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State law reducing stream buffers hurts trout population, study says A state law that allows builders to clear-cut within 50 feet of cold-water streams in the North Georgia mountains destroys the young trout population, according to a University of Georgia study presented Tuesday to the state Board of Natural Resources. Judy Meyer, the study's principal investigator, said in the more than 35 stream sites sampled, narrowing the swath of trees and vegetation protecting the waterways reduced the young trout population between 81 percent and 88 percent. The stark findings "truly surprised us," Meyer said. Before the law changed in 2000, builders weren't allowed to work within 100 feet of the cold-water streams that support trout and a myriad of other aquatic species. The study found that reducing the stream buffer by half increases the water temperature by as much as 4.2 degrees and increases the amount of dirt flowing in. The impact is devastating to trout reproduction and long-term survival, Meyer said. The study estimated that only 9 percent of streams in North Georgia that have 50-foot buffers are likely to support trout reproduction, compared with 63 percent of streams that have 100-foot buffers. After presenting to the board, Meyer said the question for decision-makers is, "Do you want trout, or don't you?" For years, the General Assembly, DNR board, developers, and environmentalists have been grappling with how wide buffers need to be to protect rivers and streams while still giving private property owners enough flexibility to enjoy full use of their land. The last change was in 2004, when the DNR board voted to allow developers to pipe and pave over wet-weather ditches. Environmentalists objected, saying those "ditches" could actually be intermittent streams providing important functions, from flood protection to pollutant filters. About two-thirds of the trout streams in North Georgia are on private land, and the rest are on public land, Meyer said. Streams that run through private land currently have an average buffer of about 79 feet. Stream buffers on public property are more than 100 feet wide. In another study presented Tuesday to the DNR board, James Kundell from UGA's Carl Vinson Institute of Government said there is a paucity of data about how the state's stream protection laws are working in North Georgia. One example he gave is that while local officials are convinced that small trout streams are being piped and paved over, the builders or land owners aren't reporting it. Kundell recommended that the state develop guidelines for enforcement and provide technical assistance to local officials. Both studies, which cost the state $300,000, were requested at the time the General Assembly changed the stream buffer law in 2000. Environmental Protection Division Director Carol Couch has said her staff is working on improving enforcement and consistency in stream protections across the state. "This is an active area of public dialogue," Couch told the board. "The system needs to be developed." -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
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