Flint River Conservation Association

We've moved our blog

2009-10-13T11:33:00.001-07:00

We just finished redesigning our web page, and a blog is now incorporated into our main web page. As a result, we will no longer post information here. To find out about Flint River Conservation Association events, meetings, and outings, please visit www.flintriverconservation.org. Thanks for your interest!

Learn about the Clean Water Partnership, Tuesday August 18

2009-08-11T20:10:00.000-07:00

Please join us for our montly membership meeting, 7:00 at Huntsville Public Services Building, 320 Fountain Circle near Big Spring Park. This month's speaker will be Jay Grantland. He'll discuss the Clean Water Partnership, some successful past projects, and current and ongoing projects.

Free Alabama Water Watch Workshop Saturday, August 29

2009-08-11T19:59:00.000-07:00

Join us for a FREE citizens' water quality monitoring class Saturday, August 29th, 2009 at the city of Huntsville Public Services Building at 320 Fountain Circle near Big Spring Park. You'll learn all about water resources and how to determine water quality using simple chemical and bacteriological tests. Dr. Bill Deutsch, known around the world for his clean water advocacy, especially in 3rd world countries, will be the primary instructor.

There is no charge for the class but preregistration is required. Register online at www.alabamawaterwatch.org or contact Rita at 1-888-844-4785 toll free, or call Susan Weber at 427-5116.

Be prepared to get your feet wet up to the knees and bring sunscreen, hats, and sunglasses. Snacks and water will be provided. You're encouraged to bring a sack lunch.

The Alabama Water Watch program (AWW) fosters the development of citizen volunteers, water quality monitoring of Alabama's lakes, streams and rivers. AWW’s mission is to improve both water quality and policy through citizen monitoring and action. One of it’s goals is to have at least one citizen monitoring every steam and lake in the state.

AWW is coordinated from the Auburn University Fisheries Department with primary funding from ADEM and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Since the program began in 1992, about 250 citizen groups have participated and have cumulatively sampled more than 1,880 sites on 700 water bodies. For many streams in Alabama, citizen data is the primary or only source of water quality information.

After completing the class, participants will be certified through Alabama Water Watch to submit monthly and quarterly monitoring results that will available for all to see on the Alabama Water Watch website. This data is sent to AWW at Auburn University for quality assurance, then entered into databases that are shared with ADEM and EPA. Monitoring groups frequently use the information to propose water quality solutions to responsible agencies, elected officials, citizens' groups and developers.

See you there!

Article about Beth Maynor Young -- join us July 16 to meet her!

2009-07-08T10:00:00.000-07:00

The Birmingham News just published a great article about Beth Maynor Young and her work documenting the scenic rivers of Alabama. Be sure to join us on Thursday, July 16 at the Monte Sano State Park Lodge to meet Beth, enjoy her work, and learn more about Alabama rivers and why we need to protect them!

Beth Maynor Young's now famed photos have come to symbolize Cahaba River's vulnerability, diversity

For Young, that lily trip was a transition from a job photographing gardens, food and architecture toward a calling as a conservation photographer. Since that assignment, she's gone on to shoot rivers and wilderness throughout the state and Southeast: Little River Canyon, the Locust Fork River, The Walls of Jericho, the swamps and wetlands of the Mobile Tensaw Delta.

"I tend to photograph unprotected places as opposed to just nature photography in national wildlife refuges or national parks," she said. "There are a lot of wonderful unprotected places in Alabama."

A recently published book, "Headwaters: A Journey on Alabama Rivers," features work from throughout her career, and the most gratifying part of the book is that many of the unprotected places she photographed are now protected.

"I think of her as the Ansel Adams of Alabama," Byington said of Young. "She truly has shown how to be an advocate for conservation through conservation photography."

Join us for a book signing with nature photographer Beth Maynor Young

2009-06-07T11:00:00.000-07:00

We're excited to announce a book signing with one of Alabama's most accomplished nature photographers Beth Maynor Young for her new book "Headwaters: A Journey on Alabama's Rivers." Join us on Thursday, July 16 at 7:00 at the Monte Sano Lodge for an evening celebrating the beauty of Alabama's rivers. Beth will give a short lecture about Alabama's rivers and streams, then we can all mingle to enjoy a small photo exhibit, snacks, and drinks... and of course, wonderful company! Prints, notecards, a limited edition portfolio, and of course books will be for sale and for Beth to sign.

For more information about Beth and her amazing photographs, visit her web page at www.bethyoung.net.

Record turnout for Flint River Cleanup!

2009-06-07T09:47:00.000-07:00

Saturday, June 6, was the first Flint River cleanup of 2009. We had a record turnout! Final numbers aren't in yet, but a good guess is at least 90 people! FRCA teams had about 25 boats on the water, while Scott Ammons of North Alabama Canoe and Kayak provided 40 canoes for the event. Operation Green Team provided trash bags and other supplies. We had so many volunteers we were able to have groups clean five different sections of the river. Wow! Here are some pictures from a successful trip to keep our river clean! If you have additional pictures you'd like us to post, send them to flintriverconservation@gmail.com!

We basically took over a portion of the Publix parking lot as we got ready to go. Here are some of Scott's canoes:

Getting ready to put-in at the Hayes Nature Preserve:

Getting started. A few paddlers work on extracting trash from low-hanging vegetation. Notice how muddy the water is! That shows how much work still needs to be done to prevent excessive sedimentation in our waterways.

The Flint really is a lovely river.

The aftermath... here's the trash one group pulled out of the river:

And a nice group shot of some of our fabulous volunteers!

After a long day paddling and bagging trash, we were starving! Our friends at Artisan's Cove kindly provided a wonderful cookout for us in the afternoon. We all thoroughly enjoyed the food, the company, and looking around the Cove's gardens and chicken coops! Thanks!

Enjoying good food and company at Artisan's Cove:

Thank you to all of the volunteers who turned out to spend a productive day on the Flint River! An additional thanks to North Alabama Canoe and Kayak for providing so many canoes, Artisan's Cove for the wonderful food, the Huntsville Canoe Club for spreading the word and recruiting volunteers, and Operation Green Team for ongoing support of Flint River cleanups! Join us for our next river cleanup in September!

Flint River Cleanup June 6--mark your calendar!

2009-05-03T10:14:00.000-07:00

Our annual spring cleaning of the Flint River is held in honor of the National American Rivers Week. On Saturday, June 6th, 2009, volunteers will meet at either the Publix parking lot in Hampton Cove or the Publix parking lot on Winchester Road. Our meeting place will depend on which part of the river we will clean. Please check back in mid May for final details! If you wish to join us, you can do so as a canoeist, a kayaker, or a landlubber. Our landlubbers like to keep their feet on terra firma, so they will clean up at the bridge crossings in groups. FRCA will have light snacks for all of our volunteers and we will have a BBQ cook out after the paddle! Please bring your own water. This is the first time in many years we have held a cook-out after a river cleanup, so come out to make this a splash to remember! If you'd like to join us, please call Soos Weber at 427-5116 or send an email to flintriverconservation@gmail.com by Wednesday, June 3rd so we can make sure we have enough canoes and food!

If you have any questions, just send an email to flintriverconservation@gmail.com.

Hope to see you on June 6!

A Great Day at the Hays Preserve's Earth Day event!

2009-04-24T21:04:00.000-07:00

We had a great time at this year’s Earth Day event on April 18th! The weather was perfect which made for great public turn out. The participating organizations’ tables were set up in an area right next to the Flint River and Cove Creek. Birds sang from the canopies throughout the day, caterpillars repelled from the trees and were seen everywhere, and a gentle breeze kept the flying bugs away.

Our ambassadors- Lance Brecht, Colleen Gipson and Jennifer Schade stayed busy all day talking with folks, playing “Feed the Fish” beanbag toss with the kids, and meeting numerous other local groups attending the festival. The kids had a great time playing the game and many returned again and again for more fun. We even got a new family membership signed up and we look forward to seeing them at future events and meetings.

There were also special guest speakers- Bill Cruger showed the kids all kinds of snakes & lizards and the Lookout Mountain Wild Animal Zoo that had black bears, a rescued monkey and other interesting creatures.

Overall, it was a great day! We look forward to participating at Hay’s Earth Day event next year as well. A job well done(!) to Soos Weber (Huntsville ecologist) and Operation Green Team for all of your hard work on organizing this event!!

FRCA Meeting on April 21st- Guest Speaker: Adam Snyder of Conservation Alabama

2009-04-15T08:36:00.000-07:00

Join us for our April meeting and potluck on Tuesday, April 21 at 6:30pm, in the Public Works Building at 320 Fountain Circle S.W. Huntsville, AL 35801.

On Tuesday April 21 FRCA’s guest speaker will be Adam Snyder, former Executive Director of the Alabama Rivers Alliance, and now the Executive Director of Alabama’s only environmental lobbying organization, Conservation Alabama.

Originally, founded in 1999 as the Alabama League of Environmental Action Voters, they are able to proudly state on their website, www.conservationalabama.org: “No bad environmental legislation has passed in the Alabama State Legislature” since they began working in Montgomery.

Conservation Alabama describes themselves as an organization that “believes someone should do something about the critical environmental issues we face, and that someone is our elected and appointed government officials.”

As Alabama’s only environmental lobby, Conservation Alabama maintains a full-time presence in Montgomery to make sound environmental policy. They are non-partisan and seek out legislators of all political parties that share similar views on the conservation and protection of Alabama’s natural resources.

Join FRCA for Earth Day, April 18

2009-04-09T05:46:00.000-07:00

It's almost Earth Day!! Stop by the Flint River Conservation Association's booth on April 18 at the Hayes Nature Preserve. Here's info about the preserve and how to find it. Here's an agenda of the great activities that will be going on during the day (suitable for your entire family!):

7:30: Birding Hike (bring binocs) with John Ehinger
10:00: 10:15 Boeing Corp. and Mayor Battle.
10:15: Reptile Show with Bill Cruger (you can hold them too!)
11:45: Rare and endangered mammals with Dr. Bloome (who brings new critters every year—2 very small baby black bears this year.
1:00: Ecohike with Forestry Professionals from the Society of American Foresters—Mountain Lakes Chapter
2:00: Release of rehabilitated hawks or owls
2:30: Second Ecohike with Forestry Professionals at Hays Preserve. Exploratory ecohike to Goldsmith Schiffman Wildlife Sanctuary.
3:00: Exhibitors break down
4:00: Return from all ecohikes.

All Forestry hikes will begin at the SAF exhibit. Exploratory ecohike at Goldsmith Schiffman Wildlife Sanctuary with Ecologist Soos Weber will begin at the big tent near the parking lot. Earth friendly exhibitors, vendors and conservation groups are set up in the Exhibit Area, as well as Earth Scope Teachers with games for young children. The Climbing Wall is in the parking lot. Food is available courtesy of the Boy Scouts of America.

Hope to see you there! Let us know if you have any questions!

Hayes Nature Preserve boardwalk

The Alabama Water Agenda

2009-01-29T07:47:00.000-08:00

The Alabama Water Agenda is a proactive, citizen-driven campaign for improving water policy in Alabama. The Agenda targets the biggest threats to our waters by ensuring lasting protections through improved state policy. This 10 minute video highlights the numerous values of our waterways, the major threats to our waters, and the steps we can take to ensure healthy waters for generations to come. Check it out!

FRCA is on Facebook!

2009-01-25T15:04:00.000-08:00

FRCA now has a page on Facebook to help members meet and to easily communicate news about the river, FRCA events, and how you can get involved. Go to the FRCA Cause page and click Join.

Next meeting Tuesday, Feb. 17

2009-01-25T14:44:00.000-08:00

Please join us for our next meeting on February 17! Our guest speaker will be Nelson Brooke from Black Warrior Riverkeeper. Nelson has been the staff Riverkeeper since January of 2004. As Riverkeeper, Nelson patrols and photographs the Black Warrior River and its tributaries, researches and analyzes polluters' permits, responds to citizen complaints, educates the public about the beauty of the river and threats to it, and is a spokesman for the Black Warrior River watershed. In addition to his duties as Riverkeeper, Nelson became the Executive Director in August of 2007.

Join us for a potluck dinner starting at 6:30. Just bring a dish to share! The meeting starts at 7:00 pm. Please join us! The meeting is at 320 Fountain Circle S.W. Huntsville, Alabama 35801.

Flint River Cleanup, Saturday Sept. 27

2008-09-22T10:34:00.000-07:00

On Saturday, September 27th, people around the country will be helping with projects on local, state and federal public lands all over the country. For the 6th year (but our 10th year cleaning up the river), The Flint River Conservation Association and Operation Green Team will participate in National Public Lands Day on the Flint River—a navigable river by canoe and as such is “waters of the U.S.”. We will meet at 8:45 in the morning to canoe a lower segment of the Flint River. Participants can bring their own canoes or rent one for $10 per seat ($20 per canoe). River shoes, sunscreen, hats, and sunglasses are a must, and we will provide snacks, trash bags, and drinks.

You can register by calling Soos Weber at 427-5116 by 9 a.m. on the morning of Friday September 26th. Landlubbers (those who don’t have canoeing experience) can clean up at designated bridge crossings where people carelessly toss out trash, hoping to hit the River. Children are certainly welcome!

Here are some photos from a previous cleanup:

Politics and the Environment Roundtable, Wednesday August 27

2008-07-30T05:40:00.000-07:00

FRCA is co-sponsoring, with UA Huntsville's political science department, a forum on Politics and the Environment on Wednesday, August 27th. Adam Snyder of Conservation Alabama, Roger Reid (the producer of Discovering Alabama), and other speakers will be the panel. Members of the community are invited to participate. The forum will be at 6 p.m. at Roberts Recital Hall on the UA Huntsville campus. Check back for details!

FRCA Meeting, June 17

2008-06-16T18:55:00.000-07:00

Our next public meeting is Tuesday, June 17th, 2008 at 6:30 featuring Jennifer Schade, our WWF intern. Jennifer will be discussing the results her work over the past year. Please join us at 6:30 for a potluck dinner. The meeting starts at 7:00. Hope to see you there!

We meet at:

320 Fountain Circle S.W.
Huntsville, Alabama 35801

Flint River Cleanup a Success!

2008-06-16T18:12:00.000-07:00

The river cleanup on June 7 featured 53 volunteers pulling trash from the river. It was a very successful day! Please plan to join us in September for our fall cleanup. We'll post the date here as soon as we know when it will be. Here are some pictures from the June 7 cleanup:

Getting all of the canoes and kayaks into the river:

Getting started:

Allison and her canoe partner recovering from tipping over:

Some of the resulting trash:

Slackwater Darter Field Day

2008-06-16T17:51:00.000-07:00

In May a group of FRCA volunteers hit the upper reaches of the Flint River watershed to look for suitable habitat for Slackwater darters. To further assess the habitat, we took a seine net to try to net some species associated with Slackwater Darters. We found some interesting species.

Here are some pictures from the outing:

Looking for fish:
One of the catches:

Rainbow Darter (isn't it gorgeous?):

Another specimen:

Freshwater ecoregions of the world

2008-05-15T18:01:00.000-07:00

Want to learn more about freshwater ecoregions? The World Wildlife Fund and the Nature Conservancy have just launched a great new site called Freshwater Ecoregions of the World that will allow you to learn all about freshwater resources:

Freshwater species and habitats are, on average around the world, more imperiled than their terrestrial counterparts. Yet, large-scale conservation planning efforts have rarely targeted freshwater biodiversity. This inattention is due in part to the fact that, compared to better-studied terrestrial taxa, there has been a severe lack of comprehensive, synthesized data on the distributions of freshwater species. Existing worldwide species-level data have covered only the largest river basins or select hotspots, rather than all inland waters. Additionally, these data syntheses have made little attempt to describe biogeographic patterns.
Freshwater Ecoregions of the World (FEOW) is a collaborative project providing the first global biogeographic regionalization of the Earth's freshwater biodiversity, and synthesizing biodiversity and threat data for the resulting ecoregions. We define a freshwater ecoregion as a large area encompassing one or more freshwater systems that contains a distinct assemblage of natural freshwater communities and species. The freshwater species, dynamics, and environmental conditions within a given ecoregion are more similar to each other than to those of surrounding ecoregions and together form a conservation unit.

Did you know that those of us who live near the Flint River in northern Alabama and southern Tennessee are right in the middle of one of the hotspots for aquatic biodiversity? The rivers and streams here have some of the highest biodiversity in the world. Get involved in a river conservation group near you to help protect these unique resources.

Flint River Cleanup, Saturday June 7

2008-05-09T08:04:00.000-07:00

Please join us for a day on the Flint! We'll meet Saturday, June 7 at 9:00 am at the Publix in Hampton Cove, off of highway 431 S. Just look for cars with canoes! If you don't have a canoe, you can still join us! Just let Soos Weber know you would like to borrow a canoe and we'll set you up! Please call soon so we can figure out how many canoes to rent. Call Soos at 256-427-5116 to sign up. If she doesn't answer, leave a message that includes how many people are in your group and how many canoes you need to borrow.

Slackwater Darter Workshop photos

2008-05-09T06:18:00.000-07:00

FRCA hosted two successful workshop in April to look for Slackwater Darter habitat. The Slackwater Darter is federally listed as an "threatened" species, and very little is know about its habitat and how to protect the species. With the information we learn during our study, we will be able to better protect its habitat and work closely with surrounding landowners and other conservation organizations to implement best management practices. FRCA hopes to expand the habitat of the Slackwater Darter, and possibly identify current habitat sites.

For these workshops, we gave a brief "in class" overview of the darter, its habitat, and habitat loss in north Alabama.

Next, our volunteers headed out into the field! We took maps that identified possible habitat sites and drove to those locations. Once we found the stream, we simply visually inspected the stream to see if it looked like stream slackwater darters would like. We filled out a form to specify the water quality (is the water clear or full of sediment?), how steep each bank is, an estimated width and depth of the stream, if there was any flooding adjacent to the stream, and whether or not vegetation was growing in the stream. We also used a GPS unit to get an exact location for the site. Here are some of our volunteers surveying a stream:

Here is a FRCA board member documenting one of the more promising sites:

We've managed to visually inspect a LOT of sites during April. If you want to learn how our project is progressing, come to our June meeting! Our intern will give a presentation about this project, our results so far, and what the results mean for the conservation of this threatened species!

Upcoming Events at the Hays Nature Preserve & Goldsmith Schiffman Wildlife Sanctuary:

2008-05-09T06:13:00.000-07:00

The Hays Nature Preserve & Goldsmith Schiffman Wildlife Sanctuary are two nature preserves just east of Huntsville right on the Flint River. Please join us for two fun events this month:

May 17: Get that Bloomin’ Privet Round Up! Meet at 9 a.m. at the Hays Parking lot and we'll carpool over to Goldsmith Schiffman. Bring gloves and the heaviest cutting tools you have. Soos Weber will provide long handled loppers for loaners.

May 31: GIANT bonfire (in big field) and a night ecohike, combined with a potluck (bring a dish—preferably not one that needs heating) to share, and a utensil if needed. The bonfire begins at 6:00, ecohike at 8:30, and no flashlights allowed (for the Ecohike).

For more information about either event, call Soos Weber at 256-427-5116.

Photo of the Hays Nature Preserve by Emmett Given

Slackwater Darter Workshop, Saturday April 26

2008-04-23T16:15:00.000-07:00

Join us for an Ecoadventure!

Sponsored by the Flint River Conservation Association and the World Wildlife Fund

Explore and enjoy the Upper Flint River area while helping the Slackwater Darter (Etheostoma boschungi) a fragile and threatened local fish species, the Slackwater Darter.

When: Saturday, April 5, 2008 (9:30 – 4:00)

What: Learn about and assist in habitat assessments for the slackwater darter in the Flint River Watershed. Following orientation and training, groups will be assigned local habitats to asses. Getting your feet wet is optional!

How to sign up: Call Allison Bohlman at (256) 656-3334 for more information or send an email to flintriverconservation@gmail.com.

Location: Orientation will be at the Winfred Thomas Agricultural Research Station (Walker Lane off of Highway 432, north of Meridianville).

What to bring: A sack lunch and shoes that you don’t mind getting a bit muddy or even wet. FRCA will provide refreshments.

Directions:

From Huntsville, take Highway 431/231 (N. Memorial Parkway) North past Meridianville.
Turn Right (east) on Walker Lane (about 10 miles north of Winchester Rd.).
Turn Right into the WTARS (about 0.5 miles).
The workshop will be held in the first building on your right (about 0.2 miles south of the entrance).

We hope you join us!

Comment on TVA's Energy Efficiency, Climate Change, and Renewable Draft Plans

2008-04-14T18:59:00.000-07:00

Comment on TVA's Energy Efficiency, Climate Change, and Renewable Draft Plans - Attend Upcoming Public Hearing Nearest You

Written Comments Due May 12

TVA will hold nine regional public briefings across the Tennessee Valley between April 14 and May 1 to discuss its draft Energy Efficiency and Demand Response Plan and Renewable and Clean Energy Assessment with interested stakeholders. Both are available at www.tva.gov/abouttva/board/draft_plans.htm

The proposals were presented to the TVA Board at its April 3 meeting in Knoxville.

TVA staff will discuss the energy efficiency and renewable energy recommendations to help meet the Valley's growing power demand through a comprehensive approach that includes cleaner, more energy-efficient opportunities. Stakeholders will be able to share their views on what TVA should include in each plan during a public comment period at each meeting.

Speaking opportunities will be on a first-come, first-served basis. Those interested in speaking are asked to register at the door. Written comments also may be submitted at the meeting or online at www.tva.com. Any comments received, including names and addresses, will become part of the administrative record and will be available for public inspection. Comments will be accepted through May 12.

TVA's draft Energy Efficiency and Demand Response Plan focuses on slowing the current rate of growth in power demand through potential opportunities to improve energy efficiency among residential, business and industrial consumer groups. In the short term, the plan proposes to potentially reduce the growth in peak demand by up to 1,400 megawatts – about the amount generated by one nuclear power unit – by the end of fiscal year 2012.

Monday, April 14 - Knoxville Marriott 500 Hill Avenue SE, Knoxville, Tenn., 6 to 8 p.m.

Tuesday, April 15 - Doubletree Hotel, 211 Mockingbird Lane, Johnson City, Tenn. 6 to 8 p.m.

Thursday, April 17 - Chattanooga Marriott, 2 Carter Plaza, Chattanooga, Tenn., 6 to 8 p.m.

Monday, April 21 - Thad Cochran Research, Technology, & ED Park, CAVS Center Auditorium
200 Research Blvd., Starkville, Miss. 6 to 8 p.m.

Tuesday, April 22 - The Bridges Building, 477 N. Fifth St., Memphis, Tenn. 6 to 8 p.m.

Thursday, April 24 - Embassy Suites Hotel, Nashville South/Cool Springs, 800 Crescent Centre Drive, Franklin, Tenn., 6 to 8 p.m.

Monday, April 28 - Huntsville Marriott (at Space Center), 5 Tranquility Base, Huntsville, Ala., 6 to 8 p.m.

Thursday, May 1 - North Georgia Technical College, 434 Meeks Ave., Blairsville, Ga., 6 to 8 p.m.

Thursday, May 1 - Hopkinsville-Christian County Convention Center, 303 Conference Center, Drive, Hopkinsville, Ky. 6 to 8 p.m.

(Action alert from the Tennessee Environmental Council)

Join our Yahoo group!

2008-04-07T17:05:00.000-07:00

FRCA has a Yahoo group to help members keep up to date about FRCA events and to help us all get to know one another. Anyone can join and post messages. It's easy and free! To sign up, visit this page:

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/FlintRiverConservation/

Then, just click "Join This Group!" If you have any problems, just contact us.

Learn about Alabama's New Green Resource Center!

2008-04-07T16:49:00.000-07:00

Are you interested in doing your part to protect the environment? Well, Alabama now has a new resource to help us create a smaller footprint: The Green Resource Center for Alabama.

FRCA is pleased to announce that Brantley Fry and Mark Rubino of the Green Resource Center will be the guest speakers at our next general meeting.

When: Tuesday, April 15.
Time: A potluck dinner starts at 6:30, the meeting starts at 7:00.
More info: For directions to the FRCA meeting, please visit the FRCA Meetings page.

This is an excellent opportunity to learn more about this new nonprofit. The mission of GRCA is enlighten and educate the public, industry professionals, and policymakers about design, construction, and maintenance practices for environmentally sustainable living--inspiring them to take action. GRCA aims to spark dialogue and offer resources to the people of Alabama so that we may find sensible solutions for healthy and productive lives.

The new GRCA building is in a soon to be Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certified building in downtown Homewood, AL. The building itself is a place where the community can encounter sensible green solutions such as a vegetative rooftop garden, demin insulation, reclaimed barn wood floors, solar panels, and a water cistern for irrigation. The GRCA is a place for research and connections between seekers and solutions.

Please join us as we explore and learn about the many new (and old) ways to go green in Alabama... and looks for updates on their website at:

www.greenalabama.org

News about water

2008-04-07T16:28:00.000-07:00

As we get our new blog off the ground, we thought you'd like to have access to some articles about water from around the country. Do you have a tip about a water-related news story? Let us know! Here are some stories that have appeared recently. Check back every week for a roundup of water-related news.

Drugs are in the water. Does it matter?
From the New York Times, April 3, 2008

Residues of birth control pills, antidepressants, painkillers, shampoos and a host of other compounds are finding their way into the nation’s waterways, and they have public health and environmental officials in a regulatory quandary.
On the one hand, there is no evidence the traces of the chemicals found so far are harmful to human beings. On the other hand, it would seem cavalier to ignore them.
The pharmaceutical and personal care products, or P.P.C.P.’s, are being flushed into the nation’s rivers from sewage treatment plants or leaching into groundwater from septic systems. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, researchers have found these substances, called “emerging contaminants,” almost everywhere they have looked for them.

This story reminds us not to flush unused medications down the toilet. Throw unused medicine away in the trash (mix them with something unpleasant, like cat litter or coffee grounds). You can also ask your pharmacist about a "take back" program.

Next up: bottled water. If you're like many people, you drink lots of bottled water. But are you aware of the true cost of bottled water? Check out these articles and think about your "water drinking habits."

Depleted Aquifers and Water Roulette
Droves of well-intentioned Americans are annually buying over 10 billion bottles of water that costs 1,000 times more than tap water. Why? In general bottled water is not any healthier than tap water, and in some cases, less so. The manufacture and transport of these single-use plastic bottles require precious energy, while releasing toxic chemicals both in their making and disposal in landfills or outright litter. Drinking water of course is vital for good health. But every citizen is entitled to clean water. If tap water quality is at issue, then the municipality should clean it up; or the homeowner can simply install a filter. Responsible citizens might also reuse a stainless steel container filled with tap water instead of supporting the bottling industry.

And even though we're getting a lot of rain lately, we're still officially in a drought (although now it's only "extreme" instead of "exceptional"). How can that be? Our groundwater hasn't fully recharged from the almost two years of drought. To read another article from the New York Times about drought issues in our area:

New to Being Dry, the South Struggles to Adapt

Alabama, where severe drought is even more widespread, is even further behind in its planning.
A realistic statewide plan, experts say, would tell developers that they could not build if no water was available, and might have restricted some of the enormous growth in the Atlanta area over the last decade. Already, officials have little notion how to provide for a projected doubling of demand over the next 30 years. The ideas that have been floated, including piping in water from Tennessee or desalinating ocean water, would require hundreds of billions of dollars and painful decision making the state has been reluctant to undertake.
''It's been develop first and ask questions later,'' said Gil Rogers, a lawyer with the Southern Environmental Law Center.

Ecoadventure! Slackwater Darter Workshop April 5

2008-03-29T06:20:00.000-07:00

Welcome to FRCA's new blog! Here we'll let everyone know about upcoming events, Alabama water news, and other items of interest to those who want to protect not only Alabama's Flint River, but other rivers in our beautiful state.

Now we'd like to announce a workshop on Saturday, April 5. Would you like to be a biologist for a day? If so, please join us to study the habitat of a threatened fish species in North Alabama:

Slackwater Darter Workshop

Sponsored by the Flint River Conservation Association and the World Wildlife Fund