TABLE OF CONTENTS
April 19 & 20, 2017
Athens, Georgia
Sponsored by:
Georgia Water Resources Institute
Carl Vinson Institute of Government
Joseph W. Jones Ecological Research Center at Ichauway
Southern Environmental Law Center
Editors:
Duncan Elkins, UGA River Basin Center,
Jill Qi, UGA Graduate Student,
and
Todd Rasmussen, UGA Forestry and Natural Resources
This material was published the River Basin Center, The University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia 30602. The views and statements advanced in this publication are solely those of the authors and do not represent official views or policies of The University of Georgia, the Georgia Water Research Institute as authorized by the Water Research Institutes Authorization Act of 1990 (P.L. 101-307) or the other conference sponsors.
Contents
Presentation Tracks
1. Water Law, Planning, and Management
3. Agriculture, Forestry, and Aquifers
5. Green and Urban Infrastructure
Posters
Special Undergraduate Poster Session
Track 1 Water Law Planning & Management
1.1 Georgia Water Planning Update Presentations
(1.1.1) Updates on regional water planning in Georgia Jennifer H. Welte and Glen R. Behrend; Georgia Environmental Protection Division, Watershed Protection Branch
(1.1.2) The policy process: A critical assessment of water policy making in the State of Georgia
Danielle Jensen-Ryan and Laura German; UGA
(1.1.3) Regional water planning: Funding implementation Leigh Elkins; Carl Vinson Institute of Government, University of Georgia
(1.1.4) Value of adaptive drought management for the ACF River Basin Martin Kistenmacher and Aris P. Georgakakos; Georgia Water Resources Institute, Georgia Tech
1.3: Water Law and Litigation Panel
Session Organizer: Douglas Henderson, Troutman Sanders, 600 Peachtree Street, NE Suite 5200, Atlanta, GA 30308
At no time in Georgia’s history have there been more disputes over water quality and water quantity. The State of Florida is suing the State of Georgia over water consumption. The State of Alabama is suing the U.S. Corps of Engineers over flows in the Chattahoochee. And citizen suits by environmental groups are now the norm to enforce the Clean Water Act. Even disputes over surface water runoff are at an all-time high.
This panel, composed of lawyers and scientists, will summarize and analyze the top water law and litigation developments in the state over the past several two years. Each speaker will offer relatively a short observation or a point or two, followed by a structured panel discussion on common themes and continuing disputes
Douglas Henderson, Troutman Sanders, Chair and Moderator
Panelists
Hutton Brown, GreenLaw, Recent Georgia Water and Wastewater Lawsuits
Lewis Jones, King & Spalding, Water Wars Involving the State and the Corps
Laura Benz, Laura Benz Law LLP, The Role of Reservoirs in Georgia’s Water Future
1.5: New Perspectives on Drought and Water Management in the Upper Flint River Basin Panel
Session Organizer: Ben Emanuel, American Rivers, Decatur, GA 30030
After managing through three multi-year droughts since the year 2000, water providers in the Piedmont portion of the Flint River basin met new challenges once again with the severe drought of 2016. The 2016 drought was climatically noteworthy on a variety of fronts. For instance, it developed rapidly following wet conditions, and was associated with extended high-temperature periods. These and other characteristics had implications for reservoir management and municipal drought response which have provided new “lessons learned” even to highly drought-experienced public water systems.
Independent of the 2016 drought per se, multiple water systems in the basin are engaged in planning exercises that are likely to have beneficial impacts on water resources and environmental flows in the basin in both drought and non-drought conditions. Fayette County Water System is reforming some of its reservoir management regimes and developing new customer water conservation efforts that may have impacts on streamflow especially during dry seasons and dry years. Clayton County Water Authority is engaged in system-wide long-range master planning regarding its complex water infrastructure, which includes six treatment plants and constructed wetlands in two river basins. The City of Griffin water system, a regional water provider, is implementing changes to reservoir management and drought response reflective of conditions during the 2016 drought, in addition to studying potential changes to reservoir management to improve basin streamflow.
Meanwhile, through the Upper Flint River Working Group, American Rivers and non-profit conservation partners have developed collaborative approaches with water utilities to address altered hydrology and severe drought impacts in the basin. Examples include a new basin-scale forum for information-sharing among water providers regarding drought response planning and actions, collaboration on proactive new water demand management and stormwater management efforts, and dialogue on the outlook for future water infrastructure planning and environmental health in the river basin.
Moderator:
Ben Emanuel, American Rivers, Decatur, GA 30030
Panelists:
Lee PopeDirector, Fayette County Water System, Fayetteville, GA 30214
Gordon Rogers Executive Director and Riverkeeper, Flint Riverkeeper, Albany, GA 31701
Mike ThomasGeneral Manager, Clayton County Water Authority, Morrow, GA 30260
1.6: EPA Watershed Registry I Workshop
Session Organizer: Laurie Fowler – River Basin Center, University of Georgia, Athens, GA
The Watershed Resources Registry (WRR) is an interactive GIS-based screening tool that incorporates data from various organizations to reveal a comprehensive picture of watershed conditions and identify opportunities for aquatic and terrestrial creation, restoration, enhancement and preservation. The WRR is a product of the Green Highways partnership and the Maryland State Highway Administration to improve resource planning and mitigation decision-making using a watershed approach, by integrating regulatory and non-regulatory programs. The WRR currently identifies ecological opportunity areas throughout the state of Maryland and scores each opportunity area w/ a score from one to five stars. Agencies are using it for an array of activities such as identifying strategies for TMDL implementation and CWA Section 404 determinations, targeting ecological opportunities for preservation and restoration and supporting MD’s In-lieu Fee program for tidal and non-tidal wetland permitting activities. EPA uses it to gather info prior to conducting site visits and to provide supportive materials for briefings and other projects. Other states—such as Delaware and Pennsylvania are considering using it as well.
Presenters:
Ralph Spagnolo – Watershed Program Manager, US Environmental Protection Agency, Region III, 1650 Arch Street, Philadelphia, PA 19103
Michael S. Herzberger, GISP, CFM – Section Chief, GeoSpatial and Engineering Services, Maryland Environmental Service, 259 Najoles Road, Millersville, MD 21108
1.7: EPA Watershed Registry II Workshop
(Special Session continues from 1.6)
1.8: Water Management Presentations:
(1.8.1) Where the NPDES ends: Watershed improvement beyond the permit Veronica Craw; Georgia Environmental Protection Division, 2 Martin Luther King Jr. Drive, Suite 1462 East, Atlanta, GA 30334
(1.8.2) Integrated water, energy, and environmental management: Experience from Tanzanian river basins Aris P. Georgakakos; Georgia Water Resources Institute, Georgia Tech
(1.8.3) Nexus between bioenergy development, land use change, and climate change on water availability: A case study from Oconee watershed Puneet Dwivedi; Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, University of Georgia,180 E Green St Athens GA 30602
(1.8.4) Precipitation metrics and the energy-food-water nexus: Challenges and opportunities Marshall Shepherd1 and Chuntao Liu2; 1UGA, 2Texas A&M Corpus Christi
(1.8.5) Georgia’s Land: Its Use and Condition Fourth Edition Daniel F. Wallace; USDA-NRCS
2.1 – Masters Hall: Water and Drought Presentations
(2.1.1) 2016/2017 GA EPD drought response update Adriana Bustillos; Georgia Environmental Protection Division, 2 Martin Luther King Jr. Drive, Suite 1362 East, Atlanta, GA 30334
(2.1.1) Stream channel morphology impacts natural submarine groundwater discharge to Oyster Creek, Georgia Jacque L. Kelly and Cody E. Mahaffey; Department of Geology and Geography, Georgia Southern University, Statesboro, GA 30460
(2.1.2) Saltwater intrusion in the surficial aquifer on St. Catherines island, Georgia
James S. Reichard1, R. Kelly Vance1, Jacque L. Kelly1, and Brian K. Meyer2; 1Department of Geology and Geography, Georgia Southern University, Statesboro, GA 30460 2Department of Geosciences, Georgia State University, Atlanta, GA 30302
(2.1.3) Using the coastal salinity index for monitoring drought in the Carolinas Lauren Rouen1 and Paul Conrads2; 1U.S. Geological Survey, Columbia, SC, 2Carolinas Integrated Sciences & Assessments (CISA), Columbia, SC
(2.1.4) Eastern Georgia, South Carolina, and Southern North Carolina Atlantic Coastal Plain groundwater availability model Bruce Campbel; USGS South Atlantic Water Science Center
(2.1.5) Utilizing aquifer storage and recovery technology to manage Georgia’s water resource challenges Christopher P. Foldesi1, David K. Huff1, and R. David G. Pyne2; 1Nutter and Associates, Inc., Athens, GA 30606; 2President, ASR Systems LLC, Gainesville, FL 32601
2.3 – Master’s Hall: Coastal Ecology and Management Presentations
(2.3.1) The application of operational National Weather Service precipitation data to shellfish harvesting management John Schmidt1, Ian Blaylock1, Daniel Zangari2, Michelle Smith2, Shannon Jenkins3, and David Glenn4; 1National Weather Service-Southeast River Forecast Center, 2Florida Dept. of Agriculture and Consumer Services-Division of Aquaculture, 3North Carolina Dept. of Environmental Quality-Division of Marine Fisheries-Shellfish Sanitation and Recreational, 4National Weather Service-Newport/Morehead City, NC Weather Forecast Office
(2.3.2) The creation of a living shoreline using recycled oyster shell and native plantings to control erosion on Tybee Island, Georgia Thomas Bliss1, Scott Pippin2, Melanie Biersmith3, and Mark Risse4; 1Shellfish Research Laboratory, Marine Extension and Georgia Sea Grant, University of Georgia, Savannah, GA 31411; 2Carl Vinson Institute of Government, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602; 3UGA Extension – Georgia 4-H, University of Georgia, Eatonton; 4The Georgia Sea Grant College Program, The University of Georgia
(2.3.3) A blueprint for Oyster Aquaculture in Georgia Mark Risse; The Georgia Sea Grant College Program, The University of Georgia
(2.3.4) Assessing plant stresses associated with the application of brackish water for wildland fire management on Cumberland Island, GA Frank Henning, Jon Calabria, John Fry, and Alton Anderson; National Park Service
2.5 – Master’s Hall: Savannah Harbor Presentations
(2.5.1) Environmental monitoring during construction of the Savannah Harbor expansion project William Bailey; U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Savannah District, 100 West Oglethorpe Avenue, Savannah, GA 31401
(2.5.2) Environmental challenges in the Savannah Harbor expansion project Nathan Dayan and William Bailey; U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Savannah District, 100 West Oglethorpe Avenue, Savannah, GA 31401
(2.5.3) Morphology and tidal effects on salinity profiles in the Savannah River: Port Wentworth to I-95 Bryan N. Riggs, and Francisco Cubas; Civil Engineering and Construction Management Department, Georgia Southern University, Statesboro, GA
(2.5.4) Monitoring variability in marsh vegetation and salinity prior to dredging the Savannah River Inner Harbor Jamie A. Duberstein; Baruch Institute of Costal Ecology and Forest Science, Clemson University, PO Box 596, Georgetown, SC 29442
(2.5.5) The Developmental Port Region: A kind of planning Stephen Ramos; College of Environment and Design. University of Georgia. 285 S. Jackson St. Athens, GA 30602
2.6 – Master’s Hall: Coastal Development Presentations
(2.6.1) Coastal Georgia uses a collaborative approach to reduce flood insurance rates Madeleine Russell; UGA Marine Extension & Georgia Sea Grant
(2.6.2) Georgia’s coastal septic tank inventory: Mapping wastewater systems to enhance climate readiness Jessica Alcorn1, and Doug Atkinson2; 1UGA Carl Vinson Institute of Government, 2UGA Marine Extension
(2.6.3) Red zone water supply management plan for Chatham and Effingham Counties Robert A. Brown and Courtney Reich; Ecological Planning Group, 35 Abercorn St., Suite 210, Savannah, GA 31401
(2.6.4) Results of research into Georgia’s coastal real estate market Warren Kriesel; UGA Ag & Applied Economics, Athens, GA
(2.6.5) Low impact development best management practice inventory for coastal Georgia Jessica T.R. Brown; UGA Marine Extension and Georgia Sea Grant
2.7 – Master’s Hall: Coastal Resiliency Presentations
(2.7.1) Implementation of community asset based stormwater management to enhance resiliency and preserve character and environment of coastal cities Michael Roberts; Community Consultants, LLC
(2.7.2) Assessing the barriers and value of acquiring or elevating property at risk of flooding: A case study of the City of Tybee Island, Georgia Scott Pippin1, Shana Jones2, and Amble Jones2; 1Carl Vinson Institute of Government at the University of Georgia; 2Georgia Sea Grant Program Legal Fellow
(2.7.3) Enhancing coastal resilience with green infrastructure Kelly Hill; GA DNR Coastal Resources Division
(2.7.4) Coastal resilience: Legal issues for local adaptation Shana Jones1, and Mandi Moroz2, Paul Wildes2; 1UGA Carl Vinson Institute of Government, 2UGA School of Law
(2.7.5) Adding dynamic information to resiliency planning: Identifying and reducing future conflicts due to sea level rise and projected land use change Elizabeth Kramer and Kevin Samples; Natural Resources Spatial Analysis Laboratory, College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, University of Georgia, Athens, GA
2.8 – Master’s Hall: Coastal Changes Presentations
(2.8.1) Assessing long-term ecological change in the Ogeechee River using aquatic invertebrate communities Kelly Murray, Darold Batzer, and Joseph McHugh; Department of Entomology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602
(2.8.2) Climate signals affect freshwater inflow, salinity and temperature in Georgia estuaries Joan E. Sheldon and Merryl Alber; Department of Marine Sciences, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602
(2.8.3) Has the 10,000 year period of bay infilling passed? If so, what role will bay edge erosion play in helping to meet platform salt marsh sediment needs? Charles Hopkinson1, J. Morris2, S. Fagherazzi3, and P. Raymond4; 1UGA, 2University of South Carolina, 3Boston University, 4Yale University
(2.8.4) Modelling ecosystem metabolism in coastal estuaries Annette M. Hynes1, Brian M. Hopkinson1, Joan E. Sheldon1, Joseph J. Vallino2, and Charles S. Hopkinson1; 1Department of Marine Sciences, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602; 2Ecosystems Center, Marine Biological Laboratory, Woods Hole, MA 02050
(2.8.5) Seasonal nutrient distributions and inventories in the Ogeechee River estuary William Savidge and Kate Doyle; Skidaway Institute of Oceanography
Track 3 Agriculture Forestry and Aquifers
3.1: Agricultural Water Presentations
(3.1.1) Smartphone apps for scheduling irrigation Vasileios Liakos, Timothy Coolong, Kati Migliaccio, Kelly Morgan, Wesley Porter, Calvin Perry, Erick Smith, and George Vellidis; UGA
(3.1.2) Geospatial analysis for swine CAFOs and stream water quality correlation study Craig Druden, and Sudhanshu Panda; University of North Georgia, Gainesville, GA
(3.1.3) Predicting irrigation water use in Georgia with crop growth simulation models and regression analysis: A comparative analysis Jeffrey Mullen and Niyun Chen; UGA
(3.1.4) Evaluation of a biochar enhanced constructed treatment wetland for the removal of contaminants from agricultural wastewater Stefanie Gugolz and Valentine Nzengung; UGA Dept. of Geology
(3.1.5) Assessing aquifer depletion and agricultural water withdrawal with remotely sensed airborne and satellite Earth observations Lynn Torak; USGS
3.3A: Groundwater Presentations
(3.3.1) Hydrology of the Claiborne aquifer in southwestern Georgia Debbie W. Gordon and Gerard J Gonthier; U.S. Geological Survey, South Atlantic Water Science Center, 1770 Corporate Drive, Suite 500, Norcross, GA 30093
(3.3.2) Claiborne aquifer hydraulic properties, based on two aquifer tests, southwestern Georgia, 2015–2016 Gerard J. Gonthier and Debbie W Gordon; USGS
(3.3.3) Simulation of the groundwater budget in southwestern Georgia and parts of Alabama and Florida, 2008-12 L. Elliott Jones; U.S. Geological Survey, 1770 Corporate Drive, Suite 500, Norcross, GA 30093
(3.3.4) The Roadmap to Well Permitting Edward Rooks; Georgia Environmental Protection Division, 2 Martin Luther King Jr. Dr. S.E., Suite 1362 East Tower, Atlanta, Georgia 30334
(3.3.5) A dynamic variable rate irrigation control system Calvin Perry, Vasileios Liakos, Xi Liang, Wesley Porter, Michael Tucker, and George Vellidis; UGA
3.3B: Innovative Approaches: Utilizing Rainwater, Groundwater and Condensate at EVERY Commercial Building? (Panel)
Session Organizer: Richard Hanson – Georgia Water Tanks, LLC, 3577 Chamblee Tucker Rd., Suite A 223, Atlanta, GA 30340
Most commercial buildings with more than 1 basement level have to collect and dump groundwater into the storm drain or sewer, in order to prevent moisture problems. Cousins Properties decided to use that water, estimated to be over 2,000,000 gallons per year at the Spring @ 8th building, instead of wasting it. By utilizing groundwater, rainwater, and condensate, Cousins expects to reduce operating costs by over $50,000/year. This presentation describes the design changes used to build “LEED Platinum Class A Office Space at Market Rates.” Furthermore, many graywater treatment systems are abandoned within 5 years of commissioning, because the operations staff don’t want to maintain and tweak them. NSF has created a performance standard that forces manufacturers to create a product that works without the constant attention. Now that several manufacturers have been certified, it’s time to reconsider graywater treatment. The presenters discuss lessons learned and current design standards for both residential and commercial buildings.
Panelists:
Richard Hanson – Georgia Water Tanks, Atlanta, GA
A 1989 graduate of Georgia Tech, Richard has worked in the field of water pressure control his entire career. First as a manufacturer’s rep for SyncroFlo, Watts Regulator, and other control valve companies, covering southeast Georgia and portions of Atlanta. Then 20 years at SyncroFlo, in every department: Production, Purchasing, Engineering, Marketing, Sales, IT, Finance, Accounting, Field Service, Commissioning, etc. It was there that he discovered rainwater harvesting, starting in the the late 90’s with Gwinnett County Schools’ use of alternative water supplies for turf irrigation, cisterns in Puerto Rico, and culminating in offering treatment and pumping skids. After a friendly parting, now moving back into the rep business for Georgia, eager to find new ways to serve the water control needs in the commercial, industrial, and residential markets. His goal is for rainwater harvesting to be part of the design of most projects, in areas where stormwater management is required.
Stanton Stafford – Integral Consulting Engineering, Atlanta, GA
Stanton Stafford is the Managing Principal of Integral Consulting Engineering, the Atlanta, Georgia Studio of Integral Group. Recognized as a green building and sustainability expert, Stanton brings over 15 years of experience designing, modeling and commissioning mechanical systems for higher education, healthcare, science & technology, government and commercial facilities. With a goal of maximizing the potential of every building, Stanton’s passion is working with clients from IDEAS-to-IMPLEMENTATION-to-IMPACT to drive value through high performance design and operations solutions.
Nationally, Stanton is Chair-elect of ASHRAE Technical Committee 2.8 – Building Environmental Impacts and Sustainability where he is currently co-authoring the Fifth Edition of ASHRAE’s Green Guide. Locally, he serves as the Immediate Past Chair of the Board of Directors of the Lifecycle Building Center of Greater Atlanta, an entrepreneurial non-profit focused on building material salvage and reuse. Stanton is also a Charter Member of the University of Georgia’s Mechanical Engineering Advisory Board and has been recognized as a member of Engineering News Record Southeast’s Top 20 Under 40 (2015), the Atlanta Business Chronicle’s 40 Under 40 (2015) and Georgia Trend Magazine’s 40 Under 40 (2016). Stanton also served on the Board of Directors for the USGBC-Georgia Chapter from 2012 to 2016
3.5: Wetlands Presentations
(3.5.1) Building public confidence in wastewater treatment through constructed wetlands Philipp Nussbaum1, Laurie Fowler1, Deborah McGrath2, and Scott Torreano2; 1UGA, 2University of the South
(3.5.2) A satellite-based method for wetland inundation mapping Courtney Divittorio and Aris P. Georgakakos; Georgia Water Resources Institute, Georgia Tech
(3.5.3) Forested wetland conservation on the coastal plain in Georgia John Paul Schmidt1,2; 1Odum School of Ecology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602; 2River Basin Center, University of Georgia
(3.5.4) Succession in invertebrate communities in Southeastern beaver-created wetlands Bryana Bush and Darold P. Batzer; Department of Entomology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602
(3.5.5) Do introduced mosquitofish affect the function of constructed wetlands? Matt Carroll; University of Georgia, Odum School of Ecology – River Basin Center, Athens, GA
3.6: Agricultural Wetlands I Presentations
(3.6.1) Integrating wetland ecosystem services into agriculture: A UGA demonstration project Darold Batzer1, Joseph McHugh1, C. Rhett Jackson3, Dennis Hancock2, Mark Risse2, and Susan Wilde3; Departments of 1Entomology and 2Crop and Soil Sciences, and 3Warnell School of Forestry; University of Georgia
(3.6.2) Water quality in geographically isolated wetlands in agricultural lands and second growth longleaf pine forest Stephen Golladay, Chelsea R. Smith, and Nathalie D. Smith; J.W. Jones Ecological Research Center
(3.6.3) Wildlife use of geographically isolated wetlands in forested versus agricultural landscapes Lora L. Smith1, Cara McElroy2, Anna M. McKee2, Rachel King3, and Camille Herteux4; 1Joseph W. Jones Ecological Research Center, 2USGS, 3Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, 4Dept. of Biological Sciences, Florida Atlantic University
(3.6.4) Larval mosquito use of agricultural and reference wetlands within southwest Georgia Chelsea Smith, Nathalie D. Smith, and Stephen W. Golladay; J.W. Jones Ecological Research Center
(3.6.5) Migrations of insect natural enemies from wetlands into agricultural fields Brittany Clark, Joseph McHugh, and Darold Batzer; Department of Entomology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602
3.7: Agricultural Wetlands II and ACF Studies Presentations
(3.7.1) Hydrologic linkages between floodplain wetlands and adjacent agricultural lands Cody Matteson, Darold Batzer, Steve Golladay, Lora Smith, Chelsea Smith, Susan Wilde, Cody Matteson, C. Rhett Jackson, and Brittany Clark; University of Georgia, Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources
(3.7.2) Algal and periphyton bio-assessment of agricultural wetland, stream and river Susan Bennett Wilde, Cody Matteson, and Johnson Jeffers; UGA
(3.7.4) Water budget simulation in the Apalachicola-Chattahoochee-Flint river basin as part of the USGS national water census Jacob H. LaFontaine; U.S. Geological Survey South Atlantic Water Science Center, Norcross, GA 30093
(3.7.5) Augmentation of flows in the ACF Dargan “Scott” Cole and William Bradly Carver; Hall Booth Smith, PC, 191 Peachtree Street; Suite 2900, Atlanta, GA 30303-1775
3.8: Forests and Water Presentations
(3.8.1) Southeastern Partnership for Forests & Water – Georgia successes Kitty Weisman1 and Scott Thackston2; 1SE Partnership for Forests and Water; 2Watershed Coordinator, Georgia Forestry Commission
(3.8.2) The effect of riparian canopy gaps on macroinvertebrate and periphyton community structure in streams in the southern Appalachian mountains Carrie McCarty, James Shelton, and Brian Davis; UGA Warnell School of Forestry & Natural Resources
(3.8.3) Do open-canopy mountain streams cool down after returning to forested conditions? C. Rhett Jackson and W. Alan Coats; UGA Warnell School of Forestry & Natural Resources
(3.8.4) The roles of shallow and deep storage on drought at a small forested, water-limited watershed near Atlanta, Georgia Brent T. Aulenbach 1 and Norman E. Peters2; 1U.S. Geological Survey, South Atlantic Water Science Center, Norcross, GA 30093; 2University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602
(3.8.5) Predicting episodic storm flows through a longleaf-pine / wire-grass forest on the Dougherty Plain, Southwest Georgia James B. Deemy1, Jeffrey Hepinstall-Cymerman1, L. Katherine Kirkman2, and Todd C. Rasmussen1; 1UGA Warnell School of Forestry & Natural Resources, 2Joseph W. Jones Ecological Research Center
4.1: Georgia Flood Risk Mapping Assessment and Planning (MAP) Workshop
Session Organizer: Haydn Blaize
Georgia Floodplain Management Unit, 2 MLK, Jr., Dr., Suite 1152 E, Atlanta, GA 30334
The intent of this workshop session is to provide information to participants on the Georgia Flood Risk Mapping Assessment and Planning (MAP) program and how the program promotes flood risk awareness and use of available Flood Risk Products in planning and implementing flood related mitigation strategies. This floodplain mapping workshop session will allow participants to gain a more comprehensive understanding of available Flood Risk products and how to use these products to regulate development within special flood hazard areas. Incentives that accompany participation in the Community Rating System will also be presented in the context of regulatory development and improved hazard mitigation planning and actions.
The Georgia Department of Natural Resources has developed a tool that helps homeowners quickly determine their flood risk using a web-based mapping tool; www.georgiadfirm.com. Residents and business owners can use the maps to obtain reliable information about their flood risk on a property-by-property basis. The maps also provide flood zone and elevation data to help community planners, engineers, builders and others decide where and how new structures, developments, and remodeling projects should be built. Users can quickly locate a property, either using a known address or by clicking the map, to identify the flood risk status, the effective Flood Insurance Rate Map, and even create a flood hazard report that captures all of this information in an attractive and shareable format. The vision for Georgia Flood MAP has been to develop a statewide program that not only delivers more accurate and complete flood hazard information for counties and municipalities within the state, but also provides information and tools to assist communities in developing more comprehensive mitigation plans that will reduce losses from flooding.
Other Presenters:
Haydn Blaize, M.S. Eng.
Thomas Tkacs, PE, CFM
Joseph Martinenza, P.E. CFM
Brian Shoun, P.E., CFM
Alan Giles, CFM
4.3: Hydrologic Hazards Presentations
(4.3.1) USGS monitoring for regional studies and critical events Brian McCallum1, Jeanne C. Robbins2, and John M. Shelton3; 1USGS South Atlantic Water Science Center (SAWSC), Norcross, Georgia 30093; 2USGS South Atlantic Water Science Center (SAWSC), Raleigh, North Carolina, 27607; 3USGS South Atlantic Water Science Center (SAWSC), Columbia, South Carolina, 29210
(4.3.2) USGS monitoring storm tide and flooding from Hurricane Matthew Eric Frantz1, Michael Byrne2, Andral Caldwell3, and Stephen Harden4; 1USGS South Atlantic Water Science Center; 2USGS Caribbean – Florida Water Science Center; 3USGS South Atlantic Water Science Center; 4USGS South Atlantic Water Science Center
(4.3.3) Southeast River Forecast Center forecasts and the importanc of partnerships in the Southeast Todd Hamill; NWS – Southeast River Forecast Center
(4.3.4) Quantitative precipitation estimates of the Southeast River Forecast Center
Christopher Schaffer; Southeast River Forecast Center/NWS/NOAA, Peachtree City, GA, 30269
(4.3.5) Hydrologic variations rendered by Mother Nature Feng Jiang, Hailian Liang, Menghong Wen, Jeffrey Regan, Dongha Kim, Inchul Kim, and Wei Zeng; Georgia Environmental Protection Division, 2 Martin Luther King Jr. Dr. S.E., Suite 1352 East Tower, Atlanta, Georgia 30334
4.5: Hydrologic Statistics Presentations
(4.5.1) Thirty-five years of Georgia water use information: What do we know from the data and its trends? Jaime A. Painter; U.S. Geological Survey, South Atlantic Water Science Center, 1770 Corporate Drive, Suite 500 Norcross, GA 30093
(4.5.2) Low flow trends at Southeast U.S. streamflow gages Timothy Stephens1, Brian Bledsoe1, Wei Cui1, Tyler Cromey2, and Benjamin Gallagher2; 1Institute for Resilient Infrastructure Systems, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30605; 2Southern Company, Birmingham, AL 35203
(4.5.3) Long-term trends in the Upper Oconee watershed using the Upper Oconee Watershed Network’s citizen-science data Phillip Bumpers1, David W.P. Manning1, Amy Rosemond2, and Bruno Giri1; 1Upper Oconee Watershed Network, Athens, GA; 2Odum School of Ecology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA
(4.5.4) Estimating selected low-flow frequency statistics and mean annual flow for ungaged locations on streams in North Georgia Anthony J. Gotvald and Chad Wagner; U.S. Geological Survey South Atlantic Water Science Center
(4.5.5) When should you cut back? Using water supply forecasts and water shortage triggers to manage droughts Reed Palmer1, Casey Caldwell2, and Kenneth Waldroup3; 1Hazen and Sawyer, Raleigh, NC; 2HydroLogics Inc., Denver, CO; 3City of Raleigh Public Utilities Department, Raleigh, NC
4.6: Spatial Mapping Presentations
(4.6.1) Big data in hydrology: Information management from hillslope to continental scales Todd C. Rasmussen; UGA Warnell School of Forestry & Natural Resources
(4.6.2) Integrating GIS tools with field assessments to save time and money without compromising data quality Jennifer Miller1, Eric Byrne2, Nick Jokay2, and Kyle Dalton3; 1Arcadis, 2Tetra Tech, 3Athens-Clarke County, Georgia
(4.6.3) Web-based hydrologic modeling system for Texas Huidae Cho1,2; 1Department of Civil and Construction Engineering, Kennesaw State University, Marietta, GA 30060; 2Dewberry, Atlanta, GA 30341
(4.6.4) Watershed assessment: A multi-scale approach using ecological modeling Bruce A. Pruitt1, K. Jack Killgore2, W. Todd Slack2, Leandro E. Miranda3 and Carson A. Pruitt4; 1U.S Army Corps of Engineers, Engineer Research and Development Center, 960 College Station Rd., Athens, GA 30605; 2U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Engineer Research and Development Center, 3909 Halls Ferry Rd., Vicksburg, MS 39180-6199; 3U.S. Geological Survey, Mississippi Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, Mississippi State University, Mississippi State, MS 39762; 4Graduate Student, University of Georgia, School of Geography, Athens, GA 30605
(4.6.5) Automated geospatial model development for stream bank erosion spatial vulnerability determination Sudhanshu Sekhar Panda1, Norman Worthington1, and Devendra Amatya2; 1Institute of Environmental Spatial Analysis, University of North Georgia, Oakwood, GA; 2Center for Forested Wetland Research, USDA Forest Service, Cordesville, SC
4.7: Hydrologic Connectivity I Panel
Session Organizer: Sara Gottlieb – Director of Freshwater Science & Strategy, The Nature Conservancy,100 Peachtree St. NW, Suite 2250 ˑAtlanta, GA 30303
(Session Manuscript) This session will pick up where a 2015 GWRC panel left off in planning for the future for fish passage in Georgia. Since then, the Georgia Aquatic Connectivity Team has formed, with over 80 members from all the major state and federal agencies, many NGOs, recreation advocates, and private citizens participating toward the goal of accelerating dam removal and culvert replacement across the state. Several recent policy changes may make the permitting process for dam removal easier, and a revision by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to the Water Control Manual for the ACF Basin directs the Corps to operate the lock Jim Woodruff Lock and Dam to allow fish passage for Alabama shad and other anadromous fish during critical times in their life history. The Nature Conservancy is pursuing a dam removal project in the Raccoon Creek watershed, where a great deal of watershed restoration and culvert removal has already taken place. The University of Georgia is investigating improved aquatic connectivity at Whitehall Dam on the Middle Oconee River. Thousands of dams have been assessed in the ACF Basin and addressing connectivity concerns there is part of a larger initiative to preserve the native black bass species in the southeastern US. Additional topics relevant to aquatic connectivity in Georgia will be discussed, as will opportunities for attendees to become involved in this important initiative, which will have lasting impact on Georgia’s water resources.
Panel part I: Statewide issues, modeling efforts, prioritizing maintenance and removal
SaraGottlieb – The Nature Conservancy, Introductions, including background on SEACAP – 10 mins
Ben Emanuel – American Rivers, regulatory issues around dam removal in GA – 15 mins
Nate Nibbelink – University of Georgia, culvert prioritization modeling – 15 mins (Abstract)
Robert Hines – University of Georgia, Dam Safety and flood mapping – 15 mins (Abstract)
Eric Harris – USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service, NRCS dam maintenance and rehabilitation (Abstract) – 15 mins
Questions and discussion – 20 mins
4.8: Hydrologic Connectivity II Panel
Panel part II: Case studies of connectivity projects completed and in progress
SaraGottlieb – The Nature Conservancy, Introductions, Set up Discussion– 10 mins
Doug Peterson – University of Georgia, Fish passage and conservation locking at Jim Woodruff Lock and Dam – 15 mins
Vance Crain – Southeast Aquatic Resources Partnership, Native Black Bass Initiative – 15 mins
Katie Owens – The Nature Conservancy, dam removal and culvert replacement case studies – 15 mins
Jay Shelton – University of Georgia, Whitehall Dam Removal Update – 15 mins
Track 5 Urban and Green Infrastructure
5.1: Green Infrastructure Presentations
(5.1.1) The I-20/I-85/I-20 interchange green stormwater infrastructure pilot project R. Alfred Vick1, Jon Calabria1, and Jenny Hoffner2; 1University of Georgia; 2University of Georgia; 3American Rivers
(5.1.2) Identifying key urban areas to reduce stormwater runoff and maximize conservation efforts in metropolitan Atlanta Christopher Cameron1, and Natalia Bhattacharjee2; 1NASA DEVELOP National Program, 2UGA College of Engineering
(5.1.3) Priorizing the location of green infrastructure to maximize effectiveness of stormwater mitigation, for the City of Sandy Springs Kevin Samples and Elizabeth Kramer; Natural Resources Spatial Analysis Laboratory, College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, University of Georgia, Athens, GA
(5.1.4) Building green: Atlanta’s green infrastructure strategy Cory Rayburn; City of Atlanta Department of Watershed Management
(5.1.5) Addressing neighborhood flooding with green infrastructure Cory Rayburn; City of Atlanta Department of Watershed Management
5.3: Savannah River Clean Water Fund Panel
Session Organizer: Braye Boardman, Savannah River Clean Water Fund
Background: The Savannah River Clean Water Fund got started in 2009 with a South Low Country (SOLO) Task Force comprised of state and federal government agencies, local environmental non-profit organizations, landowners, businesses and private interests, with the agreement that there was an explicit connection between the land resources of the Savannah River Basin and the impact on raw water supplies. Shortly thereafter, a Special Steering Committee was formed with the addition of key stakeholders: water utilities and state regulatory agencies with the mission of protecting the river corridor and watershed. As a result, the Savannah River Clean Water Fund (the Fund) was formed in August 2014 to support conservation, protection and enhancement of the water quality in the Savannah River Basin including the streams, creeks tributaries and lands adjacent to the basin.
This session will start with a 25 min. presentation on the SRCWF and the work being done in the basin. After that, the panelist will each give a 8-10 min. (50 min.) presentation on their work and the intersection with the SRCWF. The rest of the time we be devoted to questions.
Panelists:
Braye Boardman – Executive Director, Savannah River Clean Water Fund
Braye Boardman is the executive director of the Savannah River Clean Water Fund – a source-water protection fund that is focused on land conservation, land management, and science/research to benefit water quality in the 2.8 million-acre lower portion of the Savannah River Basin.
Braye has had a love for the outdoors since he was a child, and has been an active conservationist in the southeast region for the last 18 years. He has been involved in leadership roles with numerous organizations including the Nature Conservancy, Georgia Conservancy, and was one of the founding members of the Central Savannah River Land Trust. Braye was appointed by Governor Sonny Purdue to the Governor’s Committee on the Savannah River and by Lieutenant Governor Casey Cagle to the Savannah-Upper Ogeechee Regional Water Council.
Braye Boardman is a native of Augusta, Georgia, and graduated from the College of Charleston. Braye and his wife, Tori, have been married for over twenty-three years and have two children – a 18-year-old son and a 19-year-old daughter.
Eric Krueger – Director of Science and Stewardship, The Nature Conservancy – South Carolina
Eric Krueger is the Director of Science and Stewardship for The Nature Conservancy’s South Carolina Chapter., and has 22 years of experience in river management, and wetland and forest management and restoration. He currently manages Chapter programs in freshwater conservation, forest management and restoration, and marine restoration. Eric’s project experience includes 14 years on managed rivers in South Carolina to produce environmentally compatible flows through major hydropower facility re-operation, and targeting land conservation to protect water quality and stream function.
Eric received a Master’s degree in Geosciences from the University of Wisconsin in 1996. His research studied the relationships of groundwater to wetland vegetation patterns. While completing his degree, Eric was employed for two years by the US Forest Service in Michigan analyzing stream habitat quality. After graduation, Eric worked for the Coeur d’Alene Tribe of Idaho as a hydrologist, and later as the Water Resource Program Manager. Eric also worked three years in for the Idaho Transportation Department implementing wetland mitigation and protection activities. Eric joined the South Carolina Chapter in September, 2002.
Sharon Holbrooks – Conservation Easement Specialist, U.S. Department of Agriculture – Natural Resources Conservation Service
Sharon has been the Conservation Easement Specialist with the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service in Athens, Georgia for 7 years. Her main role is in statewide implementation of the Agricultural Conservation Easement Program (ACEP), which purchases easements on wetlands and surrounding uplands (Wetlands Reserve Easement (WRE) program), as well as agricultural land (Agricultural Land Easement (ALE) program), for permanent protection, enhancement, and restoration. Sharon also works on all of NRCS Georgia’s other conservation easement programs, and serves as the main point of contact for the Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP). Prior to this job, she worked as a Private Lands Biologist for the Georgia Department of Natural Resources (GA DNR), Wildlife Resources Division, Nongame Conservation Section. Sharon graduated from the University of Georgia Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources with a bachelors and master’s degree in wildlife management in 2004 and 2007 respectively. Sharon currently serves as Board Member At Large on the Georgia Chapter of The Wildlife Society, as a member of the University of Georgia Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources Alumni Steering Committee, and is an alum of the Institute for Georgia Environmental Leaders (IGEL) class of 2015.
Hazel Cook – Executive Director, The Central Savannah River Land Trust
Hazel has over 15 years of experience in public policy, conservation and environmental law, grant writing, graphic design, and business administration. She holds a Bachelors of Arts in Political Science from Penn State University’s Schreyer Honors College, and a Masters of Arts in International Environmental Policy from the Middlebury Institute of International Studies at Monterey. Hazel has been a part of the Land Trust since 2004, and is honored to have watched the organization grow from its humble beginnings into a nationally-accredited land trust with over 7,000 acres of preserved land in twelve Georgia and South Carolina counties. Outside of her role at the Land Trust, Hazel’s hobbies include outdoor adventure sports, international travel, organic gardening, ballroom dancing, and performing aerial silks in the circus. She and her husband, Taylor, also run Piccolina Farm, a small organic farm that supplies fresh healthy vegetables to local farmer’s markets.
Glen R. Behrend, P.E. – Manager, Nonpoint Source Program, Watershed Protection Branch, Georgia Environmental Protection Division
Glen Behrend is the manager for the Nonpoint Source Control Program of the Georgia Environmental Protection Division. Responsibilities include stormwater, erosion and sediment control, floodplain management, water quality grants (319), and outreach. Glen has also served EPD as Water Quality Monitoring Manager, Technical Manager for the State-wide Water Plan, and a wastewater engineer. Glen has a Bachelors from Mercer University in Environmental Engineering and a Masters from the University of Florida in Systems Ecology.
Laura Walker – Water Resources Environmental Administrator, Public Works and Water Resources Bureau, City of Savannah
Laura Walker is a “water first” person who just reached her 10-year anniversary with the City of Savannah Water Resources Department. Most of her career has been spent protecting the water resources of the May River, SC, the Vernon River, GA and now the Savannah River. She has a degree in Biology and has studied Civil Engineering Technology and Public Administration. As a Master Naturalist, she works very hard preventing nature deficit disorder. She has a 10-year-old son and they both really drink tap water every day.
5.6: Urban Case Study: Alpharetta Panel
Meeting Georgia’s New Recommended Runoff Reduction Performance Standard: One Metro-Atlanta City’s Approach
Session Organizer: Eric Byrne – Tetra Tech, 1165 Sanctuary Pkwy., Ste. 270, Alpharetta, GA 30004
This session will include short presentations followed by discussion. The presentations will highlight projects that have been implemented in the City of Alpharetta that promote smarter stormwater design and watershed management with emphasis on the new recommended runoff reduction performance standard. The following projects will be presented:
· An Introduction to Alpharetta’s Stormwater Management Program: Provides an overview of Alpharetta’s stormwater challenges and their approach to solving those problems.
· Code Barrier Report – Advancing Smart Stormwater Design in Alpharetta: Alpharetta has experienced and is continuing to experience revitalization in the Downtown area and new development in other areas of the City. As part of a modern approach to managing stormwater, the City wanted to ensure that its ordinances, stormwater regulations, and policies support and encourage the use of smart stormwater design, and other specific practices that are performance driven and economically advantageous. The purpose of the Code Barrier Report is to propose clear and effective policies and standards that Council, staff, citizens, businesses, and the development community can support and use in implementing smart stormwater design, including onsite stormwater runoff reduction measures and offsite stormwater mitigation techniques, and that can be considered in future updates of the Unified Development Code (UDC) and policies.
· Smarter Stormwater Design in Wills Park: We designed several stormwater projects for the City of Alpharetta in Wills Park, a very important resource for the community. The projects include a Regenerative Stormwater Conveyance System (RSC), very large scale Cistern system that captures rainwater runoff from the covered equestrian arena for reuse in watering the fields and providing dust control, bioretention, and waste containment to reduce fecal coliform pollution. These projects were designed in consideration of the recommended runoff reduction standard while balancing costs and site constraints.
· Bacteria Source Tracking (BST) in the Foe Killer Creek watershed: The City of Alpharetta (City) has implemented bacteria source tracking (BST) sampling and analysis throughout the Foe Killer Creek watershed along with baseline water quality sampling and analysis in Wills Park. The BST sampling and analysis will be used to help identify sources of fecal coliform bacteria in the watershed. The Wills Park water quality tests will be performed to develop a baseline for comparison after water quality measures are implemented.
Presentations:
Jill Bazinet – City of Alpharetta, Senior Stormwater Engineer
Julie Kaplan – Tetra Tech, ordinance review
Eric Byrne – Tetra Tech, Wills Park design projects
Eric Byrne, Julie Kaplan & Jamie Childers – Tetra Tech, water quality and bacteria source tracking projects
5.7: Urban Streams Presentations
(5.7.1) Nutrients in wadeable streams in the Piedmont area of the Southeastern United States Celeste Journey1, Paul M. Bradley2, and Peter VanMetre3; 1U.S. Geological Survey South Atlantic Water Science Center, 720 Gracern Road, Suite 129, Columbia, SC 29210; 2U.S. Geological Survey South Atlantic Water Science Center, 720 Gracern Road, Suite 129, Columbia, SC 29210; 3U.S. Geological Survey Texas Water Science Center, 1505 Ferguson Lane, Austin, TX 78754
(5.7.2) Evaluating temporal changes in aquatic macroinvertebrate and stream fish assemblages at long-term monitoring sites in the Southeastern US Daniel Calhoun; U.S. Geological Survey, South Atlantic Water Science Center, 1770 Corporate Drive, Suite 500, Norcross, GA 30093
(5.7.3) Microcystins occurrence in wadeable streams in the Southeastern United States Paul M. Bradley1, Keith A. Loftin2, Jimmy M. Clark1, Celeste A. Journey1, Dana W. Kolpin3, and Peter C. Van Metre4; 1U.S. Geological Survey, South Carolina Water Science Center, 720 Gracern, Columbia, SC, 29210; 2U.S. Geological Survey, Organic Geochemistry Research Laboratory, Kansas Water Science Center, 4821 Quail Crest Place, Lawrence, KS 66049; 3U.S. Geological Survey, Iowa Water Science Center, 400 S. Clinton St., Iowa City, IA 52240; 4U.S. Geological Survey, Texas Water Science Center, 1505 Ferguson Lane Austin TX 78754
(5.7.4) Relationships and trends of E. Coli, human-associated bacteroides, and pathogens in the Proctor Creek watershed Blake Snyder1, Marirosa Molina2, and Ourania Georgacopoulos3; 1Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education, Oak Ridge, Tennessee; 2US Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Research and Development, Athens, Georgia; 3Student Services Contractor at the Environmental Protection Agency, Athens, Georgia
(5.7.5) Conductivity as an indicator of disturbance and tool for watershed management Emily M. Johnson, Seth J. Wenger, Amy D. Rosemond, and Phillip M. Bumpers; Odum School of Ecology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30606
5.8: Urban and Green Infrastructure Presentations
(5.8.1) Ecological restoration of a drained urban stream-wetland system through beaver activity Elizabeth B. Sudduth, Courtney Dobash, Alyssa Boudreau, Mikayla Oglesby, Marie Leavitt, and Annalise Reagan; School of Science and Technology, Georgia Gwinnett College, Lawrenceville, GA 30043
(5.8.2) Long-term monitoring results of benthic macroinvertebrate communities in Gwinnett County, Georgia David Bell; CH2M, 6600 Peachtree Dunwoody Road, Atlanta, GA 30328
(5.8.3) Water quality in an urban stretch of the Chattahoochee River Lisa Casanova1, Charity Perkins1, Dominique Smith1, Darian Morgan1, and Jason Ulseth2; 1School of Public Health, Georgia State University, 140 Decatur St. Atlanta, GA 30302; 2Chattachoochee Riverkeeper, 916 Joseph E Lowery Blvd NW #3, Atlanta, GA 30318
(5.8.4) Improving water quality from Rogers Road Family and Graduate Housing runoff Devyn Quick, Jon Calabria, and Tom Breedlove; College of Environment + Design, University of Georgia, 285 S Jackson St, Athens, GA 30602
(5.8.5) Modeling the influence of septic systems on fecal bacteria load in a suburban watershed in Georgia Robert Sowah1, Mussie Habteselassie2, David Radcliffe2, and Marirosa Molina3; 1Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education; 2Crop and Soil Sciences, The University of Georgia Griffin Campus; 3Crop and Soil Sciences, The University of Georgia; 4U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, ORD, NERL/MEB
Track 6 Ecology and Water Quality
6.1: Stream Ecology Presentations
(6.1.1) Wadeable stream monitoring in Southeastern National Park Units Jacob M McDonald1,2, Eric N. Starkey2, and M. Brian Gregory2; 1The University of Georgia – Warnell School of Forestry; 2National Park Service – Southeast Coast Network
(6.1.2) Assessing fish microhabitat usage to understand patterns in species declines in the Conasauga River, GA Edward Stowe 1,2, Mary C. Freeman2,3, and Seth J. Wenger1,2; 1Odum School of Ecology, University of Georgia; 2River Basin Center, University of Georgia; 3U.S. Geological Survey, Patuxent Wildlife Research Center
(6.1.3) Quantifying producer responses to antecedent flow conditions in the Middle Oconee River, GA Caitlin Conn1, Seth Wenger1,2, Amy Rosemond1, Phillip Bumpers1,2, Mary Freeman3, and Kyle McKay4; 1Odum School of Ecology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602 2River Basin Center, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602 3Patuxent Wildlife Research Center, US Geological Survey, Athens, GA 30602 4US Army Corps of Engineers, New York, NY 10278
(6.1.4) Rivers to reservoirs: Hydrological drivers control reservoir function by affecting submerged aquatic vegetation coverage Alan Covich1, Stephen D. Shivers1,2, Stephen W. Golladay2, Matthew N. Waters4, and Susan B. Wilde3; 1UGA Odum School of Ecology, 2Joseph W. Jones Ecological Research Center, 3UGA Warnell School of Forestry & Natural Resources, 4Auburn University, Dept. of Crop, Soil, and Environmental Sciences
(6.1.5) Intra-and inter-annual apple snail population dynamics in Lake Seminole Nick Marzolf1,2, Stephen Shivers1,2, Brian Clayton2, and Stephen Golladay2; 1UGA Odum School of Ecology, 2Joseph W. Jones Ecological Research Center
6.3: Water As Education – K-12 & Undergraduate Presentations
(6.3.1) Wetland loss – An artificial environmental disaster: A case study of Okefenokee Swamp Shawn Musengo and Sudhanshu Sekhar Panda; University of North Georgia, Gainesville, GA
(6.3.2) Farm scale sustainable water management decision support system development through geohydrologic models Mallika Dinesh1 and Sudhanshu Sekhar Panda2; 1University of Georgia, Athens, GA; 2University of North Georgia, Gainesville, GA
(6.3.3) Sustainable management decision support system development for Barrow County, GA through flood potential analysis MacKenzie Duffy and Sudhanshu Sekhar Panda; University of North Georgia, Gainesville, GA
(6.3.4) Mangrove change analysis in the Everglades National Park of Florida in the global warming and climate change context Kristen Miklas and Sudhanshu Sekhar Panda; University of North Georgia, Gainesville, GA
(6.3.5) Water education for all ages using hands-on activities Gary L. Hawkins, Laura Goss, Jennifer Grogan, Katie Hammond, Brenda, Jackson, and Sonya Jones; UGA
6.5: Stormwater Presentations
(6.5.1) Impacts of interpolation schemes on critical source areas identification for non-point source pollution control based on SWAT model Ali Alnahit1, Abdul Khan2, and Tom Owino1; 1Department of Civil Engineering, 2Department of Environmental Engineering & Earth Science, Clemson University, Clemson, SC 29630
(6.5.2) Floodway optimization algorithm for streams in Georgia Tien Yee and Huidae Cho; Department of Civil and Construction Engineering, Kennesaw State University, Marietta, GA 30060
(6.5.3) Financing water quality improvement – Stormwater utility management in Georgia Stacey Isaac Berahzer; UNC Environmental Finance Center
6.6: Water Quality And Threats Presentations
(6.6.1) Decision-making under duress – Prioritizing management activities to preserve the integrity of fresh waters, promote human health, and protect water supplies Krista Capps1, Brian Bledsoe2, Daniel Capps3, Laurie Fowler4, Marirosa Molina5, S. Kyle McKay6, J. Scott Pippin7, Amy Rosemond1, Jennifer Rice8, and Seth Wenger4; 1UGA Odum School of Ecology, 2UGA Institute for Resilient Infrastructure Systems, 3UGA Mathematics and Science Education, 4UGA River Basin Center, 5United States Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Research and Development, National Exposure Research Laboratory, 6U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Engineer Research and Development Center, 7UGA Carl Vinson Institute of Government, 8UGA Geography
(6.6.2) Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) models: Case studies in water resources management Erin Lincoln, Rene Camacho, and Brian Watson; Tetra Tech, Inc., Atlanta, GA 30339
(6.6.3) Modeling engineered nanomaterials (ENMS) fate and transport in aquatic ecosystems Brian Avant1, Christopher Knightes2, Dermont Bouchard2, Xiaojun Chang3, W. Matthew Henderson2, Sharon Martin1, and Richard Zepp2; 1Oak Ridge Institute for Science & Education; 2USEPA Office of Research and Development, National Exposure Research Laboratory; 3National Research Council Research Associate, Athens, Georgia 30605
(6.6.4) Empirical modeling of a reverse osmosis system Edwin A. Roehl Jr.; Advanced Data Mining Int’l, Greenville, SC
(6.6.5) Hiding in plain sight – Pipelines and water resources in northern Georgia Larry Kleitches1 and Karina Walls2; 1Rural Geography Specialty Group, American Association of Geographers, Alamosa, CO 2Dept. of Geosciences, Georgia State University
6.7: Coal Impacts Panel
Strategies for reducing impacts of coal-fired power plants on Georgia’s water resources
Session Organizer: Amelia Shenstone – Southern Alliance for Clean Energy, 250 Arizona Ave., NE, Atlanta, GA 30307
Coal-fired power plants dot Georgia’s landscape along rivers, lakes, and streams in the Altamaha, Chattahoochee, Coosa, and Savannah River basins. Georgians rely on these water resources for drinking water, fishing, swimming, and recreation. Georgia’s electricity sector is the largest water use sector in Georgia and power plants represent one of the greatest sources of pollution.
The Southern Alliance for Clean Energy (SACE) has organized a session comprised of 3 short presentations followed by a moderated discussion.
The presentations will cover:
· Georgia Environmental Protection Division’s (EPD) out-of-date National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permits for Georgia Power’s coal-fired power plant fleet
· Thermal pollution impacts and solutions at Plant Hammond and other power plants
· Proposed coal ash storage plans and pollution concerns at landfill and power plant sites
Presenters:
Jen Hilburn, Executive Director, Altamaha Riverkeeper: The Altamaha Riverkeeper is a grassroots organization dedicated to the protection, defense and restoration of Georgia’s biggest river – the Altamaha – including its tributaries the Ocmulgee, the Oconee and the Ohoopee.
April Lipscomb, Associate Attorney, Southern Environmental Law Center: The Southern Environmental Law Center has represented environmental non-profits and citizens in successful cases that have achieved thorough cleanup of coal ash storage impoundments. Jill Kysor is an expert on Georgia’s current coal ash regulations. We are currently discussing her potential role.
Jennette Gayer, Director, Environment Georgia. Ms. Gayer coordinates policy development, research, and legislative advocacy for Environment Georgia. She is based in Atlanta and organizes around a number of issues to bring cleaner air, water and open spaces to Georgia. She serves on the board of Citizens for Progressive Transit, a statewide group dedicated to increasing public transportation, and is a member of the Beltline Tax Assessment District Advisory Council. Previously, she directed field campaigns to build a million solar roofs and cap global warming for Environment Georgia’s sister organization, Environment California. She also worked as a Consumer Advocate with CALPIRG, where she sat on the state of California’s Bureau of Automotive Repair and helped to found Angelenos for Equitable Access to Technology a media reform community group.
6.8: Mitigation Presentations
(6.8.1) No net loss in Georgia: Assessing the U.S. Army Corps Savannah District’s achievement of a national mitigation policy Katie Hill, Jon Skaggs, and Hunter Jones; UGA River Basin Center, Athens, Georgia
(6.8.2) Mitigation banking trends in Georgia Matt Peevy and Trey Evans; Georgia Environmental Restoration Association
(6.8.3) A land trust’s experience with mitigation markets: Conservation easements, in-lieu fee, and long-term site protection Alex Robertson; Georgia-Alabama Land Trust, Inc.
(6.8.4) Enhancing aquatic macroinvertebrate communities through geomorphic stream restoration Sean Miller; Mitigation Management, Athens, GA 30601
(1.4.01) Geophysical investigation of St. Catherines Island using electrical resistivity and ground penetrating radar G Ryan Diederich, Jacque L. Kelly, R. Kelly Vance, and Anne M. Delua; Department of Geology and Geography, Georgia Southern University, Statesboro, GA 30460
(1.4.02) Shoreline change and vegetation cover adjacent to back-barrier shoreline stabilization structures in Georgia estuaries Katherine Wakefield; Department of Biology and Department of Geology and Geography, Georgia Southern University, Statesboro, Ga 30458
(1.4.03) A model study of near-seabottom flow and its effect on sediment resuspension
Yu Wang1, Kai Ziervogel2, and Christof D. Meile1; 1Department of Marine Sciences, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602; 2Ocean Process and Analysis Laboratory, University of New Hampshire, Durham, NH 03824.
(1.4.04) Hydrologic processes determining porewater salinity in a Southeastern salt marsh David Miklesh and Christof Meile; Department of Marine Sciences, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602
(1.4.05) Estimating submarine groundwater discharge on St. Catherine’s Island, GA via radon-222 Scott D. Thorson and Jacque L. Kelly; Georgia Southern University, Statesboro, GA 30460
(1.4.06) Saltwater intrusion in the Floridan Aquifer System near downtown Brunswick, Georgia, 2016 Gregory S. Cherry, Michael D. Hamrick, and Michael F. Peck; U.S. Geological Survey South Atlantic Water Science Center, 1770 Corporate Drive, Suite 500, Norcross, GA 30093
(1.4.07) Assessment of the impact of fecal pollution on coastal areas of Puerto Rico Zamara Ruby Garcia Truitt, Brennan K. Poon-Kwong, and Dave S. Bachoon; Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences, Georgia College and State University, Campus Box 81, Milledgeville, GA 31061-0490
(1.4.08) Methylmercury production potential assessment in sediments from the Brunswick, GA estuary Travis William Nicolette and Francisco J. Cubas; Civil Engineering and Construction Management Department, Georgia Southern University, Statesboro, GA
(1.4.09) Assessing toxicity and contamination levels in Lake Herrick Sarah Hensey; UGA Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources
(1.4.10) Water quality monitoring to restore and enhance Lake Herrick Ashwini Kannan1, Thalika Saintil2, David Radcliffe2, and 3Todd Rasmussen; 1College of Engineering; 2Crop and Soil Sciences Department, College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences; 3Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources; University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602
(1.4.11) Predicting E. Coli and enterococci concentrations in the South Fork Broad River watershed using Virtual Beach David Spidle, Marirosa Molina, and Mike Cyterski; United States Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Research and Development, National Exposure Research Laboratory
(1.4.12) H2OTech: An EPA-affiliated water technology innovation cluster in Atlanta serving the Southeast US, focused on water and human health Dan Deocampo1, Gary Keller2, Clarisse Croteau-Chonka2, and Joel Rosenfield3; 1H2OTECH Cluster, Georgia State University, Atlanta, GA; 2Xomix, Ltd., Chicago, IL; 3WaterGuru Associates, LLC, Sandy Springs, GA
(1.4.13) Inactivation rates of coliphages isolated from waste water treatment plant effluents in Georgia Ourania Georgacopoulos1, Brad Acrey2, and Marirosa Molina3; 1Student Services Contractor to the US Environmental Protection Agency, 2ORISE Research Fellow, and 3US Environmental Protection Agency
(1.4.14) Fecal coliform bacteria sampling program by the USGS in cooperation with the Dekalb County Department of Watershed Management, Georgia Andrew Knaak; USGS
(1.4.15) Water quality assessment of streams in the Trail Creek Watershed Thalika Saintil1, David Radcliffe1, Todd Rasmussen2, and Ashwini Kannan3; 1Department of Crop and Soil Sciences, College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences; 2Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources; 3College of Engineering; University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602
(1.4.16) Urbanization-driven hydraulic erosion in the Georgia Piedmont Sage Maher, Adam Milewski, William Miller, and Rachel Rotz; UGA Dept. of Geology
(1.4.17) A sediment yield investigation in an urban stream Carson A. Pruitt1, David S. Leigh1, Todd C. Rasmussen1, and Oscar P. Flite III2; 1University of Georgia, Athens, GA;2Phinizy Center for Water Sciences, Augusta, GA
(1.4.18) Microbial source tracking in the Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area Anna McKee; U.S. Geological Survey, South Atlantic Water Science Center, Norcross, GA 30093
(1.4.19) Increasing water quality and infiltration in the City of Newnan, GA Mallika Dinesh and Jon Calabria; American Rivers
(1.4.20) Temporal relationship between drought–precipitation patterns and the cyanobacterial harmful algal blooms in Lake Allatoona, GA Abigail S. Knapp, Adam M. Milewski, and Rachel R. Rotz; UGA Dept. of Geology
(1.4.21) A preliminary study on biological indicators and water quality of oxbow lakes in the Middle and Lower Savannah River Basin Katie M. Johnson1, Kelsey Laymon1, Damon Mullis1, Alyssa Thomson2, Dr. Oscar P. Flite1, and Dr. John Hains3; 1Phinizy Center for Water Sciences, Augusta, GA 30906; 2Georgia College and State University, Milledgeville, GA 31061; 3Clemson University, Clemson, SC 29634
(1.4.22) Immediate and long term threats to water resource availability at Felsenthal National Wildlife Refuge Claire Webster1, Adam Milewski1, Todd Rasmussen1, John Dowd1, and Rachel Rotz1, Holly Hutcheson1, Sage Maher1, Janet Ertel2, John Faustini2, Grant Graves2; 1UGA Dept. of Geology, 2U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
(1.4.23) Macroinvertebrate successional response to hydrologic connectivity of oxbow lakes during a flood pulse Kelsey A. Laymon, Damon L. Mullis, Oscar P. Flite III, and John J. Hains; Phinizy Center for Water Sciences
(1.4.24) Applications to prolonging data collection efficiency in stream channels Matthew Quinn; UGA Geology Dept.
(1.4.25) Continuous groundwater-level monitoring and water-level trends in the principal aquifers of Georgia Jaime Painter, Michael F. Peck, and Debbie W. Gordon; U.S. Geological Survey, South Atlantic Water Science Center, 1770 Corporate Drive, Suite 500, Norcross, GA 30093
(1.4.26) Flood inundation mapping in Georgia Jonathan Musser; USGS
(1.4.27) Uniformity and spatial variability of soil moisture and irrigation distribution on natural turfgrass sports fields Chase Straw and Gerald Henry; Department of Crop and Soil Sciences, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602
(1.4.28) HYDRUS 2D model interflow comparison, Changes in land use with a low permeable layer. Rachel Ryland1, Daniel Markewitz2, and Aaron Thompson1; 1University of Georgia, College of Agriculture and Environmental Science, Crop and Soil Science; 2University of Georgia, Warnell School of Forestry
(1.4.29) Comparing water and nitrate movement in three different corn production systems using Hydrus-1d Josh Andrews, Zack Sanders, David Radcliffe, and Nicholas Hill; Department of Crop and Soil Sciences, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602
(1.4.30) Alternative Irrigation Scheduling: Performance of the Smart Irrigation App for Vegetable Production Luke Miller1, George Vellidis2, Timothy Coolong2, Erick Smith1, and Welsey Porter1; 12360 Rainwater Road, Department of Horticulture, University of Georgia, Tifton, GA 31793; 22360 Rainwater Road, Crop and Soil Sciences Department, University of Georgia, Tifton, GA 31793
(1.4.31) Partitioning meteoric, subsurface, and anthropogenic sources of water that contribute to streamflow generation in the Proctor Creek Watershed, Atlanta, GA Hannah Troast and Luke Pangle; Georgia State University
(1.4.32) A statewide Best Management Practices training program that promotes urban environmental stewardship in Florida Donald Rainey, Laurie Trenholm, CJ Bain, John Bossart, and Esen Momol; University of Florida – IFAS Extension
(1.4.33) Education, outreach, and monitoring at Beautiful Eagle Creek in the campus of Georgia Southern University Checo Colon-Gaud, Candace Moon, Aubrie Goodson, Ashley Deal, V. Byron Collins, Jamie Roberts, and Alan Harvey; Georgia Southern University, Department of Biology, Statesboro, GA 30458
(1.4.34) State citizen science biomonitoring protocols and their comparability to national invertebrate metrics Denzell A. Cross1, Chelsea R. Smith1, and Stephen W. Golladay1,2; 1Joseph W. Jones Ecological Research Center, Newton, GA 39870 , 2Odum School of Ecology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602
(1.4.35) East Georgia State College Green Infrastructure plans R. Alfred Vick, Cam Berglund, Jiaxin Di, Li Fu, Ming Guan, Ashwini Kannan, Chen Qu, Devyn Quick, Henry Ricks, Danielle Schwartz, Arianne Wolfe, Landon Woodward, Yuwen Yang, Alex Yuan, and Ran Zhang; UGA
Special Undergraduate Poster Session: Campus streams and Lake Herrick: Highlighting undergraduate volunteer research and watershed education
Organic Matter Retention During Baseflow As A Function Of Stream Substrate Size Lewis J. Craghead and James B. Deemy; Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, University of Georgia, Athens Georgia
Baseflow Physicochemical Water Quality In Two Headwater Streams Wesley C. Sparks and James B. Deemy; Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, University of Georgia, Athens Georgia
Water quality Monitoring of Campus Watersheds: Setting A Baseline For Tanyard Creek, Lily Branch, And Lake Herrick V. Ruth Pannill1, Shelby J. Jolly1, Taylor W. Faulk2, Elizabeth L. Wesley2, Lewis Craghead1, James B. Deemy3; University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, 1College of Agricultural & Environmental Sciences, Department of Crop & Soil Sciences, 2Franklin College of Arts & Sciences, Department of Biology, 3Warnell School of Forestry & Natural Resources & Natural Resources
Volunteer research experiences provide scientific training and professional development for students majoring in the environmental sciences and in pre-health fields Taylor W. Faulk1, V. Ruth Pannill2, Elizabeth L. Wesley1, James B. Deemy3; University of Georgia 1Franklin College of Arts & Sciences, Department of Biological Sciences, 2College of Agriculture & Environmental Studies, Department of Crop & Soil Sciences, 3Warnell School of Forestry & Natural Resources
Creating Well-Informed Citizens And Vigorously Trained Professionals Through Holistic Learning Experiences Using Campus Water Resources Christine L. Roberts1,2, Aiyanna C. Bonner1, Madeline J. Burke1, and James B. Deemy3; 1Department of Psychology, 2Department of Communication Studies, Franklin College, University of Georgia, 3Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resouces, University of Georgia
A Conceptual Model Demonstrating Experiential Learning, Watershed Education, And Volunteer Research Using Campus Streams and Lake Herrick Jordan N. Francis, James B. Deemy, and Todd C. Rasmussen; Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia 30602
Holistic Education In Water Resources Through Experiential Learning: Enhanced Enviornmental Understanding, Concrete Implementation Of Classroom Theory And Inspiration Of A Lasting Academic Interest Andrea N. Conety1,2, John K. O’Connor1, and James B. Deemy3; 1University of Georgia School of Public and International Affairs, 2University of Georgia Franklin College, 3University of Georgia Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, UGA, Athens GA 30602
Assessment of The UGA “Introduction To Watersheds” Module James B. Deemy1, Carrie L. Keogh2, and Todd C. Rasmussen1; 1University of Georgia Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, 2University of Georgia, Odum School of Ecology
Sculpting Streams: How Campus Water Resources Have Helped Shape And Train UGA’s Future Water Resource Professionals Kelsey E. Morton1, 2, Matthew L. Thibodeaux3, and James B. Deemy3; 1College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, 2Odum School of Ecology, 3Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, University of Georgia, Athens GA 30602