Etowah Programs
The Etowah Watershed
is one of the most diverse river systems in the United States, with over
80 native species of fish. Some of these species are found nowhere else
in the world, while others were discovered so recently they have not yet
been described. The Etowah also serves as a sort of refuge for fish that
were once found elsewhere, but are now found only in a few locations.
The
rich diversity of the Etowah is threatened by rapid suburban growth
spreading north from Atlanta. As land is developed into buildings, roads
and parking lots, streams are becoming more degraded, and many fish
species are disappearing. The Office of Public Service & Outreach
is working to help local governments and other stakeholders better manage
growth and development through a number of projects and initiatives.
Etowah
Initiative
The Etowah Initiative is a multidisciplinary service learning course
that provides a structured and supportive format for graduate students
to apply policy, design and ecological principles learned in the classroom
to the real world of people and policy.
Etowah
Regional Aquatic Species Habitat Conservation Plan
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has awarded a multi-year grant to
a team of scientists, policy analysts and educators from the University
of Georgia, Kennesaw State University and the Georgia Conservancy to
develop a regional Habitat Conservation Plan that minimizes the impacts
of development on the imperiled aquatic species of the Etowah River.
Etowah Regional Greenspace
Plan
The Institute of Ecology received a grant from the Georgia Forestry
Commission to complete an eight-county upper Etowah Regional Greenspace
Plan.
Lake
Allatoona Project Management Plan
At the request of the Lake Allatoona Preservation Authority, Institute
of Ecology graduate students Erin Dreelin and Tim Carter are conducting
an analysis of agricultural, forestry, and urban stormwater best management
practices (BMPs) in use in the Lake Allatoona/Etowah River watershed
to determine which BMPs are effective in protecting the watershed's
aquatic resources.
Etowah Basin Water Quality Database
To provide easy access to water quality monitoring data in the Etowah
River watershed, PhD student Erin Dreelin gathered data from a variety
of sources throughout the watershed and entered it into the Water Resources
Database.
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