Georgia sound, Vol. 7, no. 3 (July - Sept. 2001

GeSoorguniad

By: Lea King Public Affairs Coordinator

Georgia now leads the nation with access to beach water

quality information as it becomes the first state to provide this coast-

wide information via the internet. Georgia has teamed with the

Surfrider Foundation and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

(EPA) to provide current beach location, condition, and real time water

quality status information on the "Earth's 911 Beach Water Quality" web

site. "The site, accessed at

, is updated every 7-10 days

following weekly sampling efforts and denotes whether a beach is opened or

closed," said Coastal Resources Division (CRD) biologist Dominic Guadagnoli

of the Georgia Department of Natural Resources (DNR). "A `know before you go'

section also appears which provides community resource information such as

motor oil recycling locations and other information that can help keep our beaches

clean," he continued. Water pollution prevention information as well as information

about the health risks associated with polluted recreational waters can also be found

on the site.

The collected data is compiled and formatted into a database that assists biologists in tracking trends for overall beach water quality along the coast. "The internet site contains geo-referenced areas and descriptors in addition to general beach condition information. This information is available through both internet and phone access and contains weekly updated beach water quality regional status," noted CRD biologist Brooks Good.

For more information on CRD's Beach Water Quality Monitoring Program, contact CRD

Water Quality Biologists Brooks Good or Dominic Guadagnoli (912) 264-7218 or

brooks_good@coastal.dnr.state.ga.us and dominic_guadagnoli@coastal.dnr.state.ga.us. To

view the beach water quality monitoring web site log on to

.

W

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Coastal Advisor y Council Meeting

By: Fred Hay
Technical Outreach & Education Specialist

The annual meeting of the Georgia Coastal Management Program (GCMP) Coastal Advisory Council (CAC) was held at the UGA Marine Extension building in Brunswick on Wednesday, May 23. In attendance were ten council members and nearly twenty members of the general public and GCMP staff. The primary objective of the meeting was to determine a funding theme for the next round of Coastal Incentive Grants (CIG). After a brief discussion, it was agreed that the current funding theme "Water Related Issues" was appropriate due to the increasing importance of such issues in coastal Georgia. The council discussed the process currently used to review CIG proposals. The process was explained in detail to the council members and was determined to be both fair and efficient. Several suggestions regarding the council's membership were made at the meeting. Most notably, it was thought that members should be appointed by position instead of by name. This would account for turnover in staffing that naturally occurs within agencies, private organizations and public groups. It was noted by council members that the CIG's are valuable for local governments looking to implement state-mandated programs addressing growth, planning and resource management at the local level. For more information contact Fred Hay of Coastal Resources Division at (912) 264-7218 or fred_hay@coastal.dnr.state.ga.us.

Coastal Advisor y Council Roundtable Report

By: Fred Hay
Technical Outreach & Education Specialist

This year's second Coastal Advisory Council (CAC) Roundtable Meeting was held on April 24th in Brunswick at the Coastal Resources Division (CRD) headquarters. Roundtable meetings are held quarterly to foster open dialogue between coastal resource managers, the CAC and the public. The Georgia Coastal Management Program (GCMP) hosted Mr. John Clarke, a researcher with the United States Geological Survey (USGS), to speak about the impacts of long-term pumping on coastal Georgia's Miocene aquifers. Mr. Clarke cited a number of potential limitations to developing the Miocene and surficial aquifers that included:
Unknown impacts from increased usage; Saltwater intrusion along the coast, barrier islands and estuaries; Unknown recharge potential; and Impacts on coastal ecosystems. Several key issues regarding coastal groundwater supply and quality were also addressed by Mr. Clarke. For example, the USGS is undertaking research to help characterize the exchange of waters between various aquifers and how exchange rates and pressure gradients have been altered by years of withdrawal. Studies have revealed that the layers of clay separating the Miocene aquifer from the Floridan and surficial aquifers varies along the coast. In western Bulloch county test wells revealed that the clay layer, or confining layer, between the surficial and upper Miocene aquifer was only fifteen feet thick. The same confining layer in central Glynn county was as much as 80' thick. It can therefore be expected that pumping will have varying effects on the aquifer in different areas of the coast. Knowledge of these potential impacts is a critical prerequisite to effective water resource management. Audience members engaged Mr. Clarke in a series of inquiries that culminated with this question: "What is the future for water management on the Georgia coast?" Mr. Clarke responded that he anticipated the need for an integrated approach that would involve the exploitation of groundwater, surface water, and perhaps even desalinization. With respect to groundwater, Mr. Clarke stated that the location and depth of wells is important in minimizing negative impacts from pumping. For more information about coastal Georgia's water resources, visit the USGS website http://ga.water.usgs.gov/ or contact the USGS at (770) 903-9100. The next CAC Roundtable meetings will be July 24 in Richmond Hill and October 23 in Darien. For more information contact CRD's Fred Hay at fred_hay@coastal.dnr.state.ga.us or (912) 264-7218.

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By: Kelie Matrangos Federal Consistency Coordinator
Permit Coordinator
Georgia became an active member of the Coastal Zone Management Program in March of 1998 and was delegated portions of the federal Coastal Zone Management Act to implement at the State level. One of the delegated responsibilities included Federal Consistency. Federal Consistency, simply put, means that rather than relying on federal standards, most direct federal activities, federally-funded activities, and federal permits must adhere to the more stringent State environmental laws before projects may proceed. Prior to Georgia's membership in the federal program, federal construction projects, management plans, and permits had only to meet federal requirements before they could proceed, regardless of State laws. Georgia Federal Consistency Coordinator Kelie Matrangos assists federal agencies proposing activities within the 11 coastal county (Chatham, Effingham, Bryan, Liberty, Long, McIntosh, Wayne, Glynn, Brantley, Charlton, and Camden) area. She also works with these agencies concerning activities occurring outside of the 11 coastal county area but impacting resources within the counties, or activities that may impact State waters out to three miles offshore. Providing technical assistance in law compliance Ms. Matrangos serves as liaison between federal agencies and the State agencies charged with implementation of the 56 state environmental laws applicable to any given project.
As Federal Consistency Coordinator, Ms. Matrangos reviews federal proposals and notifies the applicant agencies of any additional necessary state permits and provides these agencies with sources for more detailed information on a variety of state laws. Only after all applicable state permits, licenses, and/or permissions have been obtained is the recommendation made to allow a project to proceed. When conducting business within the State of Georgia over 35 federal agencies or departments must adhere to this section of the federal Coastal Zone Management Act which includes 143 different types of projects. Since its inception four years ago, a wide variety of projects have undergone Georgia's Federal Consistency process, including Fisheries Management Plans by the National Marine Fisheries Service, installation expansions by the Department of Defense, ocean dump site designations by the Environmental Protection Agency, Clean Water Act dredge and fill permits by the United States Army Corps of Engineers, natural gas pipeline facilities by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, Sport Fish Restoration grants by the Department of the Interior, and many others.

Kelie Matrangos has worked for six years with CRD in the Habitat Management Program. Before joining CRD Kelie worked for the state of Rhode Island in the same capacity for two years. She has a Masters Degree in Marine Affairs and Coastal Management from the University of Rhode Island and a Bachelors Degree in Marine Affairs and Coastal Management from the University of Miami. Living in the Everglades
National Park for two years helped to determined her choice of academic studies. Kelie believes that guiding man's increasing development of coastal areas toward environmentally sound designs is key to the sustainability and protection of our aquatic natural resources. Kelie can be reached at (912) 264-7218 or via email at
kelie_matrangos@coastal.dnr.state.ga.us.

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Georgia

Coastal

Management

First let me share with you some news from Washington. The funding for

Program

the Georgia Coastal Management Program (GCMP) is largely from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's (NOAA) federal budget.

Since the federal Coastal Zone Management Act was first passed in 1972,

Congress has always appropriated funds for the state grants upon which we

depend to operate our program. Even in lean years, Congress funded the

same amount as the previous year for these state grants. I believe this shows

strong support for the network of state coastal programs; however, the state coastal

management programs historically have not seen much support from the

administration. In fact, during the tenure of several presidents, the program was proposed for elimination.

Now for the good news, or I'll characterize as GREAT news. I'm sure you have read in the newspapers and have seen on the news that the administration has proposed some sweeping cuts to federal agency budgets. Well, President Bush has recommended an increase of nearly $9M in state grants - yes you did read that correctly, an increase in funding! In addition, there was what we thought to be a one-time funding of coastal non-point pollution control programs last year. The President proposed $10M in funding for coastal non-point programs. For the first time in at least 20 years we can support the administration's budget rather than pleading for additional funding. This makes our job much easier. There will be a great deal of lobbying in Washington to restore cuts to agency budgets. This is a very difficult endeavor. For us, we can be very positive and appreciative and support the President's budget. Although the numbers are not fixed, this should mean an additional $500,000 for Georgia
which will enhance our Coastal Incentive Grant (CIG) Program. By the way, our Senators Zell Miller and Max Cleland along with First District Congressman Kingston are supportive of the budget proposal.

Another effort I am watching closely in Washington is an effort to create a Community Initiative Program. This program would provide funding for projects considered critical to local governments - sound familiar? Yes, this is
our CIG Program. Congress is interested in creating a national program which would mirror our CIG Program so that all states can work more closely with local governments on coastal issues. This proposal was passed the Senate last year with unanimous support and the proposed funding level was $25M. For Georgia this means another $750,000 each year for local projects. Wow, we could really make an impact helping local governments with these extra funds!

I'll be watching these programs carefully. If you are interested, I recommend you contact Congressman Kingston, Senator Miller, and Senator Cleland and thank them for their support. I'm sure they will be hearing from folks wanting more or restored budgets. Our message can be a very positive one.

Enough of a Washington report. The GCMP is moving - REALLY moving. By the time you read this we will have completed our first federal performance audit. I'm looking forward to showcasing our Program. We have now on staff Kevin Brady who is our legal assistant. Kevin is working on administrative law issues such as ensuring we meet public notice requirements, open records act requests, development of administrative rules, drafting of orders, etc. We also have on board Jan Mackinnon and Jill Huntington. Jan and Jill are Coastal Specialists assigned to work with city and county governments to assist them with environmental issues ranging from Green Space to wetlands to erosion & sedimentation. We are continually looking for opportunities to improve the GCMP
to provide services to you.

As always, if you have any questions regarding any aspect of the Georgia Coastal Management Program, contact us. We strive to provide services to you so that better decisions can be made about our coast.

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From the Director

The Director's Column this quarter is by special request of Commissioner Lonice Barrett. He asked that I provide an update on implementation of the riverhouse law - the Protection of Tidewaters Act, and the Right of Passage Act. The reason he requested this update is the fact that he receives more questions about this issue than almost any other coastal issue. So, here goes.
The legislature passed the Protection of Tidewaters Act and Right of Passage Act in 1992. This law gave owners of riverhouses, which were commonly referred to by the owners as "houseboats," until June 30, 1997 to remove these structures from tidewaters and navigable rivers of Georgia. However, it also required that those persons who wished to remain on the river until June 30, 1997, obtain permits from the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) and comply with rules adopted by the Board of Natural Resources.
When the law passed in 1992 there were 218 riverhouses in Georgia. All but eight of these riverhouses were on the Altamaha River. A total of 110 riverhouse owners obtained permits to remain on the river until 1997. Most of those persons who obtained permits did remove their riverhouses by the expiration date of their permits. However, some owners did not. At that time a decision was made to first deal with those riverhouses that were within the jurisdiction of the Protection of Tidewaters Act and then move into the area of the river covered by the Right of Passage Act.
Last year the last person who owned a riverhouse that was located in tidewaters of Georgia lost his final appeal at the State Supreme Court and all riverhouses have been removed from tidewaters of the state. Earlier this year Commissioner Barrett signed Administrative Orders advising owners of the 23 remaining riverhouses on the Altamaha River that they must remove their riverhouses. Eleven of those owners appealed these orders and an administrative hearing before a state Administrative Hearing Officer was held last March. A decision is expected in this case in midJune.
For the state to prevail under the Right of Passage Act it must prove that the Altamaha River where these riverhouses are located is a navigable body of water. State law defines that for a body of water to be navigable it must be capable of "bearing a vessel loaded with freight in the regular course of trade for the whole or part of the year." If the state does prevail at the administrative level the petitioners will have the opportunity to appeal the decision to Superior Court and ultimately to the Georgia Supreme Court. Thus, it could take another year until all of this is finally adjudicated and a decision is made.
This has been a truly amazing law to administer. When it first passed, then Commissioner Joe Tanner assigned the law to me to administer. However, this is one of those times when a law was passed without money or staff to administer the law. Thus, we carried out our responsibilities under the law with existing staff and financial resources. It has not always been easy. A huge thanks is due to Captain Homer Bryson of the Law Enforcement Section and to Karen Sloan Williams, my former administrative secretary, for their efforts to get those 110 riverhouses permitted. They scheduled appointments and inspected each and every riverhouse to determine if the owner qualified for a permit. They both performed a service above and beyond the call of duty and for that I am very appreciative.
I shall let our readers know in the next issue of the Georgia Sound the outcome of the administrative hearing. We can all be very proud of what we have accomplished to date.

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MAN AGEMENT

Duane Harris, Director Coastal Resources Division
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Lar gest cel ebr at ion of Geor gia's coast al nat ur al r esour ces

Happy Tur t le by Jamar Baker

What attracts over 4,000 visitors, spot-lights coastal resources and critters, has a little something for everyone and is packed with surprises and

Golden Isles Element ary

excitement? Why it's

of course! Held annually on the first Saturday of

October, this day-long educational festival is a free, highly interactive event for the entire family. Hosted by the

Georgia Department of Natural Resources (DNR) Coastal Resources Division (CRD),

takes place at the division's

headquarters along the Marshes of Glynn in Brunswick, Georgia.

will take place on Saturday,

exhibitors from across the Southeast participated in

2000

Over 70

What do you get when you mix together marine life, funny costumes and lots of laughs? Why it's "Mr. &
Mrs. Fish" of course!

~ continued on page 7 ~

l ;

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Just as popular as the much talked about exhibit area are the educational programs of

.

brings back three favorite programs from last year, "Mr. &

Mrs. Fish," Creek Indian Jim Sawgrass, and herpetologist Tim Lane. Nationally known

marine educators from Maine, Mr. & Mrs. Fish "wow" audiences with their original blend of

comedy and education. Appearing "under the big tent" at

, Mr. & Mrs. Fish

make learning fun as they use skits, costumes and laughter to educate adults and children

alike on the hidden world of the ocean and its inhabitants. Jim Sawgrass also makes a return

appearance at

. A Creek Indian from Florida, Sawgrass invites event

visitors into the lost world of the Creek Indian. With an Indian encampment as a backdrop,

Sawgrass and his family bring to life traditional games, recreational activities, Creek cooking

and other rituals and activities. Sawgrass also makes an appearance "under the big tent"

for several hour-long programs which will captivate both children and adults alike. Rounding

out the program slate is herpetologist Tim Lane. Tim captures the attention of audiences with

his special "friends" ..........snakes and other reptiles! Tim enables

visitors to get

better acquainted with our slithery friends...........at

you just never know who

Get "up close and personal" with our you will meet!

reptile friends under the watchful eye

of Herpetologist Tim Lane. With a day-

long exhibit plus two exciting programs, Tim and his slithery friends
are sure to capture the attention of
every CoastFest visitor!

Other attractions of

include a walk through the Earth Day Nature Trail and

Marsh Walk. Event participants may find themselves eyeball to eyeball with assorted birds

and animals along the walk. Excitement abounds at "WeeBee," DNR's 70 foot long whale

Where children and adults are encouraged to crawl insideand walk around. Built to scale,

WeeBee gives festival participants an idea of the true size of these marine creatures. Also

surrounded with activity is the CoastalArk, DNR's 30 foot long mobile educational classroom.

With coastal scenes painted on both sides, tours inside the Ark and a fun-filled environmental

trivia contest with prizes, the Ark has proved to be a favorite attraction of the festival.

Food for

is provided by local non-profit organizations for a small fee.

Parking is free, as is the event itself to both visitors and exhibitors alike. Family photos with

costumed characters are also provided at no charge to

visitors. Continuing in

the

tradition, the art work of a local child will be the official event theme and

logo and will grace everything

related.

grew from 30 exhibitors and 1,500 visitors in previous years to 70 exhibitors

and over 4,000 visitors in 2000!

on October 6, promises to be even larger

and more exciting than ever before. The excitement is catching.....and it begins in Georgia

at

!

For more information on

contact Lea King at (912) 264-7218 or fax

(912) 262-3143 or 1ea_king@coastal.dnr.state.ga.us. Check out

on the

web at: www.dnr.state.ga.us/dnr.coastal.

Travel back in time and learn about the long-ago world of Native
American Indians with Creek Indian Jim Sawgrass. CoastFest visitors can
visit his encampment which depicts how native Americans lived during the
time of the Revolution.

Admi ssi on!

I-95 US 17

Exit

38

Spur 25

BRUNSWI CK

Exit

29

US 17

DNR

I-95

Sidney Lanier Br idge

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Are Georgia's Coastal Waters Getting Saltier?
Throughout the 1990's, coastal resource managers have suspected that the salinity of Georgia's estuaries may be gradually increasing. Most of the evidence has been anecdotal, based upon perceptions of change rather than actual scientific study of salinity regimes. Some of this anecdotal evidence is based upon perceived changes in native populations of oysters (Crassostrea virginica) and hardshell clams (Mercenaria mercenaria). As estuarine salinity increases, oyster populations are likely to decline due to increased predation and rates of disease. Oyster diseases like Dermo (Perkinsus marinus), thrive in higher salinity waters as does the Atlantic Oyster Drill, a predator of oysters. Clam populations, on the contrary, prefer higher salinity waters. Using Coastal Resources Division's (CRD) shellfish harvest data as a measure, oyster populations have indeed declined over the past several decades while clams have increased.
It has also been proposed that increasing salinity may be due in part to human impacts in the watersheds of Georgia's five coastal rivers: Savannah, Ogeechee, Altamaha, Satilla and St. Marys. If you were tasked with determining whether or not Georgia's estuaries are getting saltier, what might be your approach? Perhaps an obvious first step might be to review historic salinity data. Unfortunately, long-term water quality data sets do not exist for the entire coast. Therefore, the GCMP awarded a three-year Coastal Incentive Grant (CIG) to the University of Georgia's Department of Marine Sciences to investigate human impacts on the salinity regimes of coastal Georgia.
On a broad scale, researchers looked at several factors that might influence estuarine salinity regimes: upland land use patterns, upstream water use patterns, river discharge rates, and estuarine flushing rates. Flushing time describes how long it takes for water to travel from a river through the estuary to the mouth of the sound. One additional component of the study assessed possible indicators of changing salinity. To accomplish this, researchers mapped and quantified changes in wetland vegetation patterns in the Satilla River estuary using aerial imagery from 1953, 1974 and 1993.
Land use was analyzed in the Ogeechee and Altamaha watersheds using land cover maps created from satellite images. It was determined that forested areas were the largest land use category in both watersheds (Fig 1). Pine plantations are included as forested land and not as agriculture. Water use in all five watersheds was analyzed using information gathered by the United States Geological Survey. Between 1985 and 1995 there were no large changes in water use or withdrawal patterns within the watersheds of the five coastal rivers. Seventy-eight percent
~continued on page 9~

Forest 66%

Agriculture 26%

Wetland 4%
Urban 4%

Forest 73%

Agriculture 15% Wetland 7% Urban 5%
Forest 64%

Agriculture 28%

Wetland 7%
Urban 1%

Forest 78%

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Agriculture 13% Wetland 7% Urban 2%
Figure 1

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of the water withdrawn was used in generating electricity, however, as much as 95% of that water is returned to the river. In contrast, irrigation accounted for only 10% of the water withdrawn yet represented 35% of the total consumption. Water that is not returned to the river is considered consumed. In the Altamaha, 20% of water consumption is due to the export of water to the Chattahoochee River.
Between 1974 and 1992, salinity levels did show statistically significant increases in the Savannah and Satilla River estuaries. However, these findings are based upon a very small number of samples that were taken at only one location per estuary. The limited scope and duration of these data make it difficult to differentiate between normal fluctuations and long-term trends in salinity regimes.
Wetland vegetation patterns in the Satilla and Altamaha were analyzed to determine if significant changes in the distribution and abundance of certain plants were evident. Using historic aerial photographs from 1953, 1974 and 1993, researchers created digital maps that were placed on top of each other, or overlaid, to quantify the changes in vegetation type (Fig.2). This was done to further test the anecdotal reports of increased salinity. If salinity were increasing, one might expect freshwater plants to retreat further up the rivers to avoid salty estuarine water. The results of this study actually revealed little change in the vegetation along either river. What changes did occur largely involved increases or decreases in black needlerush (Juncus romerianus), a highly adaptive species that is tolerant of a wide range of salinity values. Thus, the results could not be directly correlated to changes in salinity.
In summary, the results of these various investigations do not identify a cause for increased estuarine salinity or present strong evidence that salinity is indeed increasing. However, this research did lead to increased understanding of the application of remote sensing techniques to coastal wetland mapping, increased understanding of water use patterns in Georgia's Piedmont and Coastal Plain and increased understanding of estuarine circulation patterns in the Satilla River. The Georgia Coastal Management Program is committed to continued investigation of the factors influencing coastal water quality and to informed management of our precious coastal resources. If you have further questions regarding these studies or other CIG projects, please contact the GCMP at (912) 264-7218.

Juncus Brackish Fresh Salt
Other areas

36 km

28 km

0

1 Kilometers

20 km

12 km

Ffrom Smith et al., 2001. Proceedings of the GA Water Resources Conference, p. 617.

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Figure 2

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Thinking of Building Something Near the Marsh or the Beach? Thinking of Selling Property Near the Marsh or the Beach?

By: Kelie Matrangos Federal Consistency Coordinator
Permit Coordinator
Both the Coastal Marshlands Protection Act and the Shore Protection Act have been in place for over a 22 years now, yet many people still begin construction projects near the marsh or shore without realizing that permits from the State must be obtained prior to construction. Much of this confusion comes from not knowing what types of construction require a State permit as well as the location of the construction. If you are thinking about constructing anything, from a condominium complex to a back yard deck, or selling your property to someone who may not be familiar with Georgia's coastal laws, please contact the Habitat Management Program for assistance in determining the jurisdictional (applicable) areas of these laws to find out when you need a State permit.
Under the Coastal Marshlands Protection Act, not only are common marsh grass areas covered by this law, but the entire Estuarine Area of the state is covered. The Estuarine Area, as defined by the law, includes all tidally influenced waters, marshes and marshlands lying within a tide-elevation range from 5.6 feet above mean tide level and below. Marshlands are further defined under the law as any marshland intertidal areas, mud flat, tidal water bottom or salt marsh in the State of Georgia, whether or not the tidewaters reach the littoral (upland) areas through natural or artificial (man-made) watercourses. Coastal Resources Division (CRD) associates can locate this marsh-upland boundary, which delineates the jurisdictional area of this law, by placing survey flags or tape along the vegetated marshlands border. A close approximation of these areas can be located by looking at the 6-foot contour line of a topographic map.
Vegetated marshlands include not only areas where the more common salt marsh grass (Spartina alternaflora) is growing, but also where any one of 13 other marsh plants is growing. These other 13 jurisdictional indicator plants include: black needlerush (Juncus roemerianus), saltmeadow cordgrass (Spartina patens), big cordg rass (Spartina cynosuroides ), saltgrass (Distichlis spicata), coastal dropseed (Sporobolus virginicus), bigelow glasswort (Salicornia bigelovii), woody glasswort (Salicornia virginica), saltwort (Batis maritime), sea lavender (Limonium nashii), sea oxeye (Borrichia frutescens), silverling (Baccharis halimifolia), false willow (Baccharis augustifolia), and high-tide bush (Iva frutescens).
Under the Shore Protection Act, the jurisdictional (applicable) area of the law includes not only the wet beach, but also the entire dynamic dune field. The dynamic dune field, as defined by the law, runs from the ordinary high water mark to the first occurrence of either a live native tree 20 feet in height or greater or a structure existing on July 1, 1979. CRD associates can locate this beach-upland boundary, which delineates the jurisdictional area of this law, by placing survey flags or tape along the dynamic dune field border.
The landward boundary of the dynamic dune field is the seaward most line connecting any such tree or structure if the distance between the two is a reasonable distance not to exceed 250 feet. The term "reasonable distance" takes into consideration topography, dune stability, vegetation, lot configuration, existing structures, distance from ordinary high-water mark, and other relevant information to conserve the vital functions of the sand-sharing system.
It is important to note that both the Coastal Marshland Protection Act marsh-upland jurisdictional boundary and the Shore Protection Act beach-upland jurisdictional boundary change over time. As sea level rises and coastal landmasses subside, the marsh jurisdiction line moves inland. As native shoreline trees are blown over by storms and pre-1979 homes are demolished, the shore jurisdiction line moves inland. Therefore a jurisdiction line drawn a few years ago may no longer be valid and should be re-checked by CRD associates.
If you live anywhere near the marsh or the beach and are contemplating a construction project or even selling your property, it is strongly recommended that you contact a Habitat Management Program associate to obtain a current jurisdictional determination. Jurisdictional determinations, or "JD" lines, may be obtained from Rhonda Knight in Camden, Glynn and McIntosh Counties (912-634-3427) or from Tom Miller in Chatham, Bryan and Liberty counties (912-691-6810). If you are contemplating a sizable construction project anywhere along the Georgia coast, such as something more than a private single family recreational dock, contact Kelie Matrangos (912-264-7218) kelie_matrangos@coastal.dnr.state.ga.us for assistance with a Coastal Marshlands Protection Act or Shore Protection Act permit application.

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PAGE 11 By: Nancy Butler Public Affairs Coordinator

The 11th Annual Golden Isles Parent-Child Fishing Derby was deemed a great success as evident from the smiles and laughter of the kids and adults taking part in the morning of fishing and fun.

Smiles were the order of the day at the Derby!

The annual event, hosted by Coastal Resources Division (CRD) on June 2, promotes catch and release fishing and fishing as a family activity. Derby participants numbered 173 this year with the crowd size increasing to over 300 including parents and family members.

Derby participants crowd around to get a close look at a baby shark pup which was one of the day's catches.

Derby participants learned about fishing safety and how to bait hooks at the annual community event.

Kaity Nuenke and her dad
Wayne enjoyed a fatherdaughter day together.

A crowd of over 300 enjoyed a day of fishing and fun at the annual Fishing Derby.

Fishing was a family affair at the Derby as CRD promoted fishing as a fun family pass time.
CRD's Doug Haymans
volunteered with the Derby as son Jacob
tested his fishing skills as a participant.

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CRD's newest addition to the Parent-Child Fishing Derby is the new portable grill which was constructed by the Brunswick High School Welding Class under the direction of their teacher Todd Honeywell.
Jeff Mericle (photo at right), Marine Biologist with the Recreational Fisheries Section, checks out the cooking action on the new grill before Derby Day. The grill was "put to the test" at the Derby and passed with flying colors according to the "cooks!"

The Georgia Sound is produced quarterly by the Georgia Coastal Management Program. If you would like more information on the
Georgia Coastal Management Program, visit our web site at www.dnr.state.ga.us/dnr/coastal
or contact Coastal Resources Division at (912) 264-7218.
Layout & Design by: Lea King For address corrections or to be added or deleted from the mailing list,
please contact Lea King at (912) 264-7218.
Llea_king@coastal.dnr.state.ga.us

Contributors to this issue: Nancy Butler, Duane Harris, Fred Hay, Lea King,
Kelie Matrangos and Stuart Stevens. This publication is made possible through efforts by the Georgia Department of Natural Resources and the National
Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
Deadline for the Fall 2001 edition is August 31, 2001. We welcome suggestions
of articles and photography.

GeSoorguniad
Department of Natural Resources
Coastal Resources Division One Conservation Way, Suite 300 Brunswick, GA 31520-8687