AWWareness

By: Dana Herren and Sydney Zinner

Volunteer Trainers Dana Herren with Logan Martin Protection Association and Jacksonville River Monitors, and Jonathan Kelly of Wild Alabama, and Volunteer Trainer Intern Jecca Shumate-Thomason with the University of Montevallo, led an Alabama Water Watch Bacteriological and Water Chemistry Monitoring Field Day in Anniston, AL on Saturday, March 22.

They were joined by several program partners who supported the training: Carver Community Center, West Anniston Foundation, Coosa Riverkeepers, Choccolocco Creek Watershed, Wild Alabama, and the Jacksonville River Monitors.

Continue reading “Volunteer Trainers Host Workshop in Anniston!”

Check out the 2024 Alabama Water Watch Annual Report to see all of the AWWesome achievements of AWW’s Volunteer Monitors, Trainers, Association, and program partners.

VIEW 2024 ANNUAL REPORT

If you would like a text-only accessible PDF version of the report, please contact awwprog@auburn.edu

By: Mona Dominguez

AWW Program Director Mona Dominguez was invited to join a panel on Volunteer Citizen-Science Coordination at the 2025 Invasive Species Ambassador Training hosted by Wild Spotter, a nationwide program mapping invasive species. Read on for a recap of Mona’s experience and more about the Wild Spotter program.

Continue reading “AWW Director Speaks on Citizen Science @ Wild Spotter Ambassador Training”

By: Mona Dominguez

AWW Director, Mona Dominguez had the opportunity to participate in the Bays and Bayous Symposium in Biloxi, MS  last November. It was a fabulous conference and provided a variety of presentations by leading scientists, educators, and coastal experts from throughout the Gulf region. She gave an oral presentation, that highlighted the successes and importance of the NOAA B-WET funded project that has provided more than 40 educators with training, curriculum, and materials that they have utilized to engage over 1,500 middle and high school students with meaningful watershed experiences that have helped them to understand, identify, detect, and mitigate pathogen pollution.  

Continue reading “Bays and Bayous and the Boggs !”

Alabama Water Watch is seeking nominations from program participants and partners to recognize outstanding volunteers.

Nominations will be open through March 5th. Winners will be notified at the end of March and will be presented with their award at the 2025 AWW Annual Meeting in Foley, AL on Saturday, June 21.

Continue reading “2025 Volunteer Awards: Call for Nominations”

By: Mona Dominguez and Emily Ward

Vanessa currently serves as the DeKalb County Extension Coordinator, however, she previously held the role of 4-H Youth Development Coordinator in Jackson County. While in Jackson County, Vanessa was actively involved with the 4-H AWW program for three years, where she provided hands-on environmental education in classrooms, organized water monitoring day camps, and led instruction for homeschool groups.

Continue reading “4-H AL Water Watch Spotlight: Vanessa Roberts with DeKalb County Extension”

By: Emily Ward and Mona Dominguez

Kacy Cobb is a 9-12th grade teacher at Hamilton High School in Marion County. She has been sharing 4-H AWW with students through the school’s Environmental Club for over a decade.

In 2017, Kacy, along with fellow Hamilton High School Science Teacher Dustin Murray and Rebecca Danley, 4-H Youth Development Coordinator with Marion County were recognized as the 4-H Alabama Water Watch Club of the Year!

Continue reading “4-H AL Water Watch Spotlight: Hamilton High School”

By: Brianne Minton

What/ Who is Alabama Drought Reach? 

Alabama Drought Reach (ADR) is a statewide drought communications and outreach program focused on improving our understanding of how drought impacts Alabama.

The program is a collaborative partnership between the Auburn University Water Resources Center, the Alabama Office of the State Climatologist, and the Alabama Cooperative Extension System with additional support from the Alabama Agricultural Experiment Stations.

The ADR motto is to stay aware and be prepared. Drought can occur at any time and have major impacts on all areas of life within Alabama.

Read on to learn how citizens can engage with drought impact reporting in their communities.

Continue reading “Citizen Science through the Alabama Drought Reach Program”