Free Alabama Water Watch Workshop Saturday, August 29

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!

Slackwater Darter Field Day

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:

Slackwater Darter Workshop photos

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!

Slackwater Darter Workshop, Saturday April 26

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!

Ecoadventure! Slackwater Darter Workshop April 5

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

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!