The Official Blog of Alabama Water Watch
We had a great turnout this Saturday at the University of Montevallo’s Water Chemistry Workshop. We had nearly 30 students and we only expected 20! WOW!
AWW Citizen Trainer Flo Peters was assisted by recent UM graduate, Ryan Ahrendt in teaching Water Chemistry Monitoring principles and practices – both did an AWWsome job! Catch some of the action in the photos below:
Continue reading “Workshop Updates: University of Montevallo Environmental Club”
Sydney Smith officially began her role as AWW Volunteer Monitor Coordinator in July 2017. Her primary role is to provide support to our volunteer monitors and trainers. She accomplishes this by conducting and coordinating training workshops, processing water data, setting up new sampling sites, developing training materials, and maintaining regular communication with our volunteers. Sydney has been a wonderful addition to the AWW Program Staff as she is hard working, intelligent, and creative. On top of that she has a great attitude about her work with AWW and is lots of fun!
We realize many of you have already communicated with Sydney, but we wanted to give her an official welcome and tell you a little more about her with a little Q & A.
Continue reading “Meet Our New Volunteer Coordinator, Sydney Smith!”
The Official Alabama Water Watch App is here! Our app is FREE and available for download on Google Play and the Apple Store. The AWW App was made possible through the Auburn University Water Resources Center, Alabama Agricultural Experiment Station, and the Alabama Cooperative Extension System.
On AWW data and water monitoring data entry …
The AWW database is closing in on 90,000 water monitoring data records and with all of that data comes a need for efficient data management! Since 2002, the majority of water data has been submitted electronically by certified AWW monitors. Even with all of our years of experience managing the AWW database and web tools, AWW has to learn and adapt every day in order to keep up with constantly changing technology. In addition, we have to balance the changing needs of our volunteers and waterbodies.
With this in mind, we would like to introduce you to our newest online data entry system that was developed in an effort to provide monitors with an improved data entry and review process. Our tests of the new system have received positive feedback.
Dear AWW Family,
It is with a heavy heart that I write to you, but a heart filled with gratitude and purpose. As of October 1, I retired from Auburn University after 29 years of service. After hobbling around for a couple of months this past spring, I was diagnosed with ALS last July, which precipitated my retirement.
Recently, I recalled a coworker suggesting that, along with all of the fine watershed stewardship activities that we do, we should also take time to get out and enjoy the precious waters that flow through our state – that is my next major goal.
Whitney Henson first started monitoring with AWW in 2014 and became a dedicated citizen volunteer trainer just a year later. She has since graduated from Jacksonville State University with a Bachelors in Geography in 2015 and Masters in Emergency Management in 2017, helped establish the AWWsome monitoring group Jacksonville River Monitors and now works at NOAA’s Office of Water Prediction as an Associate Scientist.
Let’s get to know Whitney better:
Continue reading “Whitney Henson, AWW Trainer & Monitor Extraordinaire!”
Below are a couple of updates relative to 1) reporting fish kills, and 2) advising on consumption of contaminated fish.
Please help the good folks in the Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries Division of DCNR (Department of Conservation and Natural Resources) in documenting and diagnosing fish kills in Alabama Waters by calling them ASAP when you witness a fish kill at:
Operation Game Watch line at 1-800-272-GAME(4263) (http://www.outdooralabama.com/reporting-freshwater-fish-kills)
Continue reading “Fish Kills and Contaminated Fish Consumption”
Water Watchers,
I hope that all are having an enjoyable summer, and have time to recreate on and in our world-class waters here in Alabama. Below are a couple of updates relative to bacterial contamination of our surface waters, and our AWW bacteriological data entry that we wanted to bring to your attention:
New ADEM Bacteriological Criteria
Continue reading “Updates on bacteria monitoring from ADEM and AWW”
Last fall, Alabama Water Watch (AWW) was contacted by Flotilla Commander Jake Shaw, Director of the Coast Guard Auxiliary (CGA) at Auburn University. Commander Shaw, and the AU CGA cadets were interested in AWW and how water monitoring might mesh with their mission to be involved in environmental stewardship. After an introductory presentation on AWW, they felt that becoming AWW-certified in water monitoring would be a great fit!
Continue reading “AU’s Coast Guard Auxiliary begins Watching Auburn’s Water”
2017 Alabama Water Watch Awards
Several individuals and groups were recognized during the AWW 25th Anniversary Celebration. Continue reading “2017 AWW Awards”