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Developers and environmentalists stood side byside during the 2003 legislative session---in sup-port of a bill to reform Georgia's soil erosion con-

trol law (HB 285) which easily passed through the stateHouse and Senate. This year, those same groups tooksides in a pitched battle over the fate of the greenspacealong Georgia's waterways, known as "stream buffers".

Pursuant to the Georgia Erosion and Sedimentation Act,the state Environmental Protection Division (EPD) ischarged with the protection of vegetated riparian zones(or buffers) of 25 feet along warmwater streams and 50feet along designated trout streams---unless a variance isobtained from EPD based on circumstances that includehardship. The criteria used by EPD to make variancedecisions were developed in 2000 by a technical advisorygroup.

Stark Contrast to Collaborative Approach

The successful collaboration which led to HB 285 was theresult of a lengthy, often difficult, multi-year process(including lawsuits) to develop consensus on key issuesof concern to all stakeholders involved in efforts to keepGeorgia mud out of the waterways that supply drinkingwater, recreation and wildlife habitat. In the end, every-one involved gave some and took some, and then agreed

to support a bill whose language had been hammered outeven before the session started.

In stark contrast, Sen. Casey Cagle (R-Gainesville) intro-duced legislation (SB 460) in 2004 without any effort tobring all stakeholders together to discuss unidentified"problems" with the implementation of Georgia's 15 year

WATER COALITION PREVAILS IN BATTLE TO PROTECTSTREAM BUFFERS

Stream quality is a barometer of urbanland use pressures on a watershed, Thespecific effect of land use and manage-

ment practices on streams is, however, difficult to assess and often goes unmeasured.

In six watersheds in Gwinnett County, monitor-ing results of an ongoing study by the U.S.Geological Survey (USGS) show quantitativelythat development in stream buffers degradeswater quality and that management strategiesin these buffer areas can have a bigger impacton stream quality than strategies implementedelsewhere in the watershed. For the purposesof this study, a stream corridor was defined ashaving a width of 30 meters (about 100 feet).The monitoring network was designed andinstalled during 1996, as a cooperative investi-gation of the USGS and the GwinnettDepartment of Public Utilities. GwinnettCounty is to be commended for its significantinvestment in the project and its use of thedata to improve watershed quality.

Stream gages in the six watersheds continu-ously monitor water level, streamflow, andprecipitation and periodically collect waterquality samples (e.g., biological oxygendemand, chemical oxygen demand, total sus-pended solids, phosphorus, nitrogen, andtrace metals). Stormflow, collected with auto-

matic samplers to assess non-point sourcepollution, was correlated with transportationland use (i.e., roads) in the stream corridor.

The conclusions in the USGS report, "Doesland use affect our streams?" were based onfive years of data, collected through 2001.Monitoring data show a strong relationbetween transportation land use in the streamcorridor and total suspended solids and lead.High lead yields in the streams where roadshave been built within the stream corridormay be due to increased lead deposition inpaved areas. In addition, there is greater effi-ciency of wash off from road surfaces, accom-panied by reduced filtration of runoff before itreaches the waterway due to the removal ofvegetation in the corridor.

Source: "Does land use affect our streams? Awatershed example from Gwinnett County,Georgia, 1998-2001", USGS publication, MarkLanders, et al. http://ga.water.usgs.gov

URBAN CASE STUDY

ROADS IN STREAM CORRIDORS DEGRADE WATER QUALITY

See Buffers, page 7

Lower Falls on Mulberry Creek,Harris County

USGS scientists collecting a sample from a stream in metro Atlanta.

River Clean-ups with Boat Captain 2nd Saturday of each month through October Maximum 4 people Start time 1pm Contact: 404-352-9828 ext. 20 or htrammel@ucriverkeeper.org

Practice Run for 2nd Annual River Race & Festival May 15Meet at Garrard's Landing 9:30 AM. Paddle 10 AM - Noon and take out at Riverside Park at Vickery Creek Bridge. Contact: 404-352-9828 ext. 14 or bcrawford@ucriverkeeper.org

Biological Adopt-a-Stream Workshop May 15 Smithgall Woods Contact: 404-352-9828 ext. 17 or khastie@ucriverkeeper.org

Tour De Lake May 15Pyne Road Park LaGrange, GeorgiaFundraising bicycle & motorcycle ride Go to www.westpointlakecoalition.org or call 706-884-5916

Soquee River Cleanup May 22 & 23North Georgia Contact: 706-865-4451

River Cleanup June 5Friends of Upper Chattahoochee RiverHelen, GeorgiaContact: 770-531-1064or dboden@ucriverkeeper.org

2nd Annual River Race & Festival June 12Roswell, Georgia For info and registration go to www.chattahoochee.org or contact: 404-352-9828 ext. 14 or bcrawford@ucriverkeeper.org

Chemical Adopt-a-Stream Workshop June 19Smithgall Woods Contact: 404-352-9828 ext. 17 or khastie@ucriverkeeper.org

10th Anniversary Gala September 17 The Foundry at Puritan Mill 7-11pm Contact: 404-352-9828 ext. 12 or mchriston@ucriverkeeper.org

Address Service Requested

Non-Profit

Organization

US Postage Paid

Permit No. 3363

Atlanta, Georgia

The City of Roswell, the National Park Service andUpper Chattahoochee Riverkeeper (UCR) aredoing it again! We invite you to participate in our

2nd Annual River Race & Festival on June 12. The racecourse is a beautiful (and fairly easy) 8-mile paddle fromHolcomb Bridge (Garrard's Landing Park) to Riverside

Park in Roswell. There are "Open" and "Recreational"events for all age and skill levels.

Participants in the "Open" competitive events may earnpoints toward awards in the Georgia Flatwater Canoe/Kayak Race Series. Our race is the third and last in theSeries, which began in late March on the CanoocheeRiver, organized by the Canoochee Riverkeeper. On May8, the Coosa River Basin Initiative (aka Upper CoosaRiverkeeper) is sponsoring a race on the OostanaulaRiver in Rome.

Spectators may view the Chattahoochee Race at IslandFord (from National Park Service trails), Don White Park(at Riverside Drive under GA 400 bridge), and the newpedestrian bridge at Riverside Park.

Come enjoy the Festival food and music. The "Swallows"Restaurant in Roswell is bringing their great BBQ andveggie sandwiches along with their Nashville Band. Seethe many environmental and craft exhibits. It may be agood time to examine the new canoes and kayaks on themarket.

This 2nd Annual Race is sponsored by Chevron, TheCoca-Cola Company, WAGA Fox 5, ChattahoocheeNature Center and supported by many exhibitors andpaddlers such as yourself. You may register on-line atwww.chattahoochee.org or mail/fax the registration formbelow:

River MattersSIGN UP NOW AND COME BACK TO THE RIVER ON JUNE 12!

2ND ANNUAL BACK TO THE CHATTAHOOCHEE RACE & FESTIVAL

Paddling to the finish at the 1st Annual Race in 2003.

The Environmental Festival begins as the Race ends.

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In March, the UCR team was joined by MagnusChriston as our new Special Events Coordinator,replacing Erin Duffy who is expecting her first child in

May. During her nearly twoyears with our organization,Erin presided over UCR's mostsuccessful Patron AppreciationDinner in 2003, and we will missher positive, upbeat attitude.

A graduate of StanfordUniversity, Magnus has exten-sive fundraising experiencewith proven skills in event planning, media relations, grantwriting and marketing for a

variety of organizations, includ-ing the Stanford Fund and Stanford Alumni Association,National Civic Rights Museum, and California AfricanAmerican Museum. As an independent consultant, hisclients included the World Basketball Association, theShareef Abdur Rahim Future Foundation, Habitat forHumanity, and the Museum Studies Department ofSouthern University in New Orleans.

A native of Memphis, Tennessee, Magnus is pleased to beback in the South and nearer to his family. His interest inUCR stems from his commitment to making our environ-ment safer for all communities along the Chattahoochee.

"Everyone suffers from polluted water, however, poorercommunities are especially vulnerable. You see theeffects of this in higher rates of disease in those commu-nities. And that is something that affects society as awhole. UCR helps to bring about change that will benefitall of us who rely on the Chattahoochee. I am thrilled tobe a part of this dynamic organization because I can helpin making a difference."

10

Hopes for financial help for garden clubs, streamwatchgroups, local farm bureaus, lake associations and similarnonprofit organizations with an interest in protectingwater in their neighborhoods were dashed on March 24,only four days from the end of the 2004 GeneralAssembly. Plans for a bill that would have allowed the GAEnvironmental ProtectionDivision (EPD) to fund projectsto clean up non-point sourcewater pollution were droppedby their sponsor, Sen. RobertLaMutt, at the last minute.

LaMutt told nonprofit lobbyiststhat "property rights concerns"of the realtors' lobbyist, KeithHatcher, caused his decision,despite the fact that Hatcher's concerns had already beenaddressed in the text of the bill by the addition of anamendment which he had written. Also "in for the kill" onthe bill was Tom Gehl of the Georgia MunicipalAssociation, whose claim was that nonprofits would com-pete with local governments for funds. Only a few citiesin Georgia, however, have secured funds from this grantprogram in recent years and successfully completed theirprojects.

Georgia Alone in the Southeast

In eight of nine southeastern states, like most states inthe country, nonprofit organizations are eligible to com-pete for federal funds that are annually provided by theU.S. EPA for non-point source pollution control projects.Georgia is the solitary hold-out in the southeast.

Section 319(h) of the 1972 Clean Water Act established afederal grant program as one way to encourage public-private partnerships to improve water quality throughoutthe nation. Eligible nonprofit groups include any entitythat is exempt from taxation pursuant to Section501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. Projects fundedin the southeast with 319(h) monies have includedstormwater erosion/sediment training, lawn chemicaleducation, agricultural best management practices programs, forestry landowner guides, steward educationprograms, stream restoration projects, and dump remedi-ation projects.

Punitive Policy

It is not a mere oversight on the part of Georgia's EPDthat our state does not allow nonprofits to qualify for anyof the approximately $5 million in funding that is provided

each year to Georgia for projects that will help reduce theimpacts of polluted stormwater runoff. Key EPD officials,most of whom have now retired, often declared that theydidn't want to "give money to groups which might suethem" over regulatory matters. Despite years of strongencouragement from the EPA office in Atlanta and mem-bers of the Board of Natural Resources, EPD refused totake any initiative to fix the problem.

Last fall, I suggested to my colleagues on the Board ofNatural Resources that we support the necessary legisla-tion to allow nonprofits to apply for 319(h) funds alongwith local and state governments. The Board agreed anda recommendation was forwarded to Governor Perdue,along with other DNR legislative proposals. New EPDDirector Carol Couch was supportive of the idea.

When the Governor's office responded that they wantedto concentrate on only one water bill during the session(HB 237, the water planning bill), Sen. Robert Lamutt (R-

Cobb) agreed to introduce the legislation. His bill (SB530) made its way through Senate committees, but didnot make it to the Senate floor by the 33rd day of the ses-sion, when all bills that have not passed at least one leg-islative body die. A final effort to revive the legislation, byamending it onto another bill failed, as noted above. Sen.LaMutt is seeking election to the US Congress in the 6thDistrict, and the possibility that he might offend the real-tors, risking their support, presumably motivated hisdecision, which is understandable in the context.

Next year, we anticipate that a new legislative sponsor,whose agenda is less complicated, will be able to pass abill so that nonprofits and their volunteers will have thesame opportunity to seek funding to conduct significantstream cleanup projects as nonprofits do in every otherstate in the southeast.

STAFFER TO ORGANIZE 10th ANNIVERSARY EVENTS

River CHAT2

Riverkeeper StaffSally Bethea

Executive Director and Riverkeeper

Darcie BodenDirector Headwaters Conservation

Birgit BoltonPrograms Coordinator/

Legal Support

Alice ChampagneWatershed Protection Specialist

Bill CrawfordBusiness Manager

Magnus ChristonSpecial Events Coordinator

Page Gleason Development Director

Kristi HastieDirector Watershed Education

Skelly Holmbeck-PelhamPolicy Director

Mary MansonReceptionist

Elizabeth Nicholas General Counsel

Harlan TrammellBoat Captain

Board of DirectorsRay AndersonDavid Brookes

Sonny CohenDenise Donahue

Bert EllisGary Gaines

Billy HallChrissy Hobbs

Kay LeeRubye Lucas

Dr. Judy MeyerElena Mola

Steve O’Day J. Rutherford Seydel II, Chair

Our mission is to advocateand secure the protection and

stewardship of theChattahoochee River, its

tributaries and watershed.

REFLECTIONS

Magnus Christon

MARK YOUR CALENDARS!Along with our 10th Anniversary Co-chairs Ray andPat Anderson and Laura and RutherfordSeydel, Magnus will help set the stage for theSeptember 17 celebration that will mark UCR's firstdecade of advocacy and education to protect theChattahoochee River and its watershed. Mark yourcalendars now to help us honor Ted Turner andRobert Kennedy Jr. for their encouragement andvision in support of our work at The Foundry atPuritan Mill. For more information, contact mchriston@ucriverkeeper.org

Virtually every local government in Georgia has experienced prob-lems with sewer overflows into waterways, resulting in water qual-ity problems and public health risks. The city of Atlanta is

Georgia's poster-child for degrading infrastructure and years of impropermaintenance that have resulted in a wastewater treatment system riddledwith leaks, cracked pipes, insufficient capacity, and repeated overflows.The several billion dollar cleanup that the city is currently facing is alsorepresentative of mounting response costs to aging sewage collection sys-tems throughout Georgia. Despite the growing need for sewage infrastruc-ture improvements, the Bush Administration proposes to cut EPA fundingfor Georgia's water programs.

Federal Budget Cuts $8 million from Georgia

The proposed federal budget for this year cuts funding for wastewaterinfrastructure improvements more than any other environmental pro-gram, with $8 million being cut from Georgia alone. By 2005, the currentAdministration proposes to cut funding for water quality programs inGeorgia by an additional 54%. Programs such as the Clean Water StateRevolving Fund, which provides long-term, low-interest loans to states forsewage plant construction and upgrades, will lose half of its revenue---acut from $30.9 million to $14.3 million! With Georgia experiencing revenueshortfalls and a significantly reduced state budget, the cuts in these fed-eral funds are especially devastating.

Environmental Rollbacks

Budget cuts are not, however, the only threat to Georgia's waters. TheBush Administration has embarked on a systematic rollback of the envi-ronmental laws, regulations and policies that protect our rivers, streamsand lakes. One rollback, the so-called "blending policy", would allow par-tially treated sewage to be blended with treated sewage and then dis-charged into a river during rainstorms. However, this blending would notreduce the risks posed by such a discharge.

Another proposed policychange affecting coal-miningregions in the southeastwould allow a "streamlining"or easing of the federal permitting process for moun-taintop mining. This type ofmining involves cutting orblowing the top of a moun-tain and allowing all of themountain material to fill upthe streams and valleys below, so that the coal inside the mountain canbe more easily accessed and removed. The EPA has studied the devastat-ing environmental effects of this practice. Rather than limiting this type ofmining, however, the Administration is making it easier for industries todamage natural resources.

Making Your Voice Heard

While these proposals to roll back environmental laws and funding forstate water programs are happening at the federal level, UCR recognizesthe impact that these policies have at home in Georgia. We follow pro-posed regulatory changes and coordinate with national groups, such asthe Nature Resources Defense Council and the Clean Water Network, toorganize campaigns, analyze issues and submit comments on proposedpolicies that may impact our waterways.

We need your help! Please call or write your legislators and let them knowthat you want them to vote for more protection of Georgia's waterways,not less! For more information on the rollbacks go to NRDC's website at:http://www.nrdc.org/bushrecord; or the CWN website at:http://www.cwn.org. To find your legislators, go to: http://congress.org/con-gressorg/state/main/?state=GA

old buffer protection law. Unhappy with the strictness of EPD's streambuffer variance criteria, the developers and their consultants decided totry to eliminate protections for small streams, which they call "wet weath-er ditches", and to revise the variance criteria to allow for the piping andpaving of all small streams.

Led by the Gwinnett Council for Quality Growth,many business and industry groups actively pro-moted the developers' bill. UCR was pleased tonote the absence of Southwire Company fromthis collaboration; that company has been knownin recent years for its environmental stewardshipunder the leadership of Roy Richards. Four dif-ferent versions of SB 460 were brought forwardby Sen. Cagle and the developers before they set-tled on one which established a "general vari-ance" (i.e. a blank check) process, allowing thepiping and destruction of the springs and smallstreams that give birth to all the major rivers inthis state.

University Scientists Oppose Change to Buffer Law

Scientists with the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciencesand the River Basin Science and Policy Center at the University of Georgiatook a strong position against SB 460. In an opinion signed by six scien-tists, they stated, "If there is a general variance with no consideration ofwhat has been done to other small streams in the watershed, the chancesfor widespread destruction of small streams is great, with significant con-sequences for downstream flooding, water supply, water quality, and fish-eries resources."

Decades of scientific research throughout the country has demonstratedthe services to society provided by intact small streams, which arereduced or eliminated when streams are piped. Small streams improvewater quality. For example, they are extremely efficient at removingexcess nutrients. They are much more efficient at nutrient removal thanare larger, deeper channels. They maintain water supplies because of theclose connections between small streams and groundwater, and theyserve to recharge the shallow groundwater system.

Additionally, small streams provide natural flood control. Because theyslow the downstream movement of water, allow infiltration through thechannel bottom to groundwater, and have use of their own floodplains,these small channels reduce downstream overflows. In watersheds wheresmall streams have been eliminated, downstream flooding increases.

Vegetated buffers around small streams trapsediment and other pollutants, slowing theirrate of movement downstream and minimizingimpact to water supplies. In addition, they main-tain biological diversity because there is aunique assemblage of organisms living in andaround these small streams. Finally, smallstreams sustain the food webs of downstreamecosystems, as they collect and transport mate-rial that serves as food for fishes and otherorganisms living downstream.

Piping of Small Streams Defeated

SB 460 was held in House Rules Committee untillate on the 40th Day of the 2004 legislative ses-

sion, when Rules Chair Rep. Calvin Smyre (D-Columbus) urged theGeorgia Water Coalition (www.georgiawater.org) and the proponents of thebill to make a final effort to compromise, prior to a vote by the full House.The Coalition proposed an amendment that was rejected by the develop-ers' lobbyist Joe Tanner, on behalf of his clients. They counter-offeredwith a proposal to delete the most onerous section of SB 460 (the pipingof small headwater streams and springs), leaving only a mandate that thestate EPD review its stream buffer variance criteria through a stakeholderprocess and finalize rules by the end of 2004.

We agreed to this final version of the bill, which Sen. Cagle described ashaving been "gutted". More than two dozen representatives of the GeorgiaWater Coalition from around the state lobbied House and Senate memberson the last day of the session in a repeat performance of last year's effec-tive campaign to defeat water marketing in Georgia. Thanks to all thosewho contacted their legislators! Make sure to check out the summer issueof RiverChat, which will include an environmental "score-card" on electedofficials in the Chattahoochee River Basin.

BUFFERSContinued from page 1

NATIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL ROLLBACKS THREATEN GEORGIA WATERS

River CHAT 7

UCR Director Sally Bethea and lobbyist Neill Herring examine a CSX Railroad stream bufferviolation in Atlanta (see page 3). Photo credit: AJC

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In 2001, UCR received several calls on our CitizenResponse HOTLINE and an email with photographs show-ing the destruction of the state-protected vegetatedbuffer along Rottenwood Creek in Cobb County by theGeorgia Department of Transportation (DOT) for con-struction of Mill Green Parkway. Rottenwood is a majortributary to the Chattahoochee River, which drainsapproximately 20 square miles, including the city ofMarietta, and flows into the River about four miles aboveAtlanta's water intake.

DOT Environmental Compliance employees met UCR staffon site to view the buffer violation and to discuss theproject, the impact to the buffer, and the mitigation forthe damage. Cobb County confirmed that the DOT con-tractor had cleared the 25-foot state buffer without astate-approved variance. In addition, the streambankremained bare and unprotected by best managementpractices after the initial clearing. At the time, the DOTsaid that it did not believe it was subject to the state'sbuffer variance process, however, this misconception wascorrected and we have been told that the DOT now has aprocess in place to ensure compliance with the law.

A buffer restoration plan was approved by Cobb Countyand GA DOT, which was completed this past February. A310-foot section of streambank was stabilized with grass-es and matted with coconut fiber mats and staked withwillow stakes. In addition, the remaining part of thebuffer, approximately 0.341 acres is now planted withnative trees and shrubs.

CSX DESTROYS BUFFER ALONG

WOODALL CREEK

Woodall Creek springs from the ground in an industrialarea of southwest Atlanta surrounded by railroad tracks,concrete plants, lumber yards and trucking operations. Inlate 2003, UCR staff observed vegetation removal alongWoodall Creek---across the Creek from a highly successfulstormwater control project initiated by Allied Readymix(see page 6). CSX Railroad had totally cleared the state-protected 25-foot buffer along the Creek for more thanhalf a mile. What may have begun as minor maintenanceof a railroad easement ended as total destruction of thenatural stream buffer, resulting in downstream waterquality problems. While CSX is allowed to clear directlyadjacent to its track for safety purposes, its bulldozing ofvegetation to the edge of the Creek violates state law.UCR contacted the city of Atlanta, as the local issuingauthority for erosion control, and also the stateEnvironmental Protection Division (EPD). EPD is nowtaking an enforcement action against CSX, which shouldinclude a requirement that the railroad restore thedamaged area.

DEVELOPMENT ISSUES AT WEST PALISADES

A year ago, bulldozers began clearing 19 acres on thebluffs immediately adjacent to the West Palisades Unit ofthe Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area(CRNRA) in Cobb County to build a condominium projectoverlooking the River. The National Park Service (NPS)documented muddy stormwater flowing onto CRNRAproperty from the construction site, due to inadequatebest management practices. Photographs showed thatthe developer, The Pacific Group, had damaged parkproperty with eroded soil and sedimentation that enteredTrout Lily Creek, a tributary to the River within theCRNRA. The Pacific Group is now working cooperativelywith the NPS and taking corrective actions with innova-tive BMP's that include using bio-retention features. Whileit is a big plus for a development project to be locatedadjacent to permanently protected greenspace, such asthe CRNRA, there can be special challenges that must beovercome during construction. For information on soilerosion control workshops, contact the Georgia Soil andWater Conservation Commission at 706-542-3065.

COOLING TOWER INSTALLED AT

PLANT YATES

In the summer of 2000, a coal-fired power plant locatedon the Chattahoochee near Newnan, discharged waterthat was so hot virtually all the fish and other aquatic lifedownstream of the plant died from low oxygen levels inthe River. UCR was contacted by fishermen in the 22-milestretch of the River between Plant Yates and West PointLake who said that they had never seen a fish kill of thismagnitude. Low water levels in the River and many daysof extreme heat required Georgia Power Company's(GPC) Plant Yates to operate continuously. Like othercoal-fired plants, Yates withdraws millions of gallons ofwater from the Chattahoochee each day to cool equip-ment and returns the heated water to the River. A monthafter the fish kill, GPC officials pledged to install a coolingtower at Yates to make sure that a similar incident didnot happen again. In January, GPC announced that it hadcompleted the massive $80 million cooling tower whosedimensions are 1000' (L) by 100' (W) by 60' (H).

GWINNETT CASE HEADS TO GEORGIA

SUPREME COURT

Our continuing legal battle to protect Lake Lanier fromGwinnett County's discharge of 40 million gallons perday of treated sewage heads to the Georgia SupremeCourt. In January, the Georgia Court of Appeals over-turned an earlier decision by Hall County Superior CourtJudge John Girardeau, who had determined last year thatthe state EPD had not appropriately applied the "anti-degradation" provisions of the federal Clean Water Act,which say that high quality waters cannot be degradedunless it is shown to be "necessary". In essence, theAppeals Court upheld the EPD permit allowing Gwinnettto use the Lake as the repository of treated wastewaterfrom the sprawling county. The Georgia Supreme Courthas the discretion over whether or not to hear this case,which UCR filed along with co-plaintiffs Lake LanierAssociation and Sierra Club in 2002. We expect to benotified of the Court's decision on whether or not to hearthe case within a few months.

West Point Lake

Atlanta

Helen

LakeLanier

Buford Dam

West Point Dam

UpperChattahoocheeBasin

On Patrol

DOT COMPLETES RESTORATION OF DAMAGED BUFFER

River CHAT 3

Before

After – Just prior to Spring plant growth.

UCR has always relied on dependable, quiet, clean,environmentally-friendly Honda outboard motorsto get the job done on the water. Going into my

ninth year of service at UCR as master of passenger ves-sels, I am responsible for all routine maintenance.Because we use Honda outboards, we have never beenstranded or left without a way to get on the water fast.

This winter, I was allowed to participate in HondaMarine's factory technician training program at theMarine Mechanic's Institute in Orlando, Florida. What anexperience! The first week featured ignition, charging,trim and tilt, and gear cases. The second week featuredcarburetors and engine management systems includingprogrammed EFI. The full-day classes showed me what ittakes to make a watercraft reliable and left me with awhole new perspective on precision.

Classes were very small. We grouped up and trouble-shotvarious engines, utilizing state-of-the-art diagnostic tools.All instruction was hands-on-from replacing carburetorjets, to rebuilding lower units, to reading diagnosticcodes in engine management systems. Some Honda partstolerances are measured to four ten thousandths of an

inch. Only the most precise measuring devices andHonda special tools were used in well-organized, clearlylabeled work bays.

The instructors were outstanding, each with years ofexperience with Honda products. Thorough, award-win-ning text books covered it all from basic installation andprogrammed EFI diagnosis, to trouble shooting. This wasundoubtedly the most professional educational facility Ihave ever set foot in---including college. Unlike a typicalshop, the place was spotless. There were multiple copiesof every shop manual, all clearly labeled, for every enginethere. Practically every Honda outboard made was avail-able for trouble shooting, diagnosis and repair all in run-ning tanks.

Special thanks for this valuable experience go to TomRiggle and Joan Latham at Honda in Alpharetta forallowing me this special opportunity, usually reservedonly for Honda dealers and their employees. This experi-ence will allow me to greatly improve my maintenanceskills to keep our fleet on the water and ready to go atany time.

The water in Woodall Creek was milky white and thebanks were covered with a white residue, whenUpper Chattahoochee Riverkeeper (UCR) staff vis-

ited the small urban stream in southwest Atlanta lastsummer. We noted several concretemanufacturing plants just upstreamand decided to contact them regard-ing our concerns that their activitiesmight be causing water quality prob-lems in the Creek.

We met on-site with Allied ReadyMix(ARM) representatives and discussedthe company's stormwater manage-ment plan and the condition and sufficiency of their best managementpractices. It was obvious that someemployee practices at the site, suchas the dumping of unneeded con-crete and other material behind thefacility next to Woodall Creek, wereimpacting the stream. ARM manage-ment were very receptive to our con-cerns and quickly engaged an envi-ronmental engineer to redesign thestormwater management structuresand plan. The results of this effort,which were completed in early 2004at a cost of about $250,000, reflect adramatic improvement in thestormwater management plan andpractices at the plant (see photos).

Thousands of Regulated Industrial Facilities inGeorgia

ARM is one of the thousands of industrial facilities inGeorgia that are regulated under a General Permit forStormwater Discharges Associated with IndustrialActivity (General Permit)---a requirement of the federalClean Water Act. This General Permit mandates certainindustries to institute controls, called best managementpractices (BMPs), to prevent rainwater (stormwater)from picking up pollutants on their sites and then enter-ing into a nearby waterway. While the result at AlliedReadymix is a success story, many industries are eithernot aware of the requirements under the General Permit,

or are not concerned with compliance.

Federal and state officials agree that runoff from parkinglots, commercial and industrial operations, roads andlawns may be contributing as much as 80 percent of the

pollution to our streams. The GeneralPermit is an important regulation whichguides industries in the best way to com-bat the impacts of stormwater runofffrom their sites and requires these facili-ties to obtain coverage under the GeneralPermit to discharge stormwater runoff.

General Permit in Negotiation

When the General Permit came up forrenewal, almost a year ago, UCR GeneralCounsel Betsy Nicholas began to partici-pate in stakeholder meetings and providecomments to the state on the re-draftingof the Permit. While not yet final, the newversion of the General Permit is expectedto contain several significant improve-ments, the greatest addition being a provision to regulate discharges intoimpaired (303(d) listed) waterways. Inthis provision, an owner or operator isnot eligible for coverage under theGeneral Permit for discharges of "pollu-tants of concern", unless the facilityincludes special measures to ensure thatthere are no discharges to further the

impairment of the stream.

Facilities that are not certain whether their dischargemay contribute to the impairment of a stream or streamsegment are required to implement a stormwater sam-pling program. Depending on the results of the samplingprogram, they may be able to continue to operate underthe General Permit by installing additional control meas-ures. In some instances, an industry may be required toobtain an individual permit with specific discharge limita-tions. UCR will continue to investigate non-compliantindustries, participate in the General Permit review anddrafting, and work towards more success stories, such asthe one at Allied ReadyMix. For more information contactBetsy Nicholas at enicholas@ucriverkeeper.org.

River CHAT6

Riverkeeper’s Boat Captain Harlan Trammell.

DEALING WITH RUNOFF FROM INDUSTRIAL SITES

CONCRETE PLANT LEADS THE WAY ON STORMWATER CONTROL

CAPTAIN'S CORNER

Before and after images of the Allied ReadyMix property.Photo credit: AJC

HONDA PRECISION ENSURES OUTBOARD RELIABILITY

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Long-time UCR supporter Graham Anthony, wholives in the Huntcliff Subdivision on Morgan FallsLake near Roswell, approached us last year with a

new idea---a "River Neighbor" project. The basic idea isvery simple. Graham is serving as the designated point ofcontact between UCR and the Huntcliff neighbors. In thiscapacity, he is making sure that information on ourevents, cleanups, issues, and alerts is included in allHuntcliff publications and that we are made aware ofriver-related projects being undertaken by the neighbor-hood. He is encouraging cooperative projects and fieldingquestions about the River and UCR. In a short time,Graham has already made tremendous progress. A meet-ing that he facilitated in January brought neighborstogether for a lively discussion that resulted in plans foran adopt-a-stream program, a spring river cleanup and afly fishing demonstration. In addition, several neighborsare interested in being involved with Georgia PowerCompany's re-licensing of Morgan Falls Dam and in get-

ting to know officials representing various river authori-ties, such as the National Park Service. We hope thatGraham's idea will serve as a template for similar effortsin other subdivisions along the Chattahoochee. If you areinterested in getting involved with a River NeighborProgram, please contact Birgit Bolton @ bbolton@ucriver-keeper.org or Graham Anthony @ gha2@mac.com

River Stewardship

RIVER NEIGHBOR PROGRAM TAKES OFF AT HUNTCLIFF SUBDIVISION

River CHAT4

Waterkeeper

Alliance StoreUCR members may purchase

online a broad range ofquality merchandise with

our UCR logo.

UCR benefits from your purchase.

Order through www.chattahoochee.orgselect UCR Store, then

Waterkeeper Store.

Graham Anthony, Bill Kessler, Chris Uberto, Sarah Buckner, Brian & Rob Sayer, MichelleMarcus, Kevin & Olivia Buckner. (photo by Melissa Buckner)

UCR was busy this spring, organizing and partici-pating in a wide variety of River events. On March6, we helped with a cleanup and awareness day

organized by the Cohutta, Upper Chattahoochee, andTailwater Chapters of Trout Unlimited at the SettlesBridge Unit of the Chattahoochee National RecreationalArea (CRNRA)---just a few miles downstream from BufordDam. More than 30 partnering organizations and close to100 volunteers pitched in to remove tons of debris, stockfish, and install erosion control and restoration struc-tures. The National Park Service (NPS) and GwinnettCounty plan to install a gate near the top of the road toSettles Bridge to control access. The access road wasgraded after the cleanup, and a truck load of gravel wasdumped and smoothed out in the parking area. The NPShas also put up orange fencing around the eroded areasand posted signs, including one that says "Catch yourlimit, limit your kill".

For the sixth consecutive year, UCR partnered withPeachtree Road United Methodist Church to hold aRiver cleanup at the East Palisades unit of the CRNRA inconjunction with their Great Day of Service. Additional

participating organiza-tions included the NPS,Cummins South, Inc.,and AquascapeEnvironmental. Thanksto a generous donationfrom UCR member JohnBaker, we were able topurchase cleanup sup-plies, as well as lunchfor the volunteers.

Volunteers fromEarthshare, REI, andthe Latin AmericanAssociation (LAA)pitched in to clean upthe Powers Island Unitof the CRNRA on April 17. Students from the LAA paddledcanoes along the riverbank to remove hard-to-reachtrash. A huge thanks to all our volunteers who helpedclean up the river this spring.

COLD WATER FISHERY FOUNDATION ESTABLISHED BY LOCAL GUIDE

In 1998, the nonprofitChattahoochee Cold WaterFishery Foundation (CCWFF)

was established by ChristopherScalley, who grew up fishing theChattahoochee River near Roswelland has been guiding fly fishingfloat trips with “River ThroughAtlanta Guide Service” since 1994(www.riverthroughatlanta.com). Thesection of the Chattahoocheewhere Chris and his clients fish is a

state-designated trout stream withover 6,000 acres of protected publicland and is listed as one of the top100 trout streams in the country.

Over the years, Chris and other flyfishermen noticed that aquaticcommunities in the River, such asmayflies, caddisflies and stoneflies,were disappearing. Yet, there wasno research being conducted onthese insects, which are crucialfood sources for fish and serve asexcellent water quality indicators.Given the absence of macroinverte-brate studies on the mainstem ofthe River, CCWFF was formed withan impressive board of directors,representing the local fisheriescommunity. The board selected sixsampling sites, evenly distributedalong the River. Under a NationalPark Service special use permit,volunteers collect benthic macroin-vertebrates quarterly, using two

sampling methods that target colo-nizing aquatic food webs. The goalis to monitor water quality on along-term basis and make the infor-mation available to the public.

The volunteers, primarily enthusi-astic fly fishermen, must completean informal entomology classthrough their county Adopt-aStream program. Each sample islabeled, keyed to genus, and pre-served in alcohol. With five years ofresearch, some trends are nowobservable. Caddisfly populationsof particular species have dropped,but there has been an increase inother subspecies. Also noted: theproliferation of species like scuds---a crustacean, which provides agreat food source for trout. Formore information, including a hatchchart for fishermen, see www.chattahoocheefoodwebs.org

SPRING CLEANING ALONG THE RIVERCLEANUPS DRAW HUNDREDS OF VOLUNTEERS

Volunteers removed more than 40 tires fromthe river.

Chris Scalley (L) and fishing partner.

On April 4-5, 18 educators were trained as the firstnational Healthy Water, Healthy People (HWHP)facilitators. Based on a new, National K-12 cur-

riculum, HWHP is an innovative water quality educationprogram sponsored by Project WET (Water Education forTeachers) and the Hach Scientific Foundation. Georgiawill be the first state to debut this curriculum and offer afacilitator training workshop to demonstrate the trainingof volunteer monitors and the best ways to use this cur-riculum. Participants were taught Georgia Adopt-A-Stream monitoring protocols, introduced to Project WET,

and hiked alomg the banks of theChattahoochee River to learn aboutthe natural history of the area.Additional partners in this initiativeinclude Chattahoochee NatureCenter, Cobb County Water System,Fulton County Water Quality,Georgia Adopt-A-Stream and KeepRoswell Beautiful.

STUDENT HAPPENINGS AROUND THE WATERSHED….

River Kids

Four years ago, 4-H Coach, PatMiolen, and two members ofthe 4-H Wildlife Team, Cody

Disque and Dane Beatenbough,were invited to attend a GeorgiaAdopt-A-Stream (GA AAS) work-shop in North Georgia led bySharon Cowden, Fulton CountyAdopt-A-Stream Coordinator.Through a continued partnershipwith Kim Morris-Zarneke at GAAAS, the students visited their localwaterways and found hazardouswaste barrels and an abundance oftrash in Wahoo Creek---a tributaryto the Chattahoochee River inCoweta County.

Since 2000, this 4-H group hasactively monitored three creeksites, drawn plans for a new naturecenter, organized four cleanups inconjunction with Rivers Alive at 13sites for 380 volunteers, mentoredand presented environmental edu-

cation programs to more than 1,500fifth grade students, provided 15speaking engagements reachingmore than 2,300 people, andworked diligently to stop illegaldumping along Wahoo Creek by

working with local county officials."A handful of teen leaders openedtheir eyes and saw a problem inour environment being ignored,"said Environmental Team Coach,Pat Miolen. "They possessed thecharacter to care and have educat-ed the community how young citi-zens can accomplish remarkabletasks in protecting our environ-ment."

Hats off to 4-H Coweta County! Lastmonth, the Environmental Teamwas awarded Georgia Adopt-A-Stream's Extraordinary VolunteerEffort Award at the annualEnvironmental Education Allianceof Georgia and team member CodyDisque, who was instrumental informing this group, was awardedKeep Georgia Beautiful's Student ofthe Year in 2003. For more informa-tion, contact Pat Miolen at 770-254-2620.

COWETA'S 4-H ENVIRONMENTAL TEAM MONITORS LOCAL CREEKS

River CHAT 5

On February 24, more than 70 environmental edu-cators, friends and supporters of UCR joined usat Scitrek for the first viewing of Waters to the Sea:

The Chattahoochee River CD-ROM. In partnership with theGlobal Center for Environmental Education (GCEE) at

HamlineUniversity andOxbow MeadowsEnvironmentalLearning Centerin Columbus, UCRdeveloped thisnew, innovativeand educationalCD-ROM for ele-mentary and mid-dle school agedstudents. Thiseducational tool

allows students to learn more about the water cycle,watershed hydrology and ecosystem concepts, as well asimportant cultural and natural history concepts.

The core of the project is delivered through a CD-ROMvirtual river journey down the length of theChattahoochee River. The canoe trip provides a fascinat-ing historical perspective that takes paddlers through theearly history of Georgia to modern times. Production ofWaters to the Sea was made possible through generoussupport from The Coca-Cola Company, Georgia Power,

Robert W. WoodruffFoundation, and theSustainable ForestryInitiative. Implementationand dissemination of theCD-ROM throughoutschools in theChattahoochee RiverBasin will be supportedby the Arthur M. BlankFamily Foundation andthe Richard C. MunroeFoundation and will takeplace this summer.

For more informa-tion on Waters tothe Sea, contactKristi Hastie atkhastie@ucriver-keeper.org or 404-352-9828 ext. 17.

GEORGIA PROJECT WET BRINGS NATIONAL CURRICULUM TO LOCAL AREA

“WATERS TO THE SEA” MAKES SPLASHING DEBUT! NEW INTERACTIVE CD-ROM NOW AVAILABLE

DOWN TOEARTH DAYFOR KIDS!

On April 24, the CaptainPlanet Foundation held its2nd Annual "Down to EarthDay Kids Festival," atCentennial Olympic Park.Thousands of parents andchildren explored environ-mental themes, such aswildlife appreciation, renew-able energy, water quality,and native plants throughhands-on activities.Environmental speaker LoisGibbs, who led the fight toclean up the hazardous siteknow as Love Canal in the1980s, inspired the crowdwith her call to action mes-sage. UCR hosted three envi-ronmental education stations,including an interactiveexhibit featuring our newCD-ROM, "Waters to theSea: The ChattahoocheeRiver."

John Shepard and Tracy Fredin, producers of “Waters tothe Sea”.

Coweta County 4H was a finalist at the GeorgiaConservancy’s 2003 Youth EnvironmentalSymposium.

UCR Director of Watershed Education, KristiHastie, thanks sponsorsand partners for theirgenerous support.

Phot

o by

Ken

t Rub

yPh

oto

by K

ent R

uby

BL

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541Jo

b # 84308 • 04.22.2004

Long-time UCR supporter Graham Anthony, wholives in the Huntcliff Subdivision on Morgan FallsLake near Roswell, approached us last year with a

new idea---a "River Neighbor" project. The basic idea isvery simple. Graham is serving as the designated point ofcontact between UCR and the Huntcliff neighbors. In thiscapacity, he is making sure that information on ourevents, cleanups, issues, and alerts is included in allHuntcliff publications and that we are made aware ofriver-related projects being undertaken by the neighbor-hood. He is encouraging cooperative projects and fieldingquestions about the River and UCR. In a short time,Graham has already made tremendous progress. A meet-ing that he facilitated in January brought neighborstogether for a lively discussion that resulted in plans foran adopt-a-stream program, a spring river cleanup and afly fishing demonstration. In addition, several neighborsare interested in being involved with Georgia PowerCompany's re-licensing of Morgan Falls Dam and in get-

ting to know officials representing various river authori-ties, such as the National Park Service. We hope thatGraham's idea will serve as a template for similar effortsin other subdivisions along the Chattahoochee. If you areinterested in getting involved with a River NeighborProgram, please contact Birgit Bolton @ bbolton@ucriver-keeper.org or Graham Anthony @ gha2@mac.com

River Stewardship

RIVER NEIGHBOR PROGRAM TAKES OFF AT HUNTCLIFF SUBDIVISION

River CHAT4

Waterkeeper

Alliance StoreUCR members may purchase

online a broad range ofquality merchandise with

our UCR logo.

UCR benefits from your purchase.

Order through www.chattahoochee.orgselect UCR Store, then

Waterkeeper Store.

Graham Anthony, Bill Kessler, Chris Uberto, Sarah Buckner, Brian & Rob Sayer, MichelleMarcus, Kevin & Olivia Buckner. (photo by Melissa Buckner)

UCR was busy this spring, organizing and partici-pating in a wide variety of River events. On March6, we helped with a cleanup and awareness day

organized by the Cohutta, Upper Chattahoochee, andTailwater Chapters of Trout Unlimited at the SettlesBridge Unit of the Chattahoochee National RecreationalArea (CRNRA)---just a few miles downstream from BufordDam. More than 30 partnering organizations and close to100 volunteers pitched in to remove tons of debris, stockfish, and install erosion control and restoration struc-tures. The National Park Service (NPS) and GwinnettCounty plan to install a gate near the top of the road toSettles Bridge to control access. The access road wasgraded after the cleanup, and a truck load of gravel wasdumped and smoothed out in the parking area. The NPShas also put up orange fencing around the eroded areasand posted signs, including one that says "Catch yourlimit, limit your kill".

For the sixth consecutive year, UCR partnered withPeachtree Road United Methodist Church to hold aRiver cleanup at the East Palisades unit of the CRNRA inconjunction with their Great Day of Service. Additional

participating organiza-tions included the NPS,Cummins South, Inc.,and AquascapeEnvironmental. Thanksto a generous donationfrom UCR member JohnBaker, we were able topurchase cleanup sup-plies, as well as lunchfor the volunteers.

Volunteers fromEarthshare, REI, andthe Latin AmericanAssociation (LAA)pitched in to clean upthe Powers Island Unitof the CRNRA on April 17. Students from the LAA paddledcanoes along the riverbank to remove hard-to-reachtrash. A huge thanks to all our volunteers who helpedclean up the river this spring.

COLD WATER FISHERY FOUNDATION ESTABLISHED BY LOCAL GUIDE

In 1998, the nonprofitChattahoochee Cold WaterFishery Foundation (CCWFF)

was established by ChristopherScalley, who grew up fishing theChattahoochee River near Roswelland has been guiding fly fishingfloat trips with “River ThroughAtlanta Guide Service” since 1994(www.riverthroughatlanta.com). Thesection of the Chattahoocheewhere Chris and his clients fish is a

state-designated trout stream withover 6,000 acres of protected publicland and is listed as one of the top100 trout streams in the country.

Over the years, Chris and other flyfishermen noticed that aquaticcommunities in the River, such asmayflies, caddisflies and stoneflies,were disappearing. Yet, there wasno research being conducted onthese insects, which are crucialfood sources for fish and serve asexcellent water quality indicators.Given the absence of macroinverte-brate studies on the mainstem ofthe River, CCWFF was formed withan impressive board of directors,representing the local fisheriescommunity. The board selected sixsampling sites, evenly distributedalong the River. Under a NationalPark Service special use permit,volunteers collect benthic macroin-vertebrates quarterly, using two

sampling methods that target colo-nizing aquatic food webs. The goalis to monitor water quality on along-term basis and make the infor-mation available to the public.

The volunteers, primarily enthusi-astic fly fishermen, must completean informal entomology classthrough their county Adopt-aStream program. Each sample islabeled, keyed to genus, and pre-served in alcohol. With five years ofresearch, some trends are nowobservable. Caddisfly populationsof particular species have dropped,but there has been an increase inother subspecies. Also noted: theproliferation of species like scuds---a crustacean, which provides agreat food source for trout. Formore information, including a hatchchart for fishermen, see www.chattahoocheefoodwebs.org

SPRING CLEANING ALONG THE RIVERCLEANUPS DRAW HUNDREDS OF VOLUNTEERS

Volunteers removed more than 40 tires fromthe river.

Chris Scalley (L) and fishing partner.

On April 4-5, 18 educators were trained as the firstnational Healthy Water, Healthy People (HWHP)facilitators. Based on a new, National K-12 cur-

riculum, HWHP is an innovative water quality educationprogram sponsored by Project WET (Water Education forTeachers) and the Hach Scientific Foundation. Georgiawill be the first state to debut this curriculum and offer afacilitator training workshop to demonstrate the trainingof volunteer monitors and the best ways to use this cur-riculum. Participants were taught Georgia Adopt-A-Stream monitoring protocols, introduced to Project WET,

and hiked alomg the banks of theChattahoochee River to learn aboutthe natural history of the area.Additional partners in this initiativeinclude Chattahoochee NatureCenter, Cobb County Water System,Fulton County Water Quality,Georgia Adopt-A-Stream and KeepRoswell Beautiful.

STUDENT HAPPENINGS AROUND THE WATERSHED….

River Kids

Four years ago, 4-H Coach, PatMiolen, and two members ofthe 4-H Wildlife Team, Cody

Disque and Dane Beatenbough,were invited to attend a GeorgiaAdopt-A-Stream (GA AAS) work-shop in North Georgia led bySharon Cowden, Fulton CountyAdopt-A-Stream Coordinator.Through a continued partnershipwith Kim Morris-Zarneke at GAAAS, the students visited their localwaterways and found hazardouswaste barrels and an abundance oftrash in Wahoo Creek---a tributaryto the Chattahoochee River inCoweta County.

Since 2000, this 4-H group hasactively monitored three creeksites, drawn plans for a new naturecenter, organized four cleanups inconjunction with Rivers Alive at 13sites for 380 volunteers, mentoredand presented environmental edu-

cation programs to more than 1,500fifth grade students, provided 15speaking engagements reachingmore than 2,300 people, andworked diligently to stop illegaldumping along Wahoo Creek by

working with local county officials."A handful of teen leaders openedtheir eyes and saw a problem inour environment being ignored,"said Environmental Team Coach,Pat Miolen. "They possessed thecharacter to care and have educat-ed the community how young citi-zens can accomplish remarkabletasks in protecting our environ-ment."

Hats off to 4-H Coweta County! Lastmonth, the Environmental Teamwas awarded Georgia Adopt-A-Stream's Extraordinary VolunteerEffort Award at the annualEnvironmental Education Allianceof Georgia and team member CodyDisque, who was instrumental informing this group, was awardedKeep Georgia Beautiful's Student ofthe Year in 2003. For more informa-tion, contact Pat Miolen at 770-254-2620.

COWETA'S 4-H ENVIRONMENTAL TEAM MONITORS LOCAL CREEKS

River CHAT 5

On February 24, more than 70 environmental edu-cators, friends and supporters of UCR joined usat Scitrek for the first viewing of Waters to the Sea:

The Chattahoochee River CD-ROM. In partnership with theGlobal Center for Environmental Education (GCEE) at

HamlineUniversity andOxbow MeadowsEnvironmentalLearning Centerin Columbus, UCRdeveloped thisnew, innovativeand educationalCD-ROM for ele-mentary and mid-dle school agedstudents. Thiseducational tool

allows students to learn more about the water cycle,watershed hydrology and ecosystem concepts, as well asimportant cultural and natural history concepts.

The core of the project is delivered through a CD-ROMvirtual river journey down the length of theChattahoochee River. The canoe trip provides a fascinat-ing historical perspective that takes paddlers through theearly history of Georgia to modern times. Production ofWaters to the Sea was made possible through generoussupport from The Coca-Cola Company, Georgia Power,

Robert W. WoodruffFoundation, and theSustainable ForestryInitiative. Implementationand dissemination of theCD-ROM throughoutschools in theChattahoochee RiverBasin will be supportedby the Arthur M. BlankFamily Foundation andthe Richard C. MunroeFoundation and will takeplace this summer.

For more informa-tion on Waters tothe Sea, contactKristi Hastie atkhastie@ucriver-keeper.org or 404-352-9828 ext. 17.

GEORGIA PROJECT WET BRINGS NATIONAL CURRICULUM TO LOCAL AREA

“WATERS TO THE SEA” MAKES SPLASHING DEBUT! NEW INTERACTIVE CD-ROM NOW AVAILABLE

DOWN TOEARTH DAYFOR KIDS!

On April 24, the CaptainPlanet Foundation held its2nd Annual "Down to EarthDay Kids Festival," atCentennial Olympic Park.Thousands of parents andchildren explored environ-mental themes, such aswildlife appreciation, renew-able energy, water quality,and native plants throughhands-on activities.Environmental speaker LoisGibbs, who led the fight toclean up the hazardous siteknow as Love Canal in the1980s, inspired the crowdwith her call to action mes-sage. UCR hosted three envi-ronmental education stations,including an interactiveexhibit featuring our newCD-ROM, "Waters to theSea: The ChattahoocheeRiver."

John Shepard and Tracy Fredin, producers of “Waters tothe Sea”.

Coweta County 4H was a finalist at the GeorgiaConservancy’s 2003 Youth EnvironmentalSymposium.

UCR Director of Watershed Education, KristiHastie, thanks sponsorsand partners for theirgenerous support.

Phot

o by

Ken

t Rub

yPh

oto

by K

ent R

uby

BL

AC

KP

MS

541Jo

b # 84308 • 04.22.2004

In 2001, UCR received several calls on our CitizenResponse HOTLINE and an email with photographs show-ing the destruction of the state-protected vegetatedbuffer along Rottenwood Creek in Cobb County by theGeorgia Department of Transportation (DOT) for con-struction of Mill Green Parkway. Rottenwood is a majortributary to the Chattahoochee River, which drainsapproximately 20 square miles, including the city ofMarietta, and flows into the River about four miles aboveAtlanta's water intake.

DOT Environmental Compliance employees met UCR staffon site to view the buffer violation and to discuss theproject, the impact to the buffer, and the mitigation forthe damage. Cobb County confirmed that the DOT con-tractor had cleared the 25-foot state buffer without astate-approved variance. In addition, the streambankremained bare and unprotected by best managementpractices after the initial clearing. At the time, the DOTsaid that it did not believe it was subject to the state'sbuffer variance process, however, this misconception wascorrected and we have been told that the DOT now has aprocess in place to ensure compliance with the law.

A buffer restoration plan was approved by Cobb Countyand GA DOT, which was completed this past February. A310-foot section of streambank was stabilized with grass-es and matted with coconut fiber mats and staked withwillow stakes. In addition, the remaining part of thebuffer, approximately 0.341 acres is now planted withnative trees and shrubs.

CSX DESTROYS BUFFER ALONG

WOODALL CREEK

Woodall Creek springs from the ground in an industrialarea of southwest Atlanta surrounded by railroad tracks,concrete plants, lumber yards and trucking operations. Inlate 2003, UCR staff observed vegetation removal alongWoodall Creek---across the Creek from a highly successfulstormwater control project initiated by Allied Readymix(see page 6). CSX Railroad had totally cleared the state-protected 25-foot buffer along the Creek for more thanhalf a mile. What may have begun as minor maintenanceof a railroad easement ended as total destruction of thenatural stream buffer, resulting in downstream waterquality problems. While CSX is allowed to clear directlyadjacent to its track for safety purposes, its bulldozing ofvegetation to the edge of the Creek violates state law.UCR contacted the city of Atlanta, as the local issuingauthority for erosion control, and also the stateEnvironmental Protection Division (EPD). EPD is nowtaking an enforcement action against CSX, which shouldinclude a requirement that the railroad restore thedamaged area.

DEVELOPMENT ISSUES AT WEST PALISADES

A year ago, bulldozers began clearing 19 acres on thebluffs immediately adjacent to the West Palisades Unit ofthe Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area(CRNRA) in Cobb County to build a condominium projectoverlooking the River. The National Park Service (NPS)documented muddy stormwater flowing onto CRNRAproperty from the construction site, due to inadequatebest management practices. Photographs showed thatthe developer, The Pacific Group, had damaged parkproperty with eroded soil and sedimentation that enteredTrout Lily Creek, a tributary to the River within theCRNRA. The Pacific Group is now working cooperativelywith the NPS and taking corrective actions with innova-tive BMP's that include using bio-retention features. Whileit is a big plus for a development project to be locatedadjacent to permanently protected greenspace, such asthe CRNRA, there can be special challenges that must beovercome during construction. For information on soilerosion control workshops, contact the Georgia Soil andWater Conservation Commission at 706-542-3065.

COOLING TOWER INSTALLED AT

PLANT YATES

In the summer of 2000, a coal-fired power plant locatedon the Chattahoochee near Newnan, discharged waterthat was so hot virtually all the fish and other aquatic lifedownstream of the plant died from low oxygen levels inthe River. UCR was contacted by fishermen in the 22-milestretch of the River between Plant Yates and West PointLake who said that they had never seen a fish kill of thismagnitude. Low water levels in the River and many daysof extreme heat required Georgia Power Company's(GPC) Plant Yates to operate continuously. Like othercoal-fired plants, Yates withdraws millions of gallons ofwater from the Chattahoochee each day to cool equip-ment and returns the heated water to the River. A monthafter the fish kill, GPC officials pledged to install a coolingtower at Yates to make sure that a similar incident didnot happen again. In January, GPC announced that it hadcompleted the massive $80 million cooling tower whosedimensions are 1000' (L) by 100' (W) by 60' (H).

GWINNETT CASE HEADS TO GEORGIA

SUPREME COURT

Our continuing legal battle to protect Lake Lanier fromGwinnett County's discharge of 40 million gallons perday of treated sewage heads to the Georgia SupremeCourt. In January, the Georgia Court of Appeals over-turned an earlier decision by Hall County Superior CourtJudge John Girardeau, who had determined last year thatthe state EPD had not appropriately applied the "anti-degradation" provisions of the federal Clean Water Act,which say that high quality waters cannot be degradedunless it is shown to be "necessary". In essence, theAppeals Court upheld the EPD permit allowing Gwinnettto use the Lake as the repository of treated wastewaterfrom the sprawling county. The Georgia Supreme Courthas the discretion over whether or not to hear this case,which UCR filed along with co-plaintiffs Lake LanierAssociation and Sierra Club in 2002. We expect to benotified of the Court's decision on whether or not to hearthe case within a few months.

West Point Lake

Atlanta

Helen

LakeLanier

Buford Dam

West Point Dam

UpperChattahoocheeBasin

On Patrol

DOT COMPLETES RESTORATION OF DAMAGED BUFFER

River CHAT 3

Before

After – Just prior to Spring plant growth.

UCR has always relied on dependable, quiet, clean,environmentally-friendly Honda outboard motorsto get the job done on the water. Going into my

ninth year of service at UCR as master of passenger ves-sels, I am responsible for all routine maintenance.Because we use Honda outboards, we have never beenstranded or left without a way to get on the water fast.

This winter, I was allowed to participate in HondaMarine's factory technician training program at theMarine Mechanic's Institute in Orlando, Florida. What anexperience! The first week featured ignition, charging,trim and tilt, and gear cases. The second week featuredcarburetors and engine management systems includingprogrammed EFI. The full-day classes showed me what ittakes to make a watercraft reliable and left me with awhole new perspective on precision.

Classes were very small. We grouped up and trouble-shotvarious engines, utilizing state-of-the-art diagnostic tools.All instruction was hands-on-from replacing carburetorjets, to rebuilding lower units, to reading diagnosticcodes in engine management systems. Some Honda partstolerances are measured to four ten thousandths of an

inch. Only the most precise measuring devices andHonda special tools were used in well-organized, clearlylabeled work bays.

The instructors were outstanding, each with years ofexperience with Honda products. Thorough, award-win-ning text books covered it all from basic installation andprogrammed EFI diagnosis, to trouble shooting. This wasundoubtedly the most professional educational facility Ihave ever set foot in---including college. Unlike a typicalshop, the place was spotless. There were multiple copiesof every shop manual, all clearly labeled, for every enginethere. Practically every Honda outboard made was avail-able for trouble shooting, diagnosis and repair all in run-ning tanks.

Special thanks for this valuable experience go to TomRiggle and Joan Latham at Honda in Alpharetta forallowing me this special opportunity, usually reservedonly for Honda dealers and their employees. This experi-ence will allow me to greatly improve my maintenanceskills to keep our fleet on the water and ready to go atany time.

The water in Woodall Creek was milky white and thebanks were covered with a white residue, whenUpper Chattahoochee Riverkeeper (UCR) staff vis-

ited the small urban stream in southwest Atlanta lastsummer. We noted several concretemanufacturing plants just upstreamand decided to contact them regard-ing our concerns that their activitiesmight be causing water quality prob-lems in the Creek.

We met on-site with Allied ReadyMix(ARM) representatives and discussedthe company's stormwater manage-ment plan and the condition and sufficiency of their best managementpractices. It was obvious that someemployee practices at the site, suchas the dumping of unneeded con-crete and other material behind thefacility next to Woodall Creek, wereimpacting the stream. ARM manage-ment were very receptive to our con-cerns and quickly engaged an envi-ronmental engineer to redesign thestormwater management structuresand plan. The results of this effort,which were completed in early 2004at a cost of about $250,000, reflect adramatic improvement in thestormwater management plan andpractices at the plant (see photos).

Thousands of Regulated Industrial Facilities inGeorgia

ARM is one of the thousands of industrial facilities inGeorgia that are regulated under a General Permit forStormwater Discharges Associated with IndustrialActivity (General Permit)---a requirement of the federalClean Water Act. This General Permit mandates certainindustries to institute controls, called best managementpractices (BMPs), to prevent rainwater (stormwater)from picking up pollutants on their sites and then enter-ing into a nearby waterway. While the result at AlliedReadymix is a success story, many industries are eithernot aware of the requirements under the General Permit,

or are not concerned with compliance.

Federal and state officials agree that runoff from parkinglots, commercial and industrial operations, roads andlawns may be contributing as much as 80 percent of the

pollution to our streams. The GeneralPermit is an important regulation whichguides industries in the best way to com-bat the impacts of stormwater runofffrom their sites and requires these facili-ties to obtain coverage under the GeneralPermit to discharge stormwater runoff.

General Permit in Negotiation

When the General Permit came up forrenewal, almost a year ago, UCR GeneralCounsel Betsy Nicholas began to partici-pate in stakeholder meetings and providecomments to the state on the re-draftingof the Permit. While not yet final, the newversion of the General Permit is expectedto contain several significant improve-ments, the greatest addition being a provision to regulate discharges intoimpaired (303(d) listed) waterways. Inthis provision, an owner or operator isnot eligible for coverage under theGeneral Permit for discharges of "pollu-tants of concern", unless the facilityincludes special measures to ensure thatthere are no discharges to further the

impairment of the stream.

Facilities that are not certain whether their dischargemay contribute to the impairment of a stream or streamsegment are required to implement a stormwater sam-pling program. Depending on the results of the samplingprogram, they may be able to continue to operate underthe General Permit by installing additional control meas-ures. In some instances, an industry may be required toobtain an individual permit with specific discharge limita-tions. UCR will continue to investigate non-compliantindustries, participate in the General Permit review anddrafting, and work towards more success stories, such asthe one at Allied ReadyMix. For more information contactBetsy Nicholas at enicholas@ucriverkeeper.org.

River CHAT6

Riverkeeper’s Boat Captain Harlan Trammell.

DEALING WITH RUNOFF FROM INDUSTRIAL SITES

CONCRETE PLANT LEADS THE WAY ON STORMWATER CONTROL

CAPTAIN'S CORNER

Before and after images of the Allied ReadyMix property.Photo credit: AJC

HONDA PRECISION ENSURES OUTBOARD RELIABILITY

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In March, the UCR team was joined by MagnusChriston as our new Special Events Coordinator,replacing Erin Duffy who is expecting her first child in

May. During her nearly twoyears with our organization,Erin presided over UCR's mostsuccessful Patron AppreciationDinner in 2003, and we will missher positive, upbeat attitude.

A graduate of StanfordUniversity, Magnus has exten-sive fundraising experiencewith proven skills in event planning, media relations, grantwriting and marketing for a

variety of organizations, includ-ing the Stanford Fund and Stanford Alumni Association,National Civic Rights Museum, and California AfricanAmerican Museum. As an independent consultant, hisclients included the World Basketball Association, theShareef Abdur Rahim Future Foundation, Habitat forHumanity, and the Museum Studies Department ofSouthern University in New Orleans.

A native of Memphis, Tennessee, Magnus is pleased to beback in the South and nearer to his family. His interest inUCR stems from his commitment to making our environ-ment safer for all communities along the Chattahoochee.

"Everyone suffers from polluted water, however, poorercommunities are especially vulnerable. You see theeffects of this in higher rates of disease in those commu-nities. And that is something that affects society as awhole. UCR helps to bring about change that will benefitall of us who rely on the Chattahoochee. I am thrilled tobe a part of this dynamic organization because I can helpin making a difference."

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Hopes for financial help for garden clubs, streamwatchgroups, local farm bureaus, lake associations and similarnonprofit organizations with an interest in protectingwater in their neighborhoods were dashed on March 24,only four days from the end of the 2004 GeneralAssembly. Plans for a bill that would have allowed the GAEnvironmental ProtectionDivision (EPD) to fund projectsto clean up non-point sourcewater pollution were droppedby their sponsor, Sen. RobertLaMutt, at the last minute.

LaMutt told nonprofit lobbyiststhat "property rights concerns"of the realtors' lobbyist, KeithHatcher, caused his decision,despite the fact that Hatcher's concerns had already beenaddressed in the text of the bill by the addition of anamendment which he had written. Also "in for the kill" onthe bill was Tom Gehl of the Georgia MunicipalAssociation, whose claim was that nonprofits would com-pete with local governments for funds. Only a few citiesin Georgia, however, have secured funds from this grantprogram in recent years and successfully completed theirprojects.

Georgia Alone in the Southeast

In eight of nine southeastern states, like most states inthe country, nonprofit organizations are eligible to com-pete for federal funds that are annually provided by theU.S. EPA for non-point source pollution control projects.Georgia is the solitary hold-out in the southeast.

Section 319(h) of the 1972 Clean Water Act established afederal grant program as one way to encourage public-private partnerships to improve water quality throughoutthe nation. Eligible nonprofit groups include any entitythat is exempt from taxation pursuant to Section501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. Projects fundedin the southeast with 319(h) monies have includedstormwater erosion/sediment training, lawn chemicaleducation, agricultural best management practices programs, forestry landowner guides, steward educationprograms, stream restoration projects, and dump remedi-ation projects.

Punitive Policy

It is not a mere oversight on the part of Georgia's EPDthat our state does not allow nonprofits to qualify for anyof the approximately $5 million in funding that is provided

each year to Georgia for projects that will help reduce theimpacts of polluted stormwater runoff. Key EPD officials,most of whom have now retired, often declared that theydidn't want to "give money to groups which might suethem" over regulatory matters. Despite years of strongencouragement from the EPA office in Atlanta and mem-bers of the Board of Natural Resources, EPD refused totake any initiative to fix the problem.

Last fall, I suggested to my colleagues on the Board ofNatural Resources that we support the necessary legisla-tion to allow nonprofits to apply for 319(h) funds alongwith local and state governments. The Board agreed anda recommendation was forwarded to Governor Perdue,along with other DNR legislative proposals. New EPDDirector Carol Couch was supportive of the idea.

When the Governor's office responded that they wantedto concentrate on only one water bill during the session(HB 237, the water planning bill), Sen. Robert Lamutt (R-

Cobb) agreed to introduce the legislation. His bill (SB530) made its way through Senate committees, but didnot make it to the Senate floor by the 33rd day of the ses-sion, when all bills that have not passed at least one leg-islative body die. A final effort to revive the legislation, byamending it onto another bill failed, as noted above. Sen.LaMutt is seeking election to the US Congress in the 6thDistrict, and the possibility that he might offend the real-tors, risking their support, presumably motivated hisdecision, which is understandable in the context.

Next year, we anticipate that a new legislative sponsor,whose agenda is less complicated, will be able to pass abill so that nonprofits and their volunteers will have thesame opportunity to seek funding to conduct significantstream cleanup projects as nonprofits do in every otherstate in the southeast.

STAFFER TO ORGANIZE 10th ANNIVERSARY EVENTS

River CHAT2

Riverkeeper StaffSally Bethea

Executive Director and Riverkeeper

Darcie BodenDirector Headwaters Conservation

Birgit BoltonPrograms Coordinator/

Legal Support

Alice ChampagneWatershed Protection Specialist

Bill CrawfordBusiness Manager

Magnus ChristonSpecial Events Coordinator

Page Gleason Development Director

Kristi HastieDirector Watershed Education

Skelly Holmbeck-PelhamPolicy Director

Mary MansonReceptionist

Elizabeth Nicholas General Counsel

Harlan TrammellBoat Captain

Board of DirectorsRay AndersonDavid Brookes

Sonny CohenDenise Donahue

Bert EllisGary Gaines

Billy HallChrissy Hobbs

Kay LeeRubye Lucas

Dr. Judy MeyerElena Mola

Steve O’Day J. Rutherford Seydel II, Chair

Our mission is to advocateand secure the protection and

stewardship of theChattahoochee River, its

tributaries and watershed.

REFLECTIONS

Magnus Christon

MARK YOUR CALENDARS!Along with our 10th Anniversary Co-chairs Ray andPat Anderson and Laura and RutherfordSeydel, Magnus will help set the stage for theSeptember 17 celebration that will mark UCR's firstdecade of advocacy and education to protect theChattahoochee River and its watershed. Mark yourcalendars now to help us honor Ted Turner andRobert Kennedy Jr. for their encouragement andvision in support of our work at The Foundry atPuritan Mill. For more information, contact mchriston@ucriverkeeper.org

Virtually every local government in Georgia has experienced prob-lems with sewer overflows into waterways, resulting in water qual-ity problems and public health risks. The city of Atlanta is

Georgia's poster-child for degrading infrastructure and years of impropermaintenance that have resulted in a wastewater treatment system riddledwith leaks, cracked pipes, insufficient capacity, and repeated overflows.The several billion dollar cleanup that the city is currently facing is alsorepresentative of mounting response costs to aging sewage collection sys-tems throughout Georgia. Despite the growing need for sewage infrastruc-ture improvements, the Bush Administration proposes to cut EPA fundingfor Georgia's water programs.

Federal Budget Cuts $8 million from Georgia

The proposed federal budget for this year cuts funding for wastewaterinfrastructure improvements more than any other environmental pro-gram, with $8 million being cut from Georgia alone. By 2005, the currentAdministration proposes to cut funding for water quality programs inGeorgia by an additional 54%. Programs such as the Clean Water StateRevolving Fund, which provides long-term, low-interest loans to states forsewage plant construction and upgrades, will lose half of its revenue---acut from $30.9 million to $14.3 million! With Georgia experiencing revenueshortfalls and a significantly reduced state budget, the cuts in these fed-eral funds are especially devastating.

Environmental Rollbacks

Budget cuts are not, however, the only threat to Georgia's waters. TheBush Administration has embarked on a systematic rollback of the envi-ronmental laws, regulations and policies that protect our rivers, streamsand lakes. One rollback, the so-called "blending policy", would allow par-tially treated sewage to be blended with treated sewage and then dis-charged into a river during rainstorms. However, this blending would notreduce the risks posed by such a discharge.

Another proposed policychange affecting coal-miningregions in the southeastwould allow a "streamlining"or easing of the federal permitting process for moun-taintop mining. This type ofmining involves cutting orblowing the top of a moun-tain and allowing all of themountain material to fill upthe streams and valleys below, so that the coal inside the mountain canbe more easily accessed and removed. The EPA has studied the devastat-ing environmental effects of this practice. Rather than limiting this type ofmining, however, the Administration is making it easier for industries todamage natural resources.

Making Your Voice Heard

While these proposals to roll back environmental laws and funding forstate water programs are happening at the federal level, UCR recognizesthe impact that these policies have at home in Georgia. We follow pro-posed regulatory changes and coordinate with national groups, such asthe Nature Resources Defense Council and the Clean Water Network, toorganize campaigns, analyze issues and submit comments on proposedpolicies that may impact our waterways.

We need your help! Please call or write your legislators and let them knowthat you want them to vote for more protection of Georgia's waterways,not less! For more information on the rollbacks go to NRDC's website at:http://www.nrdc.org/bushrecord; or the CWN website at:http://www.cwn.org. To find your legislators, go to: http://congress.org/con-gressorg/state/main/?state=GA

old buffer protection law. Unhappy with the strictness of EPD's streambuffer variance criteria, the developers and their consultants decided totry to eliminate protections for small streams, which they call "wet weath-er ditches", and to revise the variance criteria to allow for the piping andpaving of all small streams.

Led by the Gwinnett Council for Quality Growth,many business and industry groups actively pro-moted the developers' bill. UCR was pleased tonote the absence of Southwire Company fromthis collaboration; that company has been knownin recent years for its environmental stewardshipunder the leadership of Roy Richards. Four dif-ferent versions of SB 460 were brought forwardby Sen. Cagle and the developers before they set-tled on one which established a "general vari-ance" (i.e. a blank check) process, allowing thepiping and destruction of the springs and smallstreams that give birth to all the major rivers inthis state.

University Scientists Oppose Change to Buffer Law

Scientists with the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciencesand the River Basin Science and Policy Center at the University of Georgiatook a strong position against SB 460. In an opinion signed by six scien-tists, they stated, "If there is a general variance with no consideration ofwhat has been done to other small streams in the watershed, the chancesfor widespread destruction of small streams is great, with significant con-sequences for downstream flooding, water supply, water quality, and fish-eries resources."

Decades of scientific research throughout the country has demonstratedthe services to society provided by intact small streams, which arereduced or eliminated when streams are piped. Small streams improvewater quality. For example, they are extremely efficient at removingexcess nutrients. They are much more efficient at nutrient removal thanare larger, deeper channels. They maintain water supplies because of theclose connections between small streams and groundwater, and theyserve to recharge the shallow groundwater system.

Additionally, small streams provide natural flood control. Because theyslow the downstream movement of water, allow infiltration through thechannel bottom to groundwater, and have use of their own floodplains,these small channels reduce downstream overflows. In watersheds wheresmall streams have been eliminated, downstream flooding increases.

Vegetated buffers around small streams trapsediment and other pollutants, slowing theirrate of movement downstream and minimizingimpact to water supplies. In addition, they main-tain biological diversity because there is aunique assemblage of organisms living in andaround these small streams. Finally, smallstreams sustain the food webs of downstreamecosystems, as they collect and transport mate-rial that serves as food for fishes and otherorganisms living downstream.

Piping of Small Streams Defeated

SB 460 was held in House Rules Committee untillate on the 40th Day of the 2004 legislative ses-

sion, when Rules Chair Rep. Calvin Smyre (D-Columbus) urged theGeorgia Water Coalition (www.georgiawater.org) and the proponents of thebill to make a final effort to compromise, prior to a vote by the full House.The Coalition proposed an amendment that was rejected by the develop-ers' lobbyist Joe Tanner, on behalf of his clients. They counter-offeredwith a proposal to delete the most onerous section of SB 460 (the pipingof small headwater streams and springs), leaving only a mandate that thestate EPD review its stream buffer variance criteria through a stakeholderprocess and finalize rules by the end of 2004.

We agreed to this final version of the bill, which Sen. Cagle described ashaving been "gutted". More than two dozen representatives of the GeorgiaWater Coalition from around the state lobbied House and Senate memberson the last day of the session in a repeat performance of last year's effec-tive campaign to defeat water marketing in Georgia. Thanks to all thosewho contacted their legislators! Make sure to check out the summer issueof RiverChat, which will include an environmental "score-card" on electedofficials in the Chattahoochee River Basin.

BUFFERSContinued from page 1

NATIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL ROLLBACKS THREATEN GEORGIA WATERS

River CHAT 7

UCR Director Sally Bethea and lobbyist Neill Herring examine a CSX Railroad stream bufferviolation in Atlanta (see page 3). Photo credit: AJC

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Developers and environmentalists stood side byside during the 2003 legislative session---in sup-port of a bill to reform Georgia's soil erosion con-

trol law (HB 285) which easily passed through the stateHouse and Senate. This year, those same groups tooksides in a pitched battle over the fate of the greenspacealong Georgia's waterways, known as "stream buffers".

Pursuant to the Georgia Erosion and Sedimentation Act,the state Environmental Protection Division (EPD) ischarged with the protection of vegetated riparian zones(or buffers) of 25 feet along warmwater streams and 50feet along designated trout streams---unless a variance isobtained from EPD based on circumstances that includehardship. The criteria used by EPD to make variancedecisions were developed in 2000 by a technical advisorygroup.

Stark Contrast to Collaborative Approach

The successful collaboration which led to HB 285 was theresult of a lengthy, often difficult, multi-year process(including lawsuits) to develop consensus on key issuesof concern to all stakeholders involved in efforts to keepGeorgia mud out of the waterways that supply drinkingwater, recreation and wildlife habitat. In the end, every-one involved gave some and took some, and then agreed

to support a bill whose language had been hammered outeven before the session started.

In stark contrast, Sen. Casey Cagle (R-Gainesville) intro-duced legislation (SB 460) in 2004 without any effort tobring all stakeholders together to discuss unidentified"problems" with the implementation of Georgia's 15 year

WATER COALITION PREVAILS IN BATTLE TO PROTECTSTREAM BUFFERS

Stream quality is a barometer of urbanland use pressures on a watershed, Thespecific effect of land use and manage-

ment practices on streams is, however, difficult to assess and often goes unmeasured.

In six watersheds in Gwinnett County, monitor-ing results of an ongoing study by the U.S.Geological Survey (USGS) show quantitativelythat development in stream buffers degradeswater quality and that management strategiesin these buffer areas can have a bigger impacton stream quality than strategies implementedelsewhere in the watershed. For the purposesof this study, a stream corridor was defined ashaving a width of 30 meters (about 100 feet).The monitoring network was designed andinstalled during 1996, as a cooperative investi-gation of the USGS and the GwinnettDepartment of Public Utilities. GwinnettCounty is to be commended for its significantinvestment in the project and its use of thedata to improve watershed quality.

Stream gages in the six watersheds continu-ously monitor water level, streamflow, andprecipitation and periodically collect waterquality samples (e.g., biological oxygendemand, chemical oxygen demand, total sus-pended solids, phosphorus, nitrogen, andtrace metals). Stormflow, collected with auto-

matic samplers to assess non-point sourcepollution, was correlated with transportationland use (i.e., roads) in the stream corridor.

The conclusions in the USGS report, "Doesland use affect our streams?" were based onfive years of data, collected through 2001.Monitoring data show a strong relationbetween transportation land use in the streamcorridor and total suspended solids and lead.High lead yields in the streams where roadshave been built within the stream corridormay be due to increased lead deposition inpaved areas. In addition, there is greater effi-ciency of wash off from road surfaces, accom-panied by reduced filtration of runoff before itreaches the waterway due to the removal ofvegetation in the corridor.

Source: "Does land use affect our streams? Awatershed example from Gwinnett County,Georgia, 1998-2001", USGS publication, MarkLanders, et al. http://ga.water.usgs.gov

URBAN CASE STUDY

ROADS IN STREAM CORRIDORS DEGRADE WATER QUALITY

See Buffers, page 7

Lower Falls on Mulberry Creek,Harris County

USGS scientists collecting a sample from a stream in metro Atlanta.

River Clean-ups with Boat Captain 2nd Saturday of each month through October Maximum 4 people Start time 1pm Contact: 404-352-9828 ext. 20 or htrammel@ucriverkeeper.org

Practice Run for 2nd Annual River Race & Festival May 15Meet at Garrard's Landing 9:30 AM. Paddle 10 AM - Noon and take out at Riverside Park at Vickery Creek Bridge. Contact: 404-352-9828 ext. 14 or bcrawford@ucriverkeeper.org

Biological Adopt-a-Stream Workshop May 15 Smithgall Woods Contact: 404-352-9828 ext. 17 or khastie@ucriverkeeper.org

Tour De Lake May 15Pyne Road Park LaGrange, GeorgiaFundraising bicycle & motorcycle ride Go to www.westpointlakecoalition.org or call 706-884-5916

Soquee River Cleanup May 22 & 23North Georgia Contact: 706-865-4451

River Cleanup June 5Friends of Upper Chattahoochee RiverHelen, GeorgiaContact: 770-531-1064or dboden@ucriverkeeper.org

2nd Annual River Race & Festival June 12Roswell, Georgia For info and registration go to www.chattahoochee.org or contact: 404-352-9828 ext. 14 or bcrawford@ucriverkeeper.org

Chemical Adopt-a-Stream Workshop June 19Smithgall Woods Contact: 404-352-9828 ext. 17 or khastie@ucriverkeeper.org

10th Anniversary Gala September 17 The Foundry at Puritan Mill 7-11pm Contact: 404-352-9828 ext. 12 or mchriston@ucriverkeeper.org

Address Service Requested

Non-Profit

Organization

US Postage Paid

Permit No. 3363

Atlanta, Georgia

The City of Roswell, the National Park Service andUpper Chattahoochee Riverkeeper (UCR) aredoing it again! We invite you to participate in our

2nd Annual River Race & Festival on June 12. The racecourse is a beautiful (and fairly easy) 8-mile paddle fromHolcomb Bridge (Garrard's Landing Park) to Riverside

Park in Roswell. There are "Open" and "Recreational"events for all age and skill levels.

Participants in the "Open" competitive events may earnpoints toward awards in the Georgia Flatwater Canoe/Kayak Race Series. Our race is the third and last in theSeries, which began in late March on the CanoocheeRiver, organized by the Canoochee Riverkeeper. On May8, the Coosa River Basin Initiative (aka Upper CoosaRiverkeeper) is sponsoring a race on the OostanaulaRiver in Rome.

Spectators may view the Chattahoochee Race at IslandFord (from National Park Service trails), Don White Park(at Riverside Drive under GA 400 bridge), and the newpedestrian bridge at Riverside Park.

Come enjoy the Festival food and music. The "Swallows"Restaurant in Roswell is bringing their great BBQ andveggie sandwiches along with their Nashville Band. Seethe many environmental and craft exhibits. It may be agood time to examine the new canoes and kayaks on themarket.

This 2nd Annual Race is sponsored by Chevron, TheCoca-Cola Company, WAGA Fox 5, ChattahoocheeNature Center and supported by many exhibitors andpaddlers such as yourself. You may register on-line atwww.chattahoochee.org or mail/fax the registration formbelow:

River MattersSIGN UP NOW AND COME BACK TO THE RIVER ON JUNE 12!

2ND ANNUAL BACK TO THE CHATTAHOOCHEE RACE & FESTIVAL

Paddling to the finish at the 1st Annual Race in 2003.

The Environmental Festival begins as the Race ends.

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Fees: Solo $30, Tandem $40

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