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One of the most common misconceptions that we, the AWW staff, frequently encounter in our travels throughout the state is “the state is looking after my creek/river/lake/bay/bayou, right?” Unfortunately, in the majority of cases, the answer is “sort of”. With more than 77,000 miles of streams/rivers and over half a million acres of pond/lakes/reservoirs in the state, even a well-funded state agency would be hard-pressed to monitor Alabama’s waters, let alone a state agency that’s been cut to the bone, as the Alabama Department of Environmental Management has been.

Enter Alabama Water Watch. As the AWW monitors, trainers and friends from eight of the state’s ten major basins learned at AWW’s Annual Gathering on Saturday, June 13th, the collective efforts of hundreds of citizen volunteer monitors are taking up the slack.

Continue reading “Who’s watching our water?”

By: Eric Reutebuch

Good question, Mr. Lorax! A group of fourteen enthusiastic citizen volunteers joined AWW staffers, Sergio Ruiz –Córdova and Mona Dominguez, to participate in an Exploring Our Living Steams workshop for an answer. The two-day workshop was conducted at New Site, AL, organized and sponsored by Sabrina Wood, Alabama Clean Water Partnership Facilitator for the Tallapoosa Basin. Folks came from Alexander City, Jackson’s Gap, Dadeville, Eclectic, Wedowee, Montgomery, Rockford, Auburn and Daviston to learn about Alabama’s streams. Continue reading “Who speaks for the streams?”

by: eric reutebuch

It was a bitter-sweet day last Tuesday when we gathered downstairs here in the CASIC Building for the retirement celebration of our director, Dr.  Sam Fowler.

Continue reading “We’ll miss you, Dr. Fowler!”

by: eric reutebuch

On April 1st, 2015 the 15-yr old FrontPage server that hosts the AWW Online Database will be turned off forever. But don’t despair – our database gurus, Jim Johnson and Sergio (below), have worked countless long hours and late nights over the past 12 months to update and transfer the AWW database to a newer-faster-better server!

Continue reading “AWW Database Transition”

by: eric reutebuch

The staff of Alabama Water Watch was saddened by the news of Jerald Conway’s death in late 2014. Jerald worked at the Montgomery Water Works and Sanitary Sewer Board for 38 years and was the Director of Environmental Services there.

Continue reading “AWW is saddened by the loss of an elite water monitor”

With the assistance of AWW volunteer monitors from Lake Watch of Lake Martin and Logan Martin Lake Protection Association, AWW completed a bacteriological study of public swim beaches on the two lakes last fall. Along with information about the levels of bacteria found in the water and in the sand/sediment below the water, the Lake Watch folks worked closely with the good folks at Wind Creek State Park and established the first Swim Guide site on Lake Martin. Continue reading “There’s an app for that!”

by Ashley Campbell, CPESC, Environmental Program’s Manager, City of Daphne

The City Daphne is an ADEM permitted Phase II Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System (MS4).  As part of the City’s implementation of its Stormwater Management Program Plan, the City purchased water test kits to introduce citizens to volunteer water monitoring.

Continue reading “City of Daphne purchases AWW water testing kits for local volunteers”

Message from the Director:

Thanks to an army of dedicated AWW citizen volunteers, 2014 turned out to be a very good year for AWW! Continue reading “Merry Christmas from AWW!”

It is impossible to talk with teacher and 4-H Club Sponsor, Christina Turner without getting excited about the limitless possibilities we have as adults to make a difference in kids’ lives. Click here for ‘the rest of the story.’