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In partnership with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
and the Georgia Environmental Protection Division the UGA River
Basin Center recently formed the Initiative for Watershed Excellence:
Upper Altamaha Pilot Project. The project is managed and involves
a consortium of students and personnel from Mercer University,
Gainesville College Oconee Campus, Georgia State College and
UGA. The initiative will help stakeholders in the 52 counties
in Georgia’s Upper Altamaha watershed region to better
manage their water resources.
The Upper Altamaha region has seen tremendous growth – between
1990 and 2000, the state of Georgia saw a 26.4 percent increase
in population, more than twice the national average – and
pressure on water resources is expected to increase in the
coming years. Further, the Upper Altamaha watershed was chosen
because it lies entirely within Georgia’s borders, thereby
simplifying the scope of water resource issues that might be
addressed in this pilot effort.
“We’ll provide training and technical assistance
to local and regional government officials and staff, nongovernmental
organizations, business interests and other stakeholders on
topics of watershed concern,” said Laurie Fowler, co-director
of the River Basin Center, which is part of UGA’s Institute
of Ecology. Community assistance may also take the form of
workshops on riparian buffers, stormwater management, land
use planning tools, and development of permit fee programs,
grants and other funding opportunities.
The program can help provide relatively low cost assistance
to local governments and stakeholders who need help on a wide
range of watershed management issues. It can also help identify
funding sources for things as varied as water monitoring equipment,
public septic systems, or restoration of streams. The program
can also save duplication of effort by coordinating water resource
planning on a regional basis.
The River Basin Center has already begun creating a database
of watershed stakeholders and convened a team to prioritize
their needs. An initial survey of stakeholders that included
local governments, advocacy groups and federal and state agencies
revealed a strong interest by stakeholders in receiving accurate
gauges of current and future land use, and in education programs
to teach cost-effective water management techniques.
“It’s a huge project, the first time we’ve
attempted anything this size,” said River Basin Center
co-director Ron Carroll. “But this program has the potential
to spread across the country. It could be a real boon to water
management.”
Competing
in a Global Economy
The University of Georgia is at the forefront of the globalization
movement in higher education with a wealth of opportunities for
international experiences. Our students are flocking to study-abroad
programs, thriving on the challenges inherent in confronting a
new cultural environment. More and more, students on campus are
also making choices that reflect an understanding of the importance
of global awareness—from living in a residence hall-based
language community to starting a radio program in another language
to minoring in a foreign language. These experiences, whether at
home or abroad, influence how our students perceive the world and
their place in it. We’re producing graduates prepared to
be world citizens—well informed, culturally sensitive and
technologically sophisticated. They’re ready to take on the
challenges of our global society, and they’ll be equally
at home whether in the Peach State or the Republic of Georgia. |
