor's South Atlantic Alliance Update Work continues at the Alliance. You may recall that the Alliance is a regional cooperative among North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia and Florida. The goal of the Alliance is to promote collaboration on coastal and ocean issues among the states, and, with the support and interaction of federal agencies, academe, regional organizations, non-governmental organizations, and the private sector, sustain and enhance the region's coastal and marine resources. An Action Plan was developed and an Implementation Plan followed. Most recently, a prioritization of Implementation steps occurred.
Funding has been sought, applied for, and all looks good for some funding to become available to establish a management organization for the Alliance and to begin work programs. Two projects are to be funded. First is a Hazards study coordinated by Dr. Clark Alexander at Skidaway Institute of Oceanography that will develop and apply a new digital geospatial analysis tool for performing a consistent regional evaluation of vulnerability to coastal hazards. The Southeast Coastal and Oceans Observing Regional Association (SECOORA) will develop a multi-state and regional, multi-scale information management framework for coastal and marine spatial planning. The Center for GIS at Georgia Tech University is a partner in the project. The search is on for funding to complete two other projects. First, Dr. Merryl Alber with the University of Georgia will establish a water quality metadata database of the southeastern U.S. region to support landscapescale conservation planning. Second, a project to provide spatial habitat mapping, modeling, and satellite derived oceanographic data in support of ecosystem-based fisheries management will be conducted.
Each of the projects, as well as the Implementation Plan and its priority steps can be found on the Governor's South Atlantic Alliance website at http://www.southatlanticalliance.org.

A Message in a Bottle We all hear the stories about messages placed in a bottle and cast out to sea. No telling when and where that bottle may show up. The Coastal Resources Division received an interesting postcard in the mail recently. The tattered postcard had been picked up from the low tide, ocean-side beach on
Cumberland Island on October 16, 2011. Turns out the card was part of a drifter study that DNR and the US Army Corps of Engineers conducted, probably to assess sediment and current flows for a dredged material disposal study, or possible beach nourishment study. Interestingly though, DNR has not participated in a study like that for many years. The DNR
return address on the card was to an address we moved from in October 1990, meaning the card has been out in the ocean and beach environment for over 20 years.

Fall 2011

Page 7

Marsh Dieback A Repeat Performance? Let's hope not. But ......
Many of you are familiar with the marsh dieback epidemic that the coast experienced in 2001 and 2002, which incidentally coincided with the last severe drought in Georgia. The reports of salt marsh dieback consisted of areas of marsh with little or no live above-ground vegetation. Reports were received from all six of Georgia's coastal counties, as well as in South Carolina. Estimates at that time exceeded 1,000 affected acres, and in some areas the marsh was down to bare mud, with erosion beginning to take place along creek banks. The loss of salt marsh has caused great
concern along the Georgia coast because of the potential for increased local flooding, habitat loss for juvenile shrimp, crabs, and fish and the loss of feeding grounds for many wildlife species.

Area of bare marsh potentially affected by dieback in Liberty County, 2011

In September 2011, CRD staff received a report of marsh dieback from a property owner along the Jerico River. Jerico River was one of the worst hit areas in the last dieback in 2001, 2002. CRD biologists investigated the report to find creek-side areas of Spartina alterniflora thinning and stems breaking off, leaving behind large areas of bare mud (see photos). Plants were taken from the impacted area and sent to the Marsh Dieback Research Lab at Savannah State University, as well as to the University of Georgia Marine Sciences Department.

The Marsh Dieback Research Lab at Savannah State University is analyzing plants at the organ, tissue and cellular levels in an effort to identify abnormalities. They also test roots and rhizomes (underground plant parts) to determine viability. The University of Georgia is looking at plant physiological responses to stresses, including elemental composition of green leaves.

These analyses, coupled with the ongoing field monitoring that has been conducted since 2002, should bring us one step closer to understanding the mechanics of marsh dieback in Georgia and how drought affects our coastal resources.

For more information on marsh dieback, please contact Jan Mackinnon at jan.mackinnon@dnr.state.ga.us

Plant samples from denuded marsh are currently being analyzed at the Marsh Dieback Research Lab at Savannah
www.CoastalGaDNR.org

Fall 2011

Page 8

CoastFest Exhibitor: The Society for Georgia Archaeology
by Kevin Kiernan, SGA
Founded by laymen during the Great Depression in 1933, the Society for Georgia Archaeology (SGA) is the oldest archaeological society in the State. It inspired the Ocmulgee National Monument, helped establish a Department of Archaeology at the University of Georgia, and initiated work on a statewide archaeological survey. Today the SGA is an active group of professional and avocational archaeologists whose goal is to "identify, study, interpret, and preserve Georgia's rich historic and prehistoric archaeological heritage"
At CoastFest 2011, the SGA exhibit featured interactive displays that attracted hundreds of children, eager to show off what they have learned in the Glynn County Archaeology Program directed by Ellen Provenzano for the past eighteen years. With their training in fourth grade the children are adept at identifying and sorting artifacts from Fort Frederica.
Tammy Herron from the Savannah River Archaeological Research Program in South Carolina and Rita Elliott of the LAMAR Institute in Savannah brought educational displays and engaging games to test their skills and intelligence. For the third year, Rita also brought 'Abby the Able ArchaeoBus' with its rich and absorbing introduction to Georgia archaeology. As visitors leave the ArchaeoBus, they had the opportunity to make and decorate coiled pottery as the prehistoric and protohistoric Indians once did on Georgia's Coast.
While CoastFest 2011 was smashing all previous attendance records, the SGA was breaking some records of its own with 18 volunteers from Georgia, South Carolina, Florida and the United Kingdom (including nine from the newest SGA chapter- Golden Isles Archaeological Society) manning the exhibit and the ArchaeoBus.
For an introduction to the fascinating field of archaeology in Georgia, the SGA recommends Frontiers in the Soil: The Archaeology of Georgia, by Roy S. Dickens, Jr. and James L. McKinley, in collaboration with James H. Chapman and Leland G. Ferguson. Published in 1979, Frontiers in the Soil has established itself as a classic in archaeological literature on the prehistory, history, and archaeological heritage of our State and region. Through authoritative text and amusing illustrations, Dickens and McKinley interpret Georgia's past with humor and intelligence and describe scientific archaeological investigations and the ethics that guide the discipline.
The SGA in cooperation with the Carl Vinson Institute of Government is proud to offer a reprint of Frontiers in the Soil, as well as Dickens and McKinley's Teachers Guide to Frontiers in the Soil for use by middle school and high school educators. You can order a copy through the SGA website at http://thesga.org/2011/04/order-frontiers-in-the-soilnow/.

To learn more about the Society for Georgia Archaeology, please visit - thesga.org.

Fall 2011

This issue of the Georgia Sound is dedicated to the memory of our CRD colleague and friend
Shawn Gabriel `Gabe' Gaddis
February 21, 1972 - August 15, 2011

Page 9

Gabe loved life! And embraced each day... he was a man with a great love for the outdoors ... spent time racing motocross, hunting Native American artifacts, fishing or spending time with his wife, Aimee, and their two children. In the office, he was the `go to guy' when we needed something identified...plants, fish or his favorite reptile - snakes! Gabe found happiness in helping others realize their potential and value, while learning to do the `right' thing.
In 1998, Gabe began his career with CRD as a technician in the Commercial Fisheries Program where he worked on bycatch studies. He spent time with striped bass projects at WRD before returning to CRD to focus on saltwater recreational species. In 2010, Gabe became the Constituent Services Program leader and represented Georgia on habitat issues including oyster reef restoration and enhancement.

In September 2010, biologists reseeded an old oyster bed along Plantation Creek at the CRD dock. In September 2011, this healthy oyster restoration site was named in memory of Gabe's dedication and commitment to the mission of the GA DNR ... " to sustain, enhance, protect and conserve Georgia's natural, historic and cultural resources..."