The Alabama Section of THE AMERICAN WATER...

AWRCOralandPosterPresentations

2017 Alabama Water Resources Conference

The Alabama Section of THE AMERICAN WATER RESOURCES ASSOCIATION

2017 Alabama Water Resources Conference Presentations

September 2017



Alabama Section of the American Water Resources Association Symposium Program

Wednesday, September 6, 2017

Theme: Effective Water Resources Communication

Registration Open – (Lobby)

Welcome & Introduction – (Salons E‐H) Kenneth Odom, PE, PhD, Southern Company, AWRA President

Overview of Symposium Eve Brantley, PhD, Alabama Cooperative Extension System, President Elect, AWRA

Influencing Positive Change Barry Fagan, PE/PLS, ENV SP, CPMSM CPESC, Volkert, Inc.

Building Blocks for a Community Watershed Jonika Smith, Jefferson County Dept. of Public Health’s Watershed Protection Program, Education and Outreach

NETWORKING BREAK

Commercials, Songs and Everybody’s an Expert: Thoughts on the communication of science Matt Waters, PhD, Auburn University

Getting Stakeholders to the Table and Keeping Them Engaged Sabra Sutton, CH2M

A Picture is Worth More Than a Thousand Words: Communication through art

Wrap Up and Adjournment Kenneth Odom, PE, PhD, Southern Company, AWRA President

2017 AWRC Sponsors

Alabama A&M University Alabama Cooperative System, SerPIE Program

Samford University Masters of Science in Environmental Management

Alabama Coal Association Hargrove Environmental & Constructors

Alabama Power Company Normandeau Associates

Alabama Pulp and Paper Council Ott Hydromet and Hydrolab

Amec Foster Wheeler PowerSouth Energy

Balch & Bingham, LLP

CH2M Trutta Environmental Solutions

Drummond Company UA SafeState

Eureka Water Probes Flexamat

Kleinschmidt – Energy & Water Resource Consultants

University of Alabama Research and Economic Development Water Policy and Law Institute



AWRC Conference Program Session Topics and Presenters

Thursday, September 7, 2017

Ballroom D – Session One: Watershed Management

Have the local government entities involved in water resources management evolved over the period 1990 to the present day? Have their changing roles influenced the development of water policy in the state? Mary Wallace Pitts, University of Alabama

Growing and Maintaining a Vibrant Watershed Group in North Central Alabama Kevin Jenne, Watershed Coordinator, Choccolocco Creek Watershed

Implementation Assessment for Water Resource Availability, Protection, and Utilization for the Choctawhatchee, Pea and Yellow Rivers Watersheds Barbara Gibson, Choctawhatchee, Pea and Yellow Rivers Watershed Management Authority

What Difference Does a Year Make? The influence of drought periods on low flow statistics and water quality trends Lynn Sisk, TTL, Inc.

Ballroom E – Session One: Aquatic Ecology/Biology

Quantification of Functional Marker Genes for Denitrifying Microbial Populations in the Chandeleur Islands Impacted by the 2010 Gulf of Mexico Oil Spill Nikaela Flournoy, University of Alabama

Non‐Lethal Estimation of Proximate Body Composition of Channel Catfish Using Bioelectrical Impedance Analysis Julie Sharp, University of Alabama

Estimating Nitrogen Removal Services of Eastern Oyster in Mobile Bay, Alabama Quan Lai, Auburn University

Macroinvertebrate Community Response to Drought Years in Regulated and Unregulated Reaches of the Tallapoosa River, Alabama Kristie Ouellette, Alabama Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit

Ballroom F‐H – Session One: Water Quantity

Limits to Water Entrepreneurship and How to Overcome Them: A case analysis Craig Armstrong, University of Alabama

EPA’s Water Conservation & Efficiency Best Practices (formerly Region 4’s Water Efficiency Guidelines) Rosemary (Hall) Calli, Aquatic Ecotoxicologist, EPA Region 4

Updating Low‐Flow Frequency and Flow‐Duration Statistics in Alabama Toby Feaster, U.S. Geological Survey

Hydrologic Classification of Alabama Rivers Based on Cluster Analysis of Dimensionless Signatures Sarah Praskievicz, University of Alabama



Ballroom D – Session Two: Water Policy/Law

Aftermath: Water policy implications of Florida v. Georgia Bennett Bearden, Water Policy and Law Institute, University of Alabama

Multi‐Decadal Decline of Alabama Streamflow Glenn Tootle, University of Alabama

A Paleohydroclimate Perspective on Alabama Water Policy Matthew Therrell, University of Alabama

Bridging Water Policy and Aquatic Species Conservation: What we have learned from a two‐inch fish Patrick O'Neil, Geological Survey of Alabama

Ballroom E – Session Two: Drought/Climate Issues

Past and Future Predicted Effects of Sea Level Rise and Human Activities on Habitats and Shorelines in Coastal Alabama’s Weeks Bay Watershed Scott Jackson, Ecology and Environment, Inc.

Land‐Atmosphere Coupling and Soil Moisture Memory Contribute to Long‐Term Agricultural Drought Sanjiv Kumar, Auburn University

Development of Bivariate and Multivariate Coastal Drought Index: A comprehensive drought assessment tool for coastal areas, bays and estuaries Subhasis Mitra, Auburn University

Medium Range Forecasting of Reference Evapotranspiration in Continental U.S. Using Numerical Weather Predictions Hanoi Medina, Auburn University

Ballroom F‐H – Session Two: Weeks Bay Session

Creating a Clean Water Future for the Weeks Bay Watershed Roberta Swann, Mobile Bay National Estuary Program

Weeks Bay Watershed Hydrologic and Water Quality Modeling Latif Kalin, Auburn University

Weeks Bay Watershed Management Plan: Overview of watershed conditions and water quality John Carlton, Double J Farms

Ecosystem Review and Analysis for the Weeks Bay Watershed Management Plan Tim Thibaut, Barry A. Vittor & Associates, Inc.

Management Recommendations for the Weeks Bay Watershed Management Plan Michael Eubanks, Thompson Engineering, Inc.



Ballroom D – Session Three: Modeling in Water Management

Application of AnnAGNPS to Model an Agricultural Watershed in East‐Central Mississippi for the Evaluation of an On‐Farm Water Storage (OFWS) System Ritesh Karki, Auburn University

Implementing a Modified HAND Method for Real‐Time Continental Inundation Mapping Ryan McGehee, Auburn University

Challenges, Perspectives and Understandings Regarding Wetland Function: A comparative case study Rasika Ramesh, Auburn University

Using Drone Images to Capture Channel Geometry for Hydrological Modeling Thorsten Knappenberger, Auburn University

Ballroom E – Session Three: Water Quality

Common Mistakes in Applying Statistics to Water Quality Data and How to Avoid Them Jason Heberling, Heberling Environmental Consulting

Establishing Comprehensive Volunteer Water Quality Monitoring Jason Kudulis, Mobile Bay National Estuary Program

Water‐Soluble Carbohydrates Sensing System Using Boronic Acid Modified Poly (amidoamine) Dendrimers Xiaoli Liang, University of Alabama

Reconstructing Sediment Inputs, Water Quality and Phytoplankton Communities in Wolf Bay, Alabama from the Sediment Record Matthew Waters, Auburn University

Ballroom F‐H – Session Three: Restoration/Remediation

Bear Point Bayou: A case study in urban coastal stream restoration Kit Hamblen, CH2M

Update on Grant Funded Comprehensive Steam Restoration Projects in the D'Olive Watershed, Baldwin County, Alabama Paul Lammers, Mobile Bay National Estuary Program

Faunal Habitat Linkages for Alabama Barrier Island Restoration Assessment at Dauphin Island Clint Lloyd, Auburn University

Primum Non Nocere: Fundamentals of ecological‐driven remediation John Schell, TEA, Inc.

Ballroom D – Session Four: Connecting Agencies, Industries and Stakeholders

Examples of Local Municipalities Working with Their Universities Michael Freeman, AWWA

Inland Navigation in Alabama Larry Merrihew, Coalition of Alabama Waterway Associations

Finding and Nurturing Public Support: What cultural rhetorics can contribute to public debates on environmental initiatives and clean water policies? Cindy Tekobbe, University of Alabama

Alabama Oyster Shell Recycling Program: Connecting people to their Coast Mark Berte, Alabama Coastal Foundation



Ballroom E – Session Four: Stormwater Management

Realizing Our Sustainability Potential: Utilizing urban trees for stormwater management Jeremy Bailey, GreenBlue Urban

The Alabama Clean Water Partnership: Engaging students for clean water Ashley Henderson and Sabrina Wood, Alabama Clean Water Partnership ‐ Alabama and Tallapoosa River Basins

Mapping and Analysis of Sedimentation in a Suburban Lake Bret Webb, University of South Alabama

Stormwater User Fees in Alabama Byron Hinchey, Amec Foster Wheeler

Ballroom F‐H – Session Four: Restoration GIS in Water Management

Evaluating Baseline Watershed Conditions and Identifying Restoration Opportunities Using Mobile Data Collection Software David Bell, CH2M

Using GIS and Story Maps for Watershed Management and Monitoring John Cartwright, Mississippi State University

High Definition Stream Survey of the Duck River: Covering 120 miles in 8 days with only 2 people Brett Connell, Trutta Environmental Solutions

Alabama Dam Safety: Inventory update and beyond Jeff Zanotti, Amec Foster Wheeler

Friday, September 9, 2017

Ballroom D – Session Five: Water Resources Education and Stewardship

How You Can Be a Part of Alabama Dam Safety Wade Burcham, Integrated Science & Engineering

4‐H Alabama Water Watch: Increasing environmental literacy and watershed stewardship through youth‐focused citizen science Mona Dominguez, Auburn University

Establishing a Coastal Alabama Conservation Corps Tom Herder, Mobile Bay National Estuary Program

Accessible County Level Water Resource Fact Sheets: Experiences from your neighbor Vincent White, USGS

Ballroom E – Session Five: Flood Issues

Is the Present a Key to the Past or Is the Past a Key to the Present: A look into the paleoflood record of the Tennessee River in Alabama Lisa Davis, University of Alabama

How Can We Prepare Alabama for the Era of Water Crisis? Jonghun Kam, Princeton University

Gradient‐Based Flood Map: A science‐based policy alternative to the 100‐year flood zone Rachel Lombardi, University of Alabama

Increasing Flood Risk Awareness and Resilience through the Alabama Floodplain Management Program Clay Campbell, Amec Foster Wheeler



Ballroom F‐H – Session Five: Ground Water Availability/Management

Developing New Groundwater Sources: Science or serendipity? Marlon Cook, Cook Hydrogeology, LLC

Extremophile Relationship to Geologic Setting in the Sulfur Springs Located at Blount Springs, Alabama David Frings, Samford University

Status and Trends of Streamflow Recession in Tennessee from Distributional Properties of Day‐Over‐Day Declines Elena Crowley‐Ornelas, USGS, Texas Water Science Center

Assessment of Groundwater Resources in Nanafalia Aquifer 2010‐2016 Amye Hinson, Geological Survey of AL

Ballroom D – Session Six: Water/Wastewater Systems Management

Disinfection of Liquid Human Waste through Photoelectrochemical Process Qing Peng, University of Alabama

Scope and Impacts of Household Raw Wastewater Discharges in Three Alabama Counties Mark Elliott, University of Alabama

Tracking Wastewater Influence on Oysters (Crassostrea virginica) in a Freshwater Dominated Urbanized Estuary Haley Nicholson, University of South Alabama

Keeping Lagoons EPA Compliant Wade Stinson, Wastewater Compliance Systems

Ballroom E – Session Six: Ecological Flows

Quantifying Streamflow Alteration in Basins Draining to the Gulf of Mexico Brian Breaker, USGS

Hydrologic Alteration and the Clean Water Act: Part I Gerrit Jobsis, American Rivers

Hydrologic Alteration and the Clean Water Act: Part II Randall Haddock, Cahaba River Society

Minimum Streamflow Requirements Necessary for Streambed Inundation Using Graphical and Mathematical Methods for Alabama Streams Claire Rose, USGS

Ballroom F‐H – Session Six: Coastal Issues

Beach Restoration Design and Construction on Dauphin Island, Alabama Beau Buhring, South Coast Engineers

A Multifaceted Approach for Continuous and Near‐Real‐Time Observations of Sediment, Heavy Metals and Nutrient Fluxes into Mobile Bay, Alabama Natasha Dimova, University of Alabama

Going with the Flow: A novel, inexpensive method for collection of suspended sediment in the coastal environment Emily Elliott, University of Alabama

Coastal Marine Planning in Alabama Christian Miller, Mobile Bay National Estuary Program



Abstracts (alphabetical order by author’s last name)

Oral Presentations

Limitstowaterentrepreneurshipandhowtoovercomethem:AcaseanalysisCraigArmstrong,PaulDrnevic,LouisMarino,JeffreyMartin&TheresaWelbourne,UniversityofAlabamaTheSoutheasternUnitedStates’waterwaysandaquiferssupporttensofmillionsoflivesandarecrucialtotheeconomiesofthisregion.Waterwaysandaquiferssupportshipping,industry,agriculture,andrecreationaluses.Intheseways,waterisaneconomicallyvaluablecommodity,yetwaterissomehowtreateddifferentlybecauseitisbothaprivategoodandapublicgood.Apersonwhoconsumesprivategoods,suchasfood,shelter,andclothing,limitstheavailabilityofthatgoodtoothers.Apublicgood,suchasastatepark,isacommoditythateveryoneshares.Waterisauniquecommoditybecauseitbothaprivateandpublicgood.Forexample,youcanenjoytheviewofthelake(apublicgood)thatprovidesdrinkingwatertoyourmunicipalityorhelprunyourfactory(privategood).Asaprivategood,thepriceofwatervariesdependingonwhoisusingit.Thepriceofresidentialuseofwaterservices(drinkingwater,sewage,andstormwatermanagement)foraround7,500gallonsamonthrangesinpricefrom$10to$60.That’s90,000gallonsayearfor$720forresidentialuse.Incontrast,commercially‐intensivewateruserssuchaselectricutilities,mining,andpulpandpaperprocessing,mayuseontheorderoftensofmillionsofgallonsayearforapermitfeeofafewthousandUSdollars.Likepreciousmineralsandoil,waterisacommoditythatisinfactscarcebut,unlikepreciousmineralsandoil,ispricedasacommoditythatisabundant.Thepriceofwaterasaprivategoodisessentiallyfree.Insummary,wateriscrucialtotheeconomicwell‐beingoftheSoutheasternUnitedStates,hasthecharacteristicsofbeingbothapublicorprivategooddependingonhowitisusedandwhoisusingit,andispricedasthoughitwereanabundantresourcewhenitisinfactscarce.Thesefactorsposesubstantialbarrierstoentrepreneurswhowanttocreatenewtechnologiestotreatandconservewater.Whopaysforthetechnologythatimproveswaterusagebyshippingcompaniesorrecreationalboaters?Whataretheincentivesforindustriestoinvestinnewtechnologiesforwaterconservationandtreatmentifwaterissoinexpensiveasaprivategood?Thisstudydrawsfromacaseanalysisofanentrepreneurwhosuccessfullyidentifiedanichemarketforintroducingawaterconservationproductandisnowattemptingtoexpandhisbusiness.Thekeydimensionsofthisanalysisdrawfromresearchframeworksfortheentrepreneurialprocess:howtoidentifypromisingopportunities,howtocreateauniquevalueproposition,howtoidentifyandenternichemarkets,andhowtoexpandintolargermarketsandapplicationsfortheproductorservice.Framingthesequestionswithinthecontextof“waterentrepreneurship”illuminateswhywehaven’tseengrowthincommerciallyviableinnovationsinwatermanagement.Forexample,anentrepreneurorresearchscientistmayhavedevelopedtheconceptforauniquelyvaluableproductorserviceforwatermanagement,butmaynotbeabletoidentifyanaddressable



market.Entrepreneurswhodofindaddressablemarketsmaystillfacelimitationstogrowthdependingonthescalabilityoftheproductorserviceintonew,largermarkets.Wefocusonspecifictacticsentrepreneursandscientistscanusetoidentifyandsuccessfullyexploitopportunitiestointroduceuniquelyvaluableproductsorservicesinwatermanagement.Ouranswerstothesequestionsprovideinsightsforentrepreneurs,watermanagementprofessionals,andpolicymakers.RealizingOurSustainabilityPotential:UtilizingUrbanTreesforStormwaterManagementJeremyBailey,GreenBlueUrbanUsingurbantreesasgreeninfrastructureforourcitiesisarguablythemostsustainablestormwatermanagementsolutionavailable.Drainageproblemsarisingfromincreasinglevelsofurbanizationhaveexacerbatedthelimitationsofconventionalsurface‐waterdrainagemeasures.Thepossibilitiestherearetoturnstormwaterrunofffromahindrancetoanopportunityarelimitless.Streettreescanbeessentialcomponentstothemanagementofstormwaterinurbanareas.Liketheirwoodlandforestequivalents,urbantreesdirectprecipitationintothegroundthroughtrunkflowandabsorbrainfallthroughtheirroots–makingthemaninvaluablesustainabilityassetintheurbanenvironment.Traditionaldrainagesystemsforsurfacewaterrunoffhavebeendesignedtotransferrainwaterfromwhereithasfallentoeitherasoak‐awayorawatercourseasrapidlyaspossible.Thismethodincreasestherisksofflooding,environmentaldamage,andurbandiffusepollution;sincerunoffwaterusuallycarriescontaminantsincludingoils,heavymetals,pesticides,fertilizers,chemicalsandotherurbanmatter.Specificallydesignedurbantreepitsystemscaneffectivelyandsustainablymitigatethesechallengesandsignificantlyreducethevelocityandflowrateofsurfacewaterrunoffinurbanareas,contributingtowardsmeetingtherequireddischargerates,whilefilteringoutharmfulpollutantsandcontaminantscarriedinsurfacewater.ThispresentationusesGreenBlueUrban’s25yearsoffieldexperience,inconjunctionwithworld‐renownedresearcherssuchastheUniversityofAbertayDundeeandE2DesignLabs,toexaminetheopportunitiesavailableforintegratingstormwatermanagementintourbantreeplantingfortrulysustainableurbanlandscapes.



Aftermath:WaterPolicyImplicationsofFloridav.GeorgiaBennettBearden,WilliamAndreen,&NathanielBroadhurst,TheUniversityofAlabama.In2013,FloridafiledamotionintheU.S.SupremeCourtforleavetofileacomplaintseekinganequitableapportionmentoftheACFbasin.Floridav.Georgia,No.142Orig.(filedSept.25,2013).FloridasoughttocapGeorgia’soveralldepletivewateruses.Alabamawasnotnamedinthelawsuit.TheCourtgrantedFlorida’smotioninNovember2014andappointedRalphLancaster,aPortland,Maineattorney,asSpecialMaster.Inearly2015,GeorgiamovedtodismissthecaseforfailuretojointheUnitedStatesasaparty.GeorgiaarguedthattheUnitedStateshadtobejoinedasapartybecauseFloridacouldnotbegrantedcompletereliefunlesstheUnitedStates,astheoperatorofanumberofdamsintheACFbasin,wasboundbythefinaljudgment.TheSpecialMasterdeniedGeorgia’smotion.TheSpecialMastercontinuallyurgedthepartiestosettlethecase,butnegotiationswereprotracted.Accordingly,hesetatrialdateinthecaseforOctober31,2016.Afterfiveweeksoftrial,concludingonDecember1,2016,theSpecialMasteragainimploredbothsidestonegotiateasettlement.CaseManagementOrderNo.22,January3,2017,Doc.634,specificallyrequiredFloridaandGeorgiatomeetandconferaboutsettlementandtoconsider,interalia,asolutionthatmightinvolvepossibleimportationofwater,viaaninterbasintransfer(IBT)fromoutsidetheACFBasin.Thenegotiations,however,provedfruitless.OnFebruary14,2017Georgiaclaimedamajorvictoryinthislong‐runninglegaldisputewhentheSpecialMasterissuedhis70‐pagereporttotheUnitedStatesSupremeCourt,whichconcludedthatFloridahadfailedtoprovethatnewlimitsonGeorgia’swaterconsumptionwouldprovideFloridawiththereliefthatithadsought.TheReportoftheSpecialMasterinFloridav.GeorgiaraisessomeinterestingwaterpolicyissuesforAlabama.IfAlabamaeverendsupinanoriginalactionagainstGeorgiaoranotherstateoverwaterissues,areviewofSupremeCourtprecedentsuggeststhathavinggooddataonwateravailability,use(withdrawals),andfuturedemand,isimportanttowinningthosecases(Coloradov.NewMexico,467U.S310(1984)).AnothermoreindirecttakeawayfromtheReportisthedangerposedbyunrestrainedagriculturalirrigation.InGeorgia’swaterwithdrawalpermittingsystem,farmersweremadelargelyexemptfromtheregulationsimposedonotherconsumptiveusers,andthisclearlyhashadasignificantimpactonflowsintheFlintRiver—especiallyduringdroughtconditions.Further,analogieshavebeendrawnbetweenthesensitiveMobileBayecosystemsandthoseinApalachicolaBay,aswellassimilaritiesinthetwoareas’seafoodindustries.Thus,itisnotoutofthequestiontobeginplanningnowinordertoavoidasimilarfateforMobileBaythathasdevastatedApalachicola’saquaticlifeandeconomicbase.TheaftermathofFloridav.GeorgiafurtherhighlightstheneedforAlabamatodevelopacomprehensivestatewatermanagementframework.



EvaluatingBaselineWatershedConditionsandIdentifyingRestorationOpportunitiesUsingMobileDataCollectionSoftwareDavidBell,CH2MSinceSeptember2014,TheNatureConservancy(TNC)‐MississippiChapterhasimplementedaninnovativeconservationprogramknownastheCoastalStreamsandHabitatInitiative.WorkinginpartnershipwiththeMississippiDepartmentofEnvironmentalQuality(MDEQ)andthePascagoulaRiverAudubonCenter,TNCdevelopedanapproachtoaddressimpairedwatershedconditionsfromincreasedurbanization,reducedriparianbuffers,streambankerosionandsedimentationandwaterqualityimpairments.TNC’seffortsincludecoordinatingwithlocalstakeholders,developmentofConservationActionPlans(CAPs),engaginginstreamstewardship,collectingbaselinemonitoringdataanddevelopingdetaileddesignsforfuturewatershedimprovementprojectswithinninesmallcoastalstreamsinallthreecoastalcounties(Hancock,Harrison,andJackson).TheworkwasfundedbytheNationalFishandWildlifeFoundation’sGulfEnvironmentalBenefitFund,utilizingfundsfromtheDeepwaterHorizonoilspillof2010.In2016,aspartofthebaselinemonitoringprogram,sixcoastalwatershedswereidentifiedforanalysisofexistingconditionsaswellasthepotentialtodevelopfuturestreamrestorationorwatershedimprovementprojects.Thosewatershedsinclude,WattsBayou,MagnoliaBayou,CoffeeCreek,OysterBayou,RhodesBayouandChicotBayou.Toaccomplishtheprojectgoals,CH2MwascontractedtoconductdesktopanalysisusingArcGISsoftwareaswellasperformmobilefielddatacollectionusingthecloud‐basedArcGISCollectorapplication.OveraperiodofthreeweeksinAugustthefieldteamsassessedover40milesofstreambankandmarshedge,evaluatingriparianbuffers,erosion,presenceofinvasivespecies,conditionofstormwaterinfrastructure,sedimentdeposition,aswellascollectinginsituwaterqualitymeasurements.ThispresentationwillsummarizetheresultsofthewatershedassessmentaswelldiscussthemethodsandnumerousadvantagesofusingGISsoftwareinconjunctionwithacloud‐basedmobiledatacollectionapplicationduringfieldwork.



ALOysterShellRecyclingProgram:ConnectingpeopletotheirCoastMarkBerte,AlabamaCoastalFoundationTheAlabamaCoastalFoundation,whichwillcelebrateits25thAnniversarynextyear,improvesandprotectsAlabama'scoastalenvironmentthroughcooperation,educationandparticipation.Lastyear,ACFestablishedtheAlabamaOysterShellRecyclingProgramfromagrantfromtheNationalFishandWildlifeFoundation'sGulfCoastConservationGrantsProgram.ParticipantsinthissessionwilllearnaboutthegenesisoftheAOSRProgram,theprocessusedtoeducaterestaurants,howtheAOSRimplementationplanwasdevelopedandexecuted,aswellasthecurrentstatusofcollection/stewardshipefforts.[PRESENTATIONREVIEWERNOTE:AsofJune19,theProgramisfivemonthsaheadofschedulewithover2.7millionshellscollectedsincetheprogramstartedwhichtranslatestoabout6.8acresofreefortheweightofover56elephants.]Simplyput,theAOSRProgramcollectsoystershellsfromlocalrestaurantsthatusetoconsiderthemastrash.Instead,thatimportantnaturalresourceiscollectedthreetimesaweekfromparticipatingrestaurantsandtakentoasitewheretheycancureforsixmonths.ThoseshellsarethenputbackintoAlabamawaterwheretheycanhelpnewoystersgrowbecausethoseshellsarethepreferredhabitatofoysterbabies(larvae)tosettleonasjuveniles(spat)toformnewreefs.Inadditiontofoodvalueandbeingimportanttoourlocaleconomy,oystersprovidemanyotherecosystemservices,suchas:‐Improvingwaterquality:Anadultoystercanfilter12gallonsofwaterperday.‐Providinghabitat:Oysterreefsprovidehabitatforothershellfish,fish,shrimp,crabs,birdsandotheranimals.‐Limitingerosion:Oysterreefsarenaturalbreakwatersthatprotectshorelines.ThisAlabamaOysterShellRecyclingProgramisbeingledbytheAlabamaCoastalFoundationwhichusesaninclusiveenvironmentalstewardshipapproach.Toensurethesuccessofthisproject,ACFhascreatedanAdvisoryCommitteeofrestaurantowners,managersandchefsinadditiontorepresentativesfromtheAlabamaDepartmentofConservationandNaturalResources,TheNatureConservancy,Mississippi‐AlabamaSeaGrantConsortiumandtheMobileBayOysterGardeningProgram.TheAOSRProgramisembeddedintoallofACF'seducationandstewardshipprogramsandthepositiveimpactofthisnewprogramistakingplacenowandwillcontinuetogrowinthefuture.



QuantifyingstreamflowalterationinbasinsdrainingtotheGulfofMexicoBrianBreaker,U.S.GeologicalSurveyAlterationofthehydrologicregimeoftributariestotheGulfofMexicohasbeenidentifiedasacrucialcomponentaffectingthehealthofestuariesintheGulfofMexico.Hydrologicalterationcanoccurasaresultofseveralanthropogenicactivitiesincludingimpoundment,surface‐waterwithdrawalandreturn,changestothelandscapeofwatersheds(e.g.urbanizationandagriculturalactivities),channelization,anddiversion.Theseactivitiescanaffectcharacteristicsoftheflowregimeofastreamincludingthemagnitude,frequency,duration,timing,andrateofchangeofstreamflow(OldenandPoff,2003).In2017,theU.S.GeologicalSurveybeganananalysisofhydrologicalterationofstreamsflowingtotheGulfofMexicofromthefiveGulfStates(Alabama,Florida,Louisiana,Mississippi,andTexas)toquantifytheextentofhydrologicalterationandcreateatooltoassistwaterresourcemanagersinmeasuringthepotentialimpactstothehealthofestuariesintheGulfofMexicowhenevaluatingdifferentsurface‐waterusescenarios.Hydrologicalterationwillbequantifiedthroughoutthestudyareausingmachine‐learningalgorithms(i.e.models).Thesemodelswilluseexistingstreamflowrecordsforabout1400streamgageslocatedincurrent(altered)andreference(unaltered)basins,andwillprovidethetoolsnecessarytoestimateanalteredandunalteredvalueforagivenstreamflowcharacteristicatgagedandungagedlocations.Whencomplete,thisanalysiswillsupportrestorationeffortsbyidentifyingandprioritizingthemostandleastalteredstreamsthroughouttheregion.Spatialpatternsandtrendsinstreamflowcharacteristicswillberelatedtoestuaryhealth.Informationfromthemodelswillalsobeusedtoconductnetwork‐optimizationanalysistoidentifyprioritylocationsfornewstreamgageinstallation.Inaddition,anonline‐mappingtoolwillbecreatedtoprovideinformationonspatialandtemporalpatternsofhydrologicalteration.OldenandPoff,2003,Redundancyandthechoiceofhydrologicindicesforcharacterizingstreamflowregimes,RiverRes.Applic.19:101‐121



BeachRestorationDesignandConstructiononDauphinIsland,AlabamaBeauBuhring,SouthCoastEngineersThebeachesofDauphinIslandhavebeenrapidlyerodingforyears,someasmuchas700feetinrecentdecades,threateningavaluablemaritimeforestandfreshwaterlakehabitatinanAudubonBirdSanctuary.TheEastEndBeachandBarrierIslandRestorationProjectwasconstructedbetweenOctober2015andMarch2016toprotectandpreservethishabitat,restoreerodingbeachesanddunes,providestormprotectiontootheruplandresources,andenhanceanexistingrecreationalbeach.Itwasthefirstmajorengineeredbeachrestorationprojectintheisland'shistory.The0.92milelongprojectinvolvedthedredgingandplacementofabout320,000cubicyardsofgoodqualitysandonthesoutheasternDauphinIslandbeaches.Sandfortherestorationproject,sourcedfromaborrowsite4.5milesoffshore,wasidentifiedafteranexhaustivesandsearchandanalyzedforcompatibilitywiththenativebeach.Constructionincludedtherehabilitationofeightrockgroinsintothreenew,nearshore,segmentedbreakwaterstohelpretainsand.Theprojectincreasedthewidthoftherestoredbeachesbyabout200feetonaverageandpermanentlyaddedsandtoDauphinIsland’sEastEndbeaches.ThisuniquerestorationprojectwasnamedoneofAmerica’sBestRestoredBeachesin2017bytheAmericanShoreandBeachPreservationAssociation(ASBPA).Thispresentationwilldescribethecoastalengineeringdesignandanalysisthatmadethisprojectasuccess,includingnavigationofachallengingpermittingprocess,theactualconstructionphase,andnewlyavailablemonitoringdataoneyearafterconstruction.HowyoucanbeapartofAlabamaDamSafetyWadeBurcham,IntegratedScience&EngineeringTherearemanyagingdamsacrossthecountry,andAlabamahasitsfairshare.Someofthesedamshavelongsincebeenforgotten‐thisdespitetheirpotentialtocauseseveredamage,andinmanycases,lossoflife.AsAlabamaWaterResourceProfessionals,wearesometimesbydefaulttaskedwithbeingthevoiceforthepublicregardingDamSafety.Thispresentationaimstoequipparticipantswithhelpfulinformationforcommunicatingrisktothosewhomayhavealackofawareness,ormayevenbeindifferenttothesubject.Informationaboutpastdamfailures,pastattemptsatastatedamsafetyprogram,aswellascurrenteffortsthatareunderwaywillbepresented.ComelearnaboutnewresourcesonhowyoucanbefurtherequippedinregardstoDamSafety,andhelpbuildavenuestoraisepublicawarenessofthiscriticaltopic.



IncreasingFloodRiskAwarenessandResiliencethroughtheAlabamaFloodplainManagementProgramClayCampbell,AmecFosterWheeler&WandaErvin,ADECAOfficeofWaterResourcesOverthelast15plusyears,theAlabamaOfficeofWaterResources(OWR)hasupdatedtheFederalEmergencyManagementAgency(FEMA)FloodInsuranceRateMaps(FIRM)forall67countiesinAlabama.AsoneofFEMA’sCooperatingTechnicalPartners(CTP),OWRcontinuestoupdatefloodmapsunderFEMA’sRiskMapping,Assessment,andPlanning(RiskMAP)program.Inrecentyears,morefocushasbeenplacedonstrengtheningcommunityengagement,betteringcommunication,andimprovingtheunderstandingoffloodriskamonglocalstakeholders.TheOWRapproachistotailorthefederalguidelinestoenhancestateandlocalfloodriskmanagementandmitigationinitiatives.OWRhasdevelopedaseriesoftoolsandtrainingsthatgobeyonddiscussingtraditionalfloodplainmapstohelpcommunitiesbetterrecognizetheirfloodrisksandeducatelocalstakeholdersonhowtobestinvestinsustainablemitigationactions.Toassistwithcommunityengagementandoutreach,OWRhasdevelopedawebsitethatprovidesanaudienceofcommunityofficials,propertyowners,andotherstakeholderstheabilitytoviewanddownloadpreliminaryandeffectivefloodinformation.Thewebsitecurrentlycontainsregulatoryandnon‐regulatoryproductsdevelopedduringeachRiskMAPproject,includingFIRMs,ChangesSinceLastFIRM(CSLF),depthandprobabilitygrids,andpotentialflooddamages.Futureplansforthewebsiteincludetheoptiontodownloadnewlyeffectivehydraulicmodels.Thiswebsiteprovidesamoreefficientmeansofreviewingpreliminarydataandretrievingeffectivedataaswellasdeterminingareasforpotentialmitigationactions.OWRhascompletedseveralwatershedRiskMAPprojectsandhavemanyothersunderway.ForeachRiskMAPproject,datahasbeenorwillbemadeavailableonthenewwebsite.However,OWRalsoprovidesothertoolsandtrainingonasuiteofrisk‐basedproductsthatcanbeutilizedbycommunitiestomitigatefloodriskandincreasefloodriskawarenessandresilience.Thesetrainingsincludethewell‐receivedRiskMAPToolsTraining,anin‐persontutorialforlocalstakeholdersontheRiskMAPdatabase,aswellasotherproducts,thatalsoaimtoassisttheminidentifyingfloodriskchangeandareasofmitigationinterestwithintheircommunity.OWRalsohostsaYouTubechannelthatcontainspre‐recordedtutorialsonmanyoftheRiskMAPproducts.OWRaimstoaddmoretutorialsinthefuture.EachofthesetrainingsandtutorialsaremeanttoincreasetheabilityofaCommunityOfficialtocommunicatefloodriskandencourageactionstoreducerisktolifeandproperty.ThegoalofthispresentationistodemonstrateOWR’scommitmenttotakingactiontoreducefloodriskinAlabamabyprovidingcommunityofficialsandotherstakeholderswithmultipleresourcesbeyondtraditionalfloodriskproductstohelpthemincreasefloodriskawarenessandresilienceatthelocallevel.



WeeksBayWatershedManagementPlan‐OverviewofWatershedConditionsandWaterQualityJohnCarlton,DoubleJFarms;MikeEubanks&EmeryBaya,ThompsonEngineeringOneofthetasksinpreparationoftheWeeksBayWatershedManagementPlan(WBWMP)wastoassesswatershedconditions,withparticularemphasisonwaterquality.Section3.0oftheplanprovidesadetailedreviewofthewaterqualityprogramsandwaterqualitystandardsapplicableintheWeeksBaywatershed,andpresentsavailablewaterqualitydata.Becauseofthesizeofthewatershedandbudgetaryconstraints,collectionofnewwaterqualitydatawasnotpartoftheproject.Over40scientificreportsorsourcesofdatarelatingtowaterqualitywereidentified,themorecomprehensiveonesbeingusedtoprovideanassessmentofwatershedconditions.Additionally,theSoilandWaterAssessmentTool(SWAT)modelwasdevelopedandcalibratedforbothFishandMagnoliaRiversandutilizedtoestimatecurrentandfuturesedimentandnutrientloadingsfromapproximately235subwatershedsandover2,000HydrologicalResponseUnits.(Dr.KalinwithAuburnUniversityperformedthistaskandwillpresentitseparately.)TheentireWeeksBaywatershediscomprisedoffour12‐digitHydrologicUnitCodes(HUCs)draininganareaapproximately27mileslongand12mileswide,orroughly130,000acres.EachofthefourHUC‐12watershedsarediscussedseparatelyintheWBWMP.ThelowerreachesareintheGulfCoastFlatwoodsecoregionandtheupperriverineportionsareintheSouthernPinePlainecoregionwithagriculturallanduses,includingsilviculture,predominatingthelandscape.Theclimateishumidsubtropicalwithabundantrainfall(~67in/yr)andtheareaisfrequentlyinfluencedbytropicalcyclones.AssessingwaterqualitywascomplicatedbybothtoolittledataandtoomuchdataandthedatasourcesarediscussedinthePlan.Generally,thebayandmainstemofeachriverappeartobemeetingtheADEMwaterqualitystandardsmostofthetime,withwaterqualityinFishRiverbeingratedbyAlabamaDepartmentofEnvironmentalManagement(ADEM)asGOODandMagnoliaRiverbeingratedasFAIRasrecentlyas2011.However,thereare4segmentslistedonthe2016ADEM303(d)listasimpairedduetofishconsumptionadvisoriesrelatedtomercury(FishRiver,CowpenCreek,PolecatCreekandMagnoliaRiver)andonesegmentlistedasimpairedduetoorganicenrichment(BakerBranch).Thesourceofmercuryisthoughttobeatmosphericdepositionandthesourceoforganicenrichmentisthoughttobecattlegrazingoperations.Itisalsoevidentthatpathogenlevelsfrequentlydonotconformtothewaterqualitystandards,particularlyfollowingrainfalleventsandtheADEMpathogenTotalMaximumDailyLoad(TMDL)callsfora68%loadreductionfromnon‐pointsourcesintheFishRiverwatershed.Todate,effortstoidentifythesourceofpathogensbytype(human,wildlife,orlivestock)andlocationhavebeeninconclusive.Waterqualityissuesrelatedtopathogens,dissolvedoxygen,sediment,turbidityandnutrientloading(nitrogenandphosphorus)arealsoevidentinthedatareviewedforanumberoftributariesthroughouttheWatershed.Althoughoccasionalwaterqualityissueswerereportedformostalltributariesthathavebeensampled,themostprominentwaterqualityimpactshavebeendocumentedinCornBranch,PensacolaBranch,BakerBranch,CowpenCreek,WaterholeBranchandTurkeyBranch(lower)inFishRiverwatershed,andWeeks



CreekandanunnamedtributaryintheMagnoliaRiverwatershed.Theimpactsappeartobeassociatedwithbothincreasingurbandevelopmentaroundtheperimeterofthewatershedandpervasivehistoricalandon‐goingagriculturalactivities.AlthoughclassifiedbyADEMasanOutstandingNationalResourceWater,WeeksBayproperisconsideredbyallaccountstobeeutrophic,withhighnutrientloadsfromFishandMagnoliaRiversfrequentlytriggeringincreasedalgalactivityandassociatedlowdissolvedoxygenlevels.BecausetheBayisshallow,theselowdissolvedoxygenandstratificationeventsareusuallyshort‐lived,beingovercomebywindaction.UsingGISandStoryMapsforWatershedManagementandMonitoringJohnCartwright,MississippiStateUniversity

AcollaborativeeffortatMississippiStateUniversityhasproducedtheCatalpaCreekWatershedRestorationandProtectionProject.Theeffortinvolvesover30facultyandadministratorsfromMSUand10staffmembersfromfouragencies.DuringthefirsttwoyearsoftheprojectacomprehensiveWatershedResourceManagementPlanandanImplementationPlanforPhase1oftheprojectweredeveloped.AninitialeffortofPhase1involvescharacterizingthewatershed.Multipleresearchershavebeeninvolvedingatheringexistingdata,collectingnewdata,andformulatinghydrologicandhydraulicmodelsforthewatershed.Asameansoftransferringthisinformationbetweencollaborators,stakeholders,andothersassociatedwiththeeffortwehaveimplementedEsri’sStoryMaps.StoryMaps(builtuponArcGISOnlineresources)areinteractive,web‐basedapplicationsthatcombinegeographicinformationwithtextandmultimediacontent.UtilizationofStoryMapsimprovesdataaccessibilityacrossmultipleplatforms,improvingdatamanagementandinformationtransfer.BybringingStoryMapsintothisprojectwearebuildingafoundationthatwillprovideaseamlesstransitionfromresearchtoeducationandoutreachasthisprojectcontinuestodevelopacrossmultiplephases.

HighDefinitionStreamSurveyoftheDuckRiver,covering120milesin8dayswithonly2people.BrettConnell,TruttaEnvironmentalSolutionsTheHighDefinitionStreamSurveyoftheDuckRiverisourlongestsurveytodateandcovered120continuousmilesin8dayswithonly2people.TheTennesseeDept.ofEnvironmentandConservation,TennesseeValleyAuthority,ColumbiaPowerandWater,andtheSouthCentralTennesseeDevelopmentDistricthaveallfundeddifferentportionsofthesurveyandisanexampleofhowpartnershipscanlowerthecostofsurveysandincreasestheamountofdataforeveryoneinvolved.TheHighDefinitionStreamSurvey(HDSS)approachwascreatedtorapidlygathercontinuousgeo‐referenceddatainasinglepassforabroadrangeofstreamandstreambankconditionsbyintegratingGPS,video,depth,waterqualityandothersensors.ResultsfromHDSSdatacanbeusedtodeterminetheextentanddistributionofinstreamhabitat,locateareasthatcontributetopoorstreamconditions,definethegeomorphicconditionfor



thestream,identifyinfrastructureimpacts,documentrestorationresultsandprovideapowerful“virtualtour”experience.DevelopingNewGroundwaterSources:ScienceorSerendipity?MarlonCook,CookHydrogeology,LLCTherearelotsofsimilaritiesbetweenexploringforoilandgasandexploringforgroundwater.Inbothcasesthedesiredfluidexistsbecauseofacombinationofvariousnaturalprocesses,includingclimate,geography,geology,andchemistry.Discoveryofbothfluidsinthesubsurfacehasalonghistoryinvolvingvaryingdegreesofscientificknowledgeandserendipity.Itisoftensaidthattheexplorationistwilltakeluckoverscienceanytime.However,aseconomicquantitiesofthesevaluableresourcesbecomemorescarce,goodscienceplaysaneverincreasingrole.ThispapersummarizesfourexamplesinvolvingexplorationforpublicgroundwatersuppliesinfourdistincthydrogeologicalprovincesofAlabama.StatusandTrendsofStreamflowRecessioninTennesseefromDistributionalPropertiesofDay‐Over‐DayDeclinesElenaCrowley‐Ornelas,RodneyKnight,&WilliamAsquithU.S.GeologicalSurvey,Statisticalpropertiesofstreamflowrecessionprovideevidenceofhydrologicprocessessuchasgroundwaterandsurface‐waterinteractions.Bingham(1982,1986)soughtregionaldefinitionofgeneralizedconnectivitybetweensurface‐waterandgroundwaterbycalculatingapersistentstreamflowrecessionslopeduringwinterlowflowsandthenrelatingtherecessionslopestosurficialgeology.TherecessionslopevalueisoftenreferredtoastheBingham"geologicfactor”orG‐factor.TherecessionslopedeterminedbyBingham’sprocesswassomewhatsubjectivebecauseitwashanddrawnbasedonthevisualinspectionofthestreamhydrograph.TheG‐factorwasderivedthroughahands‐ongraphicalmethodforselectedpeakflowsovera20‐yeartimeperiodfromU.S.GeologicalSurvey(USGS)streamgagesinTennesseeandAlabama.Astreamflowrecessioncurve,plottedonsemi‐loggraphpaper,wascreatedbystartingatpeakdischargeafteraprecipitationeventuntilthelinenearedasymptoticwiththex‐axis.Thenumberofdays(x‐axis)requiredforstreamflowtodecreaseonelogcycle(y‐axis)wastheindexofstreamflowrecessionforeachstation,ortheG‐Factorexpressedindaysperlogcycledeclineinflow.BoundariesforG‐factorsweredeterminedusingstreamflowhydrographsandsurficialgeology.Basin‐weightedvaluesoftheG‐Factorhavebeenshownstatisticallysignificantinstatisticalregionalizationofvariousaspectsoftheflowregime(Bingham,1982,1986;Knightandothers,2012)inAlabamaandTennessee.AlthoughG‐factorvalueshavebeenuseful,thesubjectivityandtime‐consumingmanualmethodoftheapproachhasmadeitproblematictocalculateG‐factorsfornewerrecordsanddifferentregions.TheUSGShasdevelopedanautomatedprocessthatcalculatesG‐factorsandhasappliedthismethodtomorethan300streamgagesandmorethan4milliondaysofstreamflowatstreamsinorborderingTennessee.ResultsfromtheautomatedprocesswillbecomparedtotheoriginalG‐Factorestimatestoassesswhetherthisnewmethodiscapturingthesamehydrologic



processinformation.Additionally,graphicsandmapsdepictingstatusandtrendsinstreamflowandassociationswithBingham'soriginalwork,willprovideadditionalspatialanalysisofpertinenthydrogeologiccharacteristicsinthestudyarea.DevelopinganautomatedprocessusingexistingdatatocalculatetheGfactorwillmakeitpossibletoestimatethefactorforlargerareasaswellasfordiscretetimeperiods.Thisnewapproach,ifsuccessful,willprovideatooltoevaluatetheextentofconnectivitybetweensurface‐waterandgroundwaterinabasin;theinfluenceofgroundwaterwithdrawalsonbaseflow;andcouldbeanearlyindicatorofpotentialdroughteffects.Bingham,RH.1986.“RegionalizationofLow‐FlowCharacteristicsofTennesseeStreams.”Water‐ResourcesInvestigationsReport.http://pubs.er.usgs.gov/publication/wri854191.Bingham,RoyH.1982.“Low‐FlowCharacteristicsofAlabamaStreams.”WaterSupplyPaper.http://pubs.er.usgs.gov/publication/wsp2083.Knight,RodneyR.,W.ScottGain,andWilliamJ.Wolfe.2012.“ModellingEcologicalFlowRegime:AnExamplefromtheTennesseeandCumberlandRiverBasins.”Ecohydrology5(5):613–27.doi:10.1002/eco.246.Isthepresentakeytothepastoristhepastakeytothepresent:alookintothepaleofloodrecordoftheTennesseeRiverinAlabamaLisaDavis,ChristopherStewart&NatashaDimova,UniversityofAlabama;GaryStinchcomb&RachelLombardi,MurrayStateUniversity;&StevenForman,BaylorUniversity,Despitesignificantadvancesinmeteorologicalandhydrologicalforecastinginthelast50years,catastrophicfloodsconstituteoneofthemostgloballypersistentnaturalhazards.Theyear1931marksthelasttimetheU.S.didnotexperienceasingleflood‐relatedfatality.Atleast10flood‐relateddeathsoccurperyearintheU.S.Limitationsintheinstrumentedflowrecordsofriverspartlycontributestothisproblem.Instrumenteddischargerecordsrarelyspanmorethan100years,meaningtheyaretooshorttocapturelargefloods,whichtendtooccurlessfrequently.Instrumentedflowrecordsonlyspanthetimeofhumanoccupation,whichmakesunderstandingvariabilityoffloodsrelatedtoclimatevariabilityusingtheserecordsmorechallenging.Becauseoftheselimitations,waterresearchersandmanagersareincreasinglyturningtonaturalarchivesoffloodfrequencyandmagnitudeinformation,suchasdendrochronologyandsedimentarydepositsfromfloodsthatarepreservedinthelandscape,inadditiontotheinstrumentedrecord.Paleofloodhydrologyfocusesoncollectingandanalyzingphysicalevidenceofpastfloodsthatoccurredbeforetheinstrumentedrecordforfloodriskassessmentandunderstandingenvironmentalchange.FederalagenciesworkinginthesouthwesternU.S.,includingtheU.S.GeologicalSurveyandU.S.BureauofReclamation,haveusedpaleofloodhydrologytoassessfloodriskfordams,powerplants,andpublicspacesfordecades.DespiteitslongstandingandwidespreadapplicationinotherregionsoftheU.S.,paleofloodanalysesarerarelyusedtoinformfloodfrequencyandriskassessmentinriversoftheeasternU.S.Newfederalguidelines(USGSBulletin17C:GuidelinesforDeterminingFloodFlowFrequency)recommendincorporatingpaleoflooddatainfloodfrequencyestimations,makingincreasedapplicationandunderstandingofpaleofloodanalyses



imperative.OurpresentationwilldemonstratesomeofthebasicprinciplesofpaleohydrologicresearchandpresentpreliminaryfindingsofapaleofloodrecordwearedevelopingforthemiddleTennesseeRiver(inthevicinityofGuntersvilleandHuntsville,AL),aspartofabroaderefforttodeveloppaleoflooddataforfloodfrequencyanalysesfortheTennesseeRiver.4‐HALWaterWatch:IncreasingEnvironmentalLiteracyandWatershedStewardshipthroughYouth‐FocusedCitizenScienceMonaDominguez,4‐HALWaterWatch&SergioRuizCórdova,AWWThepurposeofthispresentationistointroducetheaudiencetotheYouth‐FocusedCitizenScienceProgram,4‐HAlabamaWaterWatch(4‐HAWW),todiscussoutcomesofarecentlycompleted4‐HAWWProjectfundedbytheUSEPA,todemonstratehow4‐HAWWcanbeincorporatedintowatershedstewardshipefforts,andtoexplainhowinterestedyouthandeducatorscangetinvolvedwithorsupporttheprogram.The4‐HAWWProgramwasdevelopedthroughapartnershipofAlabamaWaterWatch(AWW)andAlabama4‐H.In2015,4‐HAWWreceivedfundingfromtheEPAforatwo‐yearprojectwiththegoalofbuildingcapacitywithintheAlabamaCooperativeExtensionSystem4‐HAlabamaWaterWatchProgramtoprovideeducatorsincludingteachers,volunteers,and4‐Hagentswiththetraining,materials,andsupportneededtoincreaseenvironmentalliteracyforyouth(ages9–18)inAlabama.Theprojectcontributestothelong‐termgoalof4‐HAWWwhichtoengageyouthinwatershedstewardshipintheirlocalcommunitiesandultimatelymakeinformedandresponsibledecisionsabouttheenvironment.Thethreemajorprojectobjectivesimplementedtoachievethisgoalwere:1)Completedevelopmentofa4‐HAWWcurriculumthatwillguideeducatorsastheyprovidestudentswithhands‐oncitizenscienceexperiencesfocusedonconductingwaterchemistryanalysisandbiomonitoringintheirlocalwaterbodies,includingthedevelopmentofanonlinewatermonitoringCitizenScienceDataSimulation.2)Trainapproximately100educatorstoutilizethecurriculumatworkshopsfacilitatedinpartnershipwithenvironmentalcentersthroughoutthestate,and3)Supportparticipatingeducatorsastheyimplementthecurriculumbyhelpingthemaccessmonitoringmaterials,managingthedatabasethatstoreswaterdata,andmanagingthewebsitewherethedatasimulationandwaterdataisaccessed.Asaresultoftheproject,anewnine‐module300‐pagecurriculumExploringOurLivingStreams:AnIntroductiontoWatershedStewardship,StreamBiomonitoringandWaterChemistryMonitoring(EOLS)wasdevelopedandprinted,over100educatorsweretrainedandcertifiedtoimplementEOLSwithstudents,andstreambiomonitoringsuppliesandwaterchemistrymonitoringkitsweredistributedto4‐HCountyOfficesforcheck‐outbyparticipatingeducatorsandstudents.Duringtheprojectperiod,around3,000studentshavebeenreachedby4‐HAWW.StudentsexposedtoEOLShaveincreasedknowledgeandunderstandingofthewaterenvironment,pollution,andwatershedstewardship.Studentswhobecomemonitorsgainskillsrelatedtotestingwateranddataentry,analysis,andinterpretation.4‐HAWWisbeingsuccessfullyimplementedinavarietysettingsthatincludetheformalclassroom,specialtyclubsduringorafterschool,andevenchurchgroups.WatershedManagementPlansaddressingimpaired



waterbodies(fundedbySection319Grants),haveincorporated4‐HAWWasaneducationalactivitythatcanalsoproducevaluablewaterdatausedtoevaluateprojectprogress.Participantswilllearnhowtheycanbecomepartoftheprogramandincorporate4‐HAWWintotheirwatershedstewardshipprojects.ScopeandimpactsofhouseholdrawwastewaterdischargesinthreeAlabamacountiesMarkElliott,ParnabDas,ErdoganAytekin,YuehanLu,UniversityofAlabama;KevinWhite,UniversityofSouthAlabama;&RobertJones,DowntoEarth,Inc,A2005studyofBibbCounty,Alabama,showedthat15%ofhouseholdsnotconnectedtosewerdirectlydischargedrawsewageand35%hadsepticsystemsthatwerefailing(WhiteandJones,2006).DiscoveryofthisreportfromBibbCountyandconversationswithlocalstakeholdersledourteamtostudythescopeoftheprobleminnearbyAlabamacounties.Therefore,twonearbycounties,HaleandWilcoxcounties,withhighratesofpoverty(26.6%and39.2%,respectively)andlargelyimpermeableclaysoilswerechosen.Thestudyusestwomainmethods(1)site‐by‐siteinspectionsofarandomsampleofunseweredruralcommunitiesand(2)watersampleanalysisfromimpactedstreams.Siteinspectionandwatersamplingdataindicateveryhighratesofstraightpipedischargeandsubstantialimpactsofwaterqualityinlocalstreamsandtributaries.InWilcoxCounty,approximately60%ofsurveyedunseweredhouseholdshadavisiblestraightpipesurfacedischargeofrawwastewaterandonly7%ofhouseholdshadapermittedonsitewastewatertreatmentsystem.Fortheremaining33%,inspectioncouldnotdeterminewhetherthedischargewasaboveorbelowgroundbuttherewasnoevidenceofasepticsystemdrainfieldoramoundsystem(oftenthisindicatesthatastraightpipeisburiedanddischargestoahidden,overgrownarea).Thisrateofstraightpipedischargewouldconservativelyamounttoover500,000gallonsperdayofrawsewagedischargedtothegroundinWilcoxCountyalone.InHaleCounty,siteinspectionsrevealedfewerhouseholdswithvisiblestraightpipes(6%)andmorewithpermittedsystems(35%).However,59%ofunseweredhouseholdshadanunknowndischargeandwereunpermitted;manyofthesewerelikelyburiedstraightpipeswithahiddensurfacedischarge.WatersampleanalysisonBigPrairieCreekupstreamanddownstreamofthetownofNewbernindicatessubstantialrunoffofrawwastewaterintosurfacewater.Forexample,samplescollectedpost‐droughtinNovember2016yieldedover100,000E.coliper100mLandapreliminaryprinciplecomponentanalysisofmultiplewaterqualityparametersindicatedthatBigPrairieCreekconsistedofover5%sewagebyvolumefollowingthedrought.Althoughwehavenotinvestigatedhumanhealthimpacts,thereistroublingevidenceofpossiblehealthimpactsassociatedwithonsitewastewaterfailure.Themostrecentsurveyofsoil‐transmittedhelminths(worms)inAlabamawasover20yearsagoinWilcoxCounty;itrevealedthat33%ofchildrenwerepositiveforoneormorehelminths(Badham,1993).Afollowupstudyisbeingplannedbytheauthorofthe1993report.FurtherinvestigationofhealthimpactsfromwastewaterareneededthroughouttheBlackBelt.Thispresentationwilladdressthescope,impactsandpossiblesolutionstoonsitewastewaterfailuresinruralAlabama.



Goingwiththeflow‐Anovel,inexpensivemethodforcollectionofsuspendedsedimentinthecoastalenvironmentEmilyElliott&MarkElliott,UniversityofAlabama;ElaineMonbureau,GlennWalters,AntonioRodriguez&BrentMcKee,UniversityofNorthCarolina.Identifyingthesourceandabundanceofsuspendedsedimenttransportedwithintidalcreeksisessentialforstudyingtheconnectivitybetweencoastalenvironments(i.e.,coastalwatershedsandestuaries).Thefine‐grainedsuspendedsedimentload(SSL)makesupasubstantialportionofthetotalsedimentcarriedwithinthecoastalenvironmentandefficientsamplingoftheSSLiscriticaltoourunderstandingofnutrientandcontaminanttransport,anthropogenicinfluence,andtheeffectsofclimate.Unfortunately,traditionalmethodsofsamplingtheSSL,includinginstantaneousmeasurementsandautomaticsamplers,canbelaborintensive,expensiveandoftenyieldinsufficientmassforcomprehensivegeochemicalanalysis.Withinthecoastalenvironment,especiallyestuaries,thisissueisevenmorepronouncedduetobi‐directionaltidalflow.Thisstudyteststheefficacyofamodifiedtimeintegratedmasssedimentsampler(TIMS)designforimplementationwithinthetidalenvironmentunderbi‐directionalflowconditions.OurnewTIMSdesignutilizesan‘L’shapedoutflowtubetopreventback‐flowduringreverseflowconditions.Thesesamplersareinexpensivetofabricate(<$300),requireverylittlemaintenance,andwhendeployedinmirroredpairs,cancollectsedimentuniquelyineachdirectionoftidalflow.Laboratoryanalysiswasconductedtocharacterizetheflowandsedimenttrappingefficiencyofthesampler,whichindicatedthebi‐directionalTIMScaptureupto96%ofincomingparticlesacrossarangeofflowvelocities(0.3to0.6cms‐1).ThemodifiedTIMSdesignwasalsotestedinthefieldattwodistinctsamplinglocationswithinthetidalzone.Single‐timepointsuspendedsedimentsampleswerecollectedathighandlowtideandcomparedtotime‐integratedsuspendedsedimentsamplescollectedbythebi‐directionalTIMSoverthesamefour‐dayperiod.Particle‐sizecompositionfromthebi‐directionalTIMSwererepresentativeofthearrayofsingletimepointsamples,butyieldedgreatermass,representativeofflowandsedimentconcentrationconditionsatthesitethroughoutthedeploymentperiod.Thisworkprovestheefficacyofthemodifiedbi‐directionalTIMSdesign,offeringanoveltoolforcollectionofsuspendedsedimentinthetidally‐dominatedportionofthewatershed.ImplementationofthesedeviceswithintheAlabamacoastalwatershedcouldprovideasimple,inexpensivetoolforthecharacterizationofthesuspendedsedimentloadwithinthesystem.



ManagementRecommendationsfortheWeeksBayWatershedManagementPlanMichaelEubanks;ThompsonEngineering,Inc.AnumberofwaterqualityandwaterquantityissueshavebeendocumentedwithintheWeeksBayWatershed(WBW)overthepastseveraldecades.Populationgrowthandurbandevelopment,aswellassomeoftheagriculturalpracticeshavecontinuedtointensifyproblemsintheWatershed.TheWatershedincludesallorportionsofninemunicipalities(Fairhope,Daphne,SpanishFort,Loxley,Robertsdale,Silverhill,Summerdale,Foley,andMagnoliaSprings)andassociatedunincorporatedareasofBaldwinCounty,leadingtoacomplexregulatoryenvironment.Bysuccessfullyaddressingtheco‐relatedproblemsidentifiedwithpopulationgrowth,urbandevelopment,andsomeagriculturalpracticeswithintheWeeksBayWatershed,thelong‐termhealthofthestreamcourses,WeeksBayandMobileBaywillbeenhanced.ManagementRecommendationsoftheWMPincludeorganizationalinitiatives,agriculturalinitiatives,waterqualityimprovementinitiatives,wetlands/riparianbufferinitiatives,andshoreline/sealevelriseinitiatives:1.EstablishaWatershedManagementPlanImplementationTeamAWMPImplementationTeammustbeidentifiedtocarryforwardtheworknecessarytoprioritizesitespecificprojects,workwiththevariousinter‐governmentalentitieswithinthewatershed,andlocatethenecessaryfunding.2.DevelopInter‐GovernmentalCounty/MunicipalWaterManagementMechanismThisrecommendationwouldbetofosterinter‐governmentalcooperation.Aninter‐governmentalcoordinationmechanismwouldhelpaddressplanningandzoningmattersacrosstheentirewatershed.3.AddressStormwaterManagementandFloodingBaldwinCountyandthemunicipalitiesareencouragedtoregularlyrunfloodpredictionmodels,addacountyGISlayeronwhichmunicipalitiescanlisthighpotentialdevelopmentprojects,conductaninventoryandassessmentofstormwaterdetentionsystems.4.SustainWatershedHydrologybyPromotingLowImpactDevelopment(LID)andGreenInfrastructure(GI)UrbanizationwithintheWatershedcanminimizeadverseimpactsbyadoptingmeasurestosustainthewatershed’shydrologybyuseofLowImpactDevelopment(LID)andGreenInfrastructure(GI).5.EncourageIncreasedAgriculturalBMPsExamplesofagriculturalBMPsthatshouldbeencouragedwithintheWatershedinclude:1)Livestockexclusionfromwetlands/streams;2)Increaseduseofcovercrops;3)Improvednutrientmanagement;and4)Identify/Remediatehighlivestockareaswheremanurerunoffisapathogensource.6.AddressWatershedWaterQualityIssuesRecommendationsdealingwithwaterqualityissuesthathavebeenidentifiedthroughtheWMPprocessinclude:•Identifyinstreamerosional“hotspots”andprioritizeandimplementstreamrestoration.•RefineSWATmodelresultstoidentifyandmap“criticalsourceareas”(CSAs)atthehydrologicresponseunit(HRU)level•Conductadetailedturbiditysourcesurveyintributarieswithfrequentlyelevatedturbiditylevelsanddevelopdetailedplanstoreduce,minimizeoreliminatethesources.•Conductdetailedpathogensourcetrackingandidentificationtodevelopdetailedplanstoremediatepathogensources.•Developapathogen/flowrelationshiptosupportdevelopmentofapublicadvisorysystem.•DevelopaninventoryofseptictanksthatpredatetheexistingADPHinventoryanddesignandimplementanefforttofixleakingsystems.•Identifyandassesspotentialwaterqualityimpactsassociatedwithbiosolidsandanimal



manureapplicationsites.•Assessimpactsofturffarmsforrunofftimingandvolume,andpollutantloadingstostreams.7.AddressEnvironment/HabitatIssuesPoorconditionwetlandandriparianbuffersinthewatershedareassociatedmostlywithagriculturalandpasturelands.Identifyrestorationeffortsinpriorityareas.Pursuestrategicacquisitionforhighpriorityhabitats.8.AddressCoastalErosionandSeaLevelRiseIssuesIdentifyspecificsites,attheparcellevelinthelowerreachesofthewatershed,thatarecandidatesforconstructionoflivingshorelineorothershorelineprotection/restorationmeasures.Suitablesiteswouldtypicallyconsistofareasthatcurrentlyare(oranticipatedinthefuture)exhibitingerosionorhabitatloss.PromoteprogramstoimprovestakeholderawarenessofSLRissuesM.9.DevelopAppropriateMonitoringandAdaptiveManagementMechanismsthemonitoringprogramshouldtrackthenumberofmanagementmeasuresthatareimplementedineachHUC12watershedandthedegreetowhichtheyareimplemented.10.ContinueStakeholderandGeneralPublicOutreachandEducationCommunityoutreachandpubliceducationabouttheWeeksBayWatershedhasbeenandwillcontinuetobeextremelyimportanttoaddressconserving,protecting,andrestoringthisWatershed.UpdatingLow‐FlowFrequencyandFlow‐DurationStatisticsinAlabamaTobyFeaster,U.S.GeologicalSurveyAlabamawater‐resourcemanagersneedup‐to‐datelow‐flowstatisticsforplanning,management,andpermittingdecisionstohelpensureadequatewaterforconsumptiveuse,water‐qualitystandards,recreation,andaquatichabitatprotection.Low‐flowstatisticsforAlabamahavenotbeensystematicallyupdatedinover20years,aperiodthatincludes2ofthe10driestyearsoftotalannualprecipitationhaveoccurredsince1895.Assuch,theU.S.GeologicalSurveybegananinvestigationin2014toupdatelow‐flowfrequencyanddailydurationstatisticsat210continuous‐recordstreamgagingstations(stations)includingbothregulatedandunregulatedAlabamastreams.Dependingonthelengthofrecordavailable,annualminimum1‐and7‐dayaverageflowswithrecurrenceintervalsof2,5,10,20,and50yearswerecomputedbyusingavailabledatathroughMarch2014.Additionally,dailyflowdurationsforthe5‐,10‐,25‐,50‐,75‐,90‐,and95‐percentprobabilitiesofexceedancewerecomputed.Theinvestigationincludes87Alabamastationsforwhich7Q10estimateswerepreviouslypublished(1994)(dailymeanflowdatathroughclimateyear1989wereusedforthepreviousanalysis),andforwhichadditionaldatawerecollected.Forthosestations,apercentagechangebetweenthepreviousandcurrent7Q10valueswascomputed.Thepercentagechangerangedfrom–61to108percentwithameandifferenceof–0.2andamediandifferenceof0.0.Ofthe87stations,42hadanegativepercentagechange,38hadapositivepercentagechange,and7hadazeropercentagechange.ThisinvestigationwasjointlyfundedthroughtheUSGSCooperativeWaterProgramandthefollowingnon‐Federalpartners:AlabamaPower;AlabamaFarmersFederation;AlabamaAssociationofConservationDistricts;AlabamaAssociationofResourceConservationandDevelopmentCouncils;AlabamaDepartmentofAgricultureandIndustries;AlabamaDepartmentofConservationandNaturalResources—Divisionof



WildlifeandFreshwaterFisheries;AlabamaDepartmentofEconomicandCommunityAffairs—OfficeofWaterResourcesDivision;Choctawhatchee,PeaandYellowRiversWatershedManagementAuthority;GeologicalSurveyofAlabama;andtheUniversityofAlabama—WaterPolicyandLawInstitute.TheresultsfromthisinvestigationwillbedocumentedinaU.S.GeologicalSurveyScientificInvestigationsReportandthelow‐flowandflow‐durationstatisticsalsowillbeavailableonlinethroughtheU.S.GeologicalSurveyStreamStatsapplication.QuantificationofFunctionalMarkerGenesforDenitrifyingMicrobialPopulationsintheChandeleurIslandsImpactedbythe2010GulfofMexicoOilSpillNikaelaFlournoy,CaitlinTaylor,PatriceCrawford,&PatriciaSobecky,UniversityofAlabama;CorianneTatariw&BehzhadMortazavi,DauphinIslandSeaLabEstuarine,coastal,andbarrierislandecosystemsprovidecommunitiesprotectionbyreducingstormsurges,dissipatingwaveenergy,andeconomicallythroughservicessuchasfisheries,tourism,watercatchmentandwaterquality.Astheseecosystemsaredeterioratingandthreatenedinthiscentury,theservicesprovidedtohumansarebeingvaluedmonetarilytocommunicatetheirimportance;i.e.,propertyvaluesonaGeorgiabarrierislandincreasedwithanadditionalmeterofbeachwidth,anacreofLouisianawetlandreducingwastewatertreatmentcostsforacompanybyasmuchas$34,000.Eventssuchasthe2010GulfofMexicooilspill,thelargestmarinespillinhistory,actascatalyststoacceleratethedeteriorationandfurtherthelossofthesevitalecosystemservices.The2010BPspillimpactedtheChandeleurIslands,achainoflow‐elevationbarrierislandsinLouisianawaterslocatedfortymilessouthofGulfport,MS.Theislandchainvegetation;i.e.,Avicenniagerminans(blackmangrove)andnativeSpartinaalterniflora(saltmarshcordgrass)washeavilydamagedasaresultoftheoilspill.Asoilwasdepositeddifferentially(i.e.,nonetoheavy),itwasimportanttoinvestigatethemicrobiologyofoil‐impactedareasasmarshvegetationisdirectlylinkedtomicrobe‐drivenecosystemservicessuchasdenitrification,anitrogen(N)cyclepathway.Theobjectivesofthisstudyweretocharacterize:i)thebiodiversityofthemicroorganisms;ii)quantifydenitrifyingmicrobialpopulationsusingfunctionalmarkergenes;andiii)measureratesofdenitrificationduringaone‐yearperiod.Fiveeco‐functionalmarkergenesselectedtorepresentdenitrificationwereinvestigated;(1)narGfornitratereductase(subunitG);(2)nirSfornitritereductase;(3)norBfornitricoxidereductase;(4)nosZfornitrousoxidereductase;and(5)nrfA,thecytochromec552terminalreductaseoftheformate‐dependentpathwayfornitritereductiontoammonia.Threedifferentmarshsiteswereselectedforstudybaseduponestimatedamountsofprioroiling/oilcoverage.ThehighestratesofdenitrificationwereinSeptemberwhilethelowestrateswereobservedinFebruary.ThehighestnirSabundancewasdetectedfortwoofthethreesites(Site1and2)inSeptemberwhileSite3exhibitedthehighestabundanceinNovember.Similarly,thehighestabundancesobservedfornorBandnosZvariedbysiteandbymonth.Duringthecourseofsamplingoversevenmonthsin2016and2017,weatheredoilwasdetectedinsomeofthemarshsedimentcoresandwaschemicallytypedtoMacondooil.Ecosystemservicessuchasdenitrification,carriedoutonlybymicrobes,acttoremovenitrogenouswastesexportedfromfreshwatersystems



tomarinesystems.StudiessuchasthisonearedesignedtocharacterizethebarrierislandmicrobialbiodiversityandNcycleprocessessoastobetterunderstandthelong‐termeffectsdisturbancessuchasthe2010oilspillposetoanecosystemservicethatcontributestomaintainingmarinewaterquality.Thisisespeciallyimportantinlightofthefactthatweatheredoilcontinuestobeobservedsevenyearspostspill.ExamplesofLocalMunicipalitiesWorkingWithTheirUniversitiesMichaelFreeman,AlabamaWaterWatchAssociationInthispresentationIwilldemonstratetwoexamplesofcollaborativeworkbetweenauniversityandthelocalwaterworks/municipalityandhowitcanhelpbothentitieswithpermitting,testing,outreachandeducationwithintheMS4processandbeyond.IwillalsotouchonhowtheseexamplescanbereplicatedthroughouttheStateofAlabama.ExtremophileRelationshiptoGeologicSettingintheSulfurSpringsLocatedatBlountSprings,AlabamaDavidFrings&DavidJohnson,SamfordUniversityThegeologicsettingofthesulfurspringslocatedatBlountSprings,Alabamacreatesanextremeenvironmentthatsupportsavarietyofuniquebacterialmatsandmarco‐invertebrates.Theseextremophilesappeartometabolizethesulfurthatisproducedfromtheironpyrite(FeS2)foundintheChattanoogaShalewhichformstheconfininglayerfortheunderlyinglimestoneaquifer.TheprimarystructureatthespringsisageologicwindowinthesouthwesternendoftheSequatchieanticlinethatexposeslimestoneoftheRedMountainFormation.ThelimestoneaquifersuppliesmineralrichwaterfromaseriesoffourspringsthatcontainhighlevelsofSulphur.DNAanalysisshowsthattheBlountSpringsbacteriaaresimilartothosethathavebeenfoundincavesystemsinNewMexico(LeachiguillaCave)andnorthernWyoming(LowerCaneCave)thatmetabolizeSulphur,resultinginthereleaseofhydrogensulfideasabyproduct.Thehydrogensulfidehasbeenshowntoformsulfuricacid(H2SO4)inthesewesterncaveswhichchemicallyweathersthelimestones.SimilarprocessesmaybeatworkintheseSulphurspringsthatarelocatedinBlountCounty,Alabama.



ImplementationAssessmentforWaterResourceAvailability,Protection,andUtilizationfortheChoctawhatchee,PeaandYellowRiversWatershedsBarbaraGibson,Choctawhatchee,PeaandYellowRiversWatershedManagementAuthorityTheChoctawhatchee,PeaandYellowRiversWatershedManagementAuthoritycommissionedtheGeologicalSurveyofAlabamatoconductanassessmentofwaterresourcesinthewatershedsofsoutheastAlabamawhichcouldbeutilizedbyallwateruserstodeterminecurrentwateravailabilityandtoplanfuturewaterdevelopment.Theassessmentincludedsubsurfacegeologicandstratigraphicdatacollectedbyselectedwellswhichmaybeusedtodeterminethedepthofeachaquiferinthewatersheds;thegeneralwater‐bearingcharacteristicsofindividualgeologicunits;andthecorrelationoflikegeologicunitspenetratedbywellsthroughoutthewatersheds.Futuregroundwateravailabilitywasdeterminedbyanalyzingwaterquality,groundwaterrechargerates,andprojectedgroundwaterdemand.Futuredemandwaspredictedbasedonpopulation,industrialandagriculturalgrowthprojectionsforthenext50years.Extensivesurfacewaterqualityinformationwasobtainedandevaluatedinadditiontolow‐flowandmaximum‐flowinformation.Biologicalassessmentswereperformedforallmajorsub‐watersheds.Thisassessmentwasdesignedtosupplypertinentinformationnecessaryforappropriateauthoritiestoevaluatetheirpresentwatersourceandtoimplementplansforfuturewater‐sourcedevelopmentifneeded.HydrologicAlterationandtheCleanWaterAct:PartIIRandallHaddock,CahabaRiverSocietyHydrologicAlterationandtheCleanWaterAct:PartIITheCleanWaterActcallsonustoprotectthephysical,chemical,andbiologicalintegrityofournations’waters.Thereisagrowingrecognitionthatchangesinstreamflowregimes,or“hydrologicalterations”,aredirectlycausingsomestreamstofailtosupporttheirdesignateduses.Here,wewouldfollow‐upadiscussiononEPA’srecentclarificationabouthowstatescouldmorefullymonitor,assess,andidentifywatersimpairedduetohydrologicalterationwithanurbanwatershedexampleofhydrologicalteration,includingadescriptionofstatisticalevidenceforhydrologicalterationinAlabama’sCahabaRiverbasin.UsingacombinationofinformationfromEPA‐approvedsiltationandhabitatalterationTMDLsforShadesCreekandfortheCahabaRiverwatershedandresultsfromananalysisusingTheNatureConservancy’s‘IndicatorsofHydrologicalAlteration’protocol,wewilldescribehowtheexcessivesiltationandhabitatalterationalreadydocumentedintheCahabaRiverwatershedmaypredominantlybeduetohydrologicalteration.ThisconclusionshouldhelpguidemanagementdecisionstomosteffectivelyaddressthegoalsofthesetwoSiltationandHabitatAlterationTMDLs.ThisperspectivecouldalsoaideMS4sindesigningmoreeffectiveprogramstomeettheirNPDESrequirements.ThisinformationwillbesubmittedtoADEMinthehopetheywillclassifytheCahabaRiverasHydrologicallyImpairedfromitsheadwaterstoCentrevilleintheApril2018305(b)reporttoEPA.



EPA’sWaterConservation&EfficiencyBestPractices(formerlyRegion4’sWaterEfficiencyGuidelines)RosemaryHallCalli,EPARegion4Akeyfunctionofawaterutilityistoensurethatithasadequatesupplytoprovidewaterservicestoitsdomestic,commercial,andindustrialcustomers.Becausepopulationcontinuestogrownationally,andatfasterratesinsomepartsofthecountry,utilitiesoftenneedtoconsiderwhetheritisappropriatetodevelopadditionalsupplies.Suchsuppliesmaybeprovidedbygreaterwithdrawalsfromsurfacewaterorgroundwater,constructionofreservoirs,orconstructionofdesalinationorwaterreclamationfacilities.Anyofthesetypesofprojectscarriesacost.Aswaterutilitiesconsideroptions,itmakessensetoensurethattheyareeffectivelymanagingthewaterresourcesalreadyundertheircontrol.Moreefficientuseofwatermayavoidimpactstoaquaticresources,providegreaterecosystemprotection,and/orfreeupthewatersavedtoserveadditionalneeds.InDecember2016,EPAreleasedBestPracticestoConsiderWhenEvaluatingWaterConservationandEfficiencyasanAlternativeforWaterSupplyExpansion(EPA‐810‐B‐16‐005)tohelpwaterutilitiesandfederalandstategovernmentscarryoutassessmentsofthepotentialforfuturewaterconservationandefficiencysavingstoavoidorminimizetheneedfornewwatersupplydevelopment.Thedocumentcanalsobeusedbyautilityorathirdpartytoconductassessmentsofhowtheutilityismanagingitswaterresourcesfromatechnical,financial,andmanagerialperspective.Thedocumentconsistsofsixmajorpractices,withsuggestedmetricstoguideevaluationsofprogress.Nosinglemetricisintendedtoserveasastand‐alonetest.Instead,thecombinedinformationonwaterconservationandefficiencyimplementation,withemphasisonplannedmeasures,caninformreviewsofaproject’spurposeandneed,andanalysisofalternatives.•Thefirstpracticeinvolvesconductingawateraudit.TheAWWAFreeWaterAuditSoftware©availablefromtheAmericanWaterWorksAssociation(AWWA)isusedtocompleteawaterbalanceandproduceperformanceindicatorsforhowwellthebasicsofthewatersystemareunderstood,includinghowmuchofthewaterdistributedisauthorized,metered,and/orbilled.•Next,becauseleakagerepresentsthelargestreallossesformostsystems;thesecondpracticefocusesonassessingandaddressingwaterlossminimizationthroughleakagecontrol.Metricsfocusonmeasuresofleakagetailoredtosystemcharacteristics,identifyinganeconomiclevelofloss,andmeasures(inplaceandplanned)toassessandcontrolwaterloss.•Meteringofwater,thethirdpractice,allowsforaccurateaccountingofwaterdistributed,andcanhelpidentifyunseensourcesofleakageandprioritizeabatementmeasures.Whenmeteredusageiscommunicatedtocustomers,italsohelpsinformandincentivizehowendusesaremanaged.•Thefourthpracticeisanexaminationofwaterratestructure.Chargesforwatershouldreflectthefulllong‐rangecosts(i.e.,forward‐looking,nothistorical)ofoperatingandmaintainingawaterutility,aswellasthescarcityandvalueoftheresource.Theratestructureshouldalsoencourageandrewardconservationandefficientuse.•Enduserwaterconservationandefficiencyanalysis,thefifthpractice,beginswithcharacterizingthesystemintermsofcustomertypesanddemand(e.g.,singlefamilyresidential,multifamilyresidential,commercial,institutional,industrial).Thisthenallowsfor



identificationofdemanddriversanddemandreductionopportunitiesthroughtargetedprogramsandincentivesforendusers.•Thefinalpracticeisawrittenplanwhichincludesdefinitiveandmeasurablegoalsforoptimizingsystemperformanceandensuringefficientwateruse,withtimelinesforimplementation.Footnote:TheBestPracticeswereinitiatedasanupdateoftheEPARegion4GuidelinesonWaterEfficiencyMeasuresforWaterSupplyProjectsintheSoutheast,specificallyforCleanWaterActSection404projectreview.TheBestPracticesdocument(#EPA‐810‐B‐16‐005)wasreleasedDecember2016asanationaldocumentbroadlyapplicabletowaterprogramsandutilityneeds.BearPointBayou–ACaseStudyinUrbanCoastalStreamRestorationKitHamblen,CH2MTheBearPointBayouStreamRestorationProjectsiteislocatedontheUniversityofSouthMississippi(USM)GulfCoastcampus,northofUSHighway90inLongBeach,Mississippi.ThestreamrestorationprojectwasidentifiedasapartofTheNatureConservancy’sCoastalStreamsandHabitatInitiativeforMississippi,whichisfundedbytheNationalFishandWildlifeFoundation’sGulfEnvironmentalBenefitFund.Throughthisproject,andothersbeingperformedaspartofthisInitiative,TheNatureConservancy(TNC)seekstoconservekeycoastalstreamsinMississippibycreatingrestorationopportunitiesthatbenefitthecommunityandnaturalenvironment.TheobjectiveoftheBearPointBayouStreamRestorationProjectwastodesignandconstructastreamrestorationprojectwiththegoalsofenhancingandrestoringaquaticandriparianhabitatsalongBearPointBayou;andmanagingerosionratesandimprovingstreambankintegritythroughbankgrading,bankstabilizationpractices,andinstreamstructureplacement.In2016,CH2MworkedcloselywithTNCtodeveloptheBearPointBayouStreamRestorationProjectforapproximately2,400linearfeetoferodingstreamchannelwithdegradedhabitatconditions.ThispresentationwillhighlightthechallengesofimplementingurbanstreamrestorationprojectsintheSouthernCoastalPlainecoregion.



CommonMistakesinApplyingStatisticstoWaterQualityData–andHowtoAvoidThemJasonHeberling,HeberlingEnvironmentalConsulting(HEC)Alltoooftenstatisticalmethodsusedinwaterqualityanalysesmakeassumptionsthatmaynotapplytothedatasetscollected.Commonlyusedmethodsofstatisticalanalysis(suchasANOVAandt‐tests)areparametricandaremorepowerfulwhenthedatafitsanormaldistribution.However,waterandwastewaterdatagenerallydoesnotmatchanormaldistribution.Non‐parametricstatisticalmethodsareoftenmoreusefulfortheseanalyses.Inaddition,waterqualitydatasetsareoftenskewedbyoutliersandnon‐detects.Forwaterqualitydata,outliersandnon‐detectsrepresentrelevantdatapointsandshouldnotbediscardedinanattempttoproduceanormaldistribution.Oftensuchactionresultsinfalseconclusionsandincertaincircumstances,arbitrarilydiscardingdataisillegal.Aspecialemphasisshouldbegiventoanalysesbasedondatadistributionandcharacteristicssuchas:normality,rangeofvariances,andpopulationsize.Themethodsandapproachesdescribedandappliedareselectedaccordingtoinformationgatheredfromthetechnicalliterature,casestudies,andpilotstudies.TheAlabamaCleanWaterPartnership‐EngagingStudentsforCleanWaterAshleyHenderson&SabrinaWood,AlabamaCleanWaterPartnershipTheAlabamaCleanWaterPartnershipcontinuesitssuccessfulengagementofstudentsthroughseveralprogramsintheAlabamaandTallapoosaRiverBasins.TheseprogramsincludetheBluePlanetDefendersEnvironmentalClubatelementaryschoolsandastormdrainmarkingcampaignsatacommunitycollege.TheAlabamaCleanWaterPartnershipalongwithMS4Partner‐theCityofMontgomery,MontgomeryCleanCityCommission,MontgomeryPublicSchoolsandtheAlabamaPulpandPaperCouncilhavedevelopedasix‐monthenvironmentalclubtoengagestudentsinunderservedareasofMontgomery.Theclubmeetsforonehouramonthandincludesallfifth‐gradestudentsattheschoolofchoice.Eachmonthahands‐onactivityteachesstudentsaboutwaterandwatershedsthroughvariousactivities.Thefinalclubmeetingincludesafieldtriptoalocalenvironmentalparkornaturecenter.Afterthreesuccessfulyearsatfourdifferentschools,theACWPhasengagedapproximately250studentsinwatershededucationinalongtermmeaningfulway.Detailsoftheprogramandobstaclestosuccesswillbepresentedalongwithwaystobecomeinvolvedorreplicatethisactivity.TheACWPpartneredwithCentralAlabamaCommunityCollegeintheTallapoosabasintomarkstormdrainsoncampuseducatingstudents,faculty,staffandvisitorsaboutstormwaterissues.Whilepartneringwiththelocalcollege,theACWPsharedstormwatereducationtoallstudentstoencourageparticipationinthecampaign.CentralAlabamaCommunityCollegestudentssubmittedbeautifulartworktobepaintedonstormdrainsthroughoutthecampus.Thisprojecttargetedyoungadults,whichtendstobeadifficultagegrouptoeducate.DetailsoftheprojectandhowtoreplicateorpartnerwiththeACWPwillbepresented.



EstablishingaCoastalAlabamaConservationCorpsTomHerder,MobileBayNationalEstuaryProgramCommunityengagementplayedakeyroleinthedevelopmentoftheThreeMileCreekWatershedManagementPlan,includingadaptationplanninginlow‐lying,economically‐challenged,traditionally‐underservedcommunitiesfacingfrequentfloodingeventsandincreasedthreatsrelatedtoclimatechange.ParticipantsintheMLKAvenueLeadershipAcademy,cosponsoredbytheMobileBayNationalEstuaryProgram(MBNEP)andtheMartinLutherKingJr.AvenueRedevelopmentCorporation(MLKARC),participantsworkingtoimprovecommunityconditionidentifiedaneedforthearea’syoungadultstobecomemoreconnectedtotheenvironmentalassets.Theyproposedseekingopportunitiestocombinelocalenvironmentaleducationwithemploymentopportunities,andtheideaofaCoastalAlabamaConservationCorpswasborn.Inearly2016,MBNEPandMLKARCpartneredtoprepareagrantproposaltoestablishaCorpstoputyoung,at‐risk,urbanadultstoworkimplementingTMCWMPrecommendations.Withoutaclearpathtoaworkablebudget,proposalsubmissionwasabandoned.InApril,theNationalFishandWildlifeFoundation’sDevelopingtheNextGenerationofConservationistsprovidedanotherfundingopportunity.MBNEPandMLKARCpartneredwiththeStudentConservationAssociation(SCA),with60yearsofoverseeingandfundingsimilarinitiativesand$100Kinnon‐federalmatch,andagrantproposalfor$250KwassubmittedinJuneandawardedinAugustforasix‐monthsessionofCoastalAlabamaConservationCorps.MLKARCassumedrecruitingandscreeningten18to26‐year‐olds,publicinvolvementresponsibilities,andprovisionofspaceforCorpsoperations.SCAhandledorganizationalinfrastructure,safetytraining,payrollandbenefits,andprovisionoftwo,trainedSCAteamleaderstosuperviseCorpsmembers.MBNEPprovidedlocalprogramoversight,professionaltrainingoversight,funding,andgrantadministrationaswellasworkscheduledevelopment.Localmatchingcontributionsincluded$25KeachfromAlabamaPowerandtheCramptonTrust,$5KfromMobileMayorSandyStimpson,and$2.5KeachfromCountyCommissionerMerceriaLudgoodandCityCouncilmenLevonManzieandFredRichardson.ProgramobjectivesincludedprovidingtrainingandenvironmentalmanagementemploymenttotenCorpsmemberstoapplymarketablerestorationtechniquestoimplementsmaller‐scaledprojectsrecommendedintheThreeMileCreekWatershedManagementPlan.Projectoutcomeswereaimedatimprovingenvironmentalstewardshipandcommunityownershipamongminority,low‐income,youngadults;providingtrainingandaccesstoemploymentinanexpandingGulfrestorationeconomy;andincreasinglocalownershipofenvironmentalassetsofTMCthroughhands‐onimplementationofresourcerestorationandmanagementactivitiestoimprovewaterqualityandhabitatcondition.TeamleadersarrivedinleasedSCAtrucksinJanuary,2017,foundhousing,andoccupiedastorefrontonBroadStreetprovidedbyMLKARC.SixcanoesandatrailerweresecuredforpaddlingintowoodedwetlandssurroundingthehistoriclowerstreamwayofThreeMileCreekandOneMileCreek.ScreenedCorpsmembersreportedonFebruary3foranine‐day,intensivetrainingsessioninnorthcentralFlorida.Stayinginon‐sitedormitorieswithteamleaders,theyundertooktrainingandreceivedcertificationinchainsaws,prescribedfire,wildernessandbasicfirstaidandCPR,andcanoeing.TheCACCwenttoworkonFebruary13.ACorpsworkweektypically



includesfiveeight‐hourdaysimplementingrestorationmeasures,primarilycontrolanderadicationofinvasivenuisancespeciesfromhabitat‐richwoodedwetlands,improvingdrainageinflood‐proneneighborhoods,plantingnativeplantsasacomponentofrestorationprojects,andsupplementingCityandCountyeffortstomanageenvironmentalissuesrelatedtourbanforestry.Eachweekincludesfourworkdaysandoneinadvancedtraining;learningaboutcoastalresourcemanagement,professionalandcommunicationskills,andenvironmentalissuesanddevelopingspeakingskillstocarrythemessageofsoundenvironmentalstewardshiptoMobileCountyPublicSchoolssixthgradeclassesthroughacurriculum‐appropriateWatersheds101presentation.Memberswerepaid$10perhourwithhealthbenefitsandattheconclusionoftheirtermwillbeeligibleforeducationalfinancialassistancethroughtheAmeriCorpsVistaprogram.OurfirststabatanurbanConservationCorpsinlowerAlabamapresentedunforeseenchallengesandrewards.Corpsmembersdemonstratedthefeasibilityofusingrelativelyinexperiencedyoungadults,willingtoworkinextremeenvironmentswearingsnakebootsoutofnecessity,toimplementWMPmeasures.TheirsuccessatpublicpresentationstoMobilePublicSchoolSystemsixthgradersprovidingacrediblemessageofgoodenvironmentalstewardship,surprisedandsatisfiedfunders,teachers,students,andthepresentersthemselves.Thefruitsoftheirambitionfromthis“launchingpad”intohighereducationandtheworkforceremaintobedetermined,butthosewhooversawandcommittedtimeandresourcestotheprogramwererewardedwithincreasedconfidenceintheabilitiesandpotentialoftheCorpsmemberswhocameonboardtoimprovethemselves,theircommunities,andtheirenvironment.StormwaterUserFeesinAlabamaByronHinchey,AmecFosterWheelerStormwaterutilities,orstormwateruserfees,havebeenusedasadedicatedfundingsourceforstormwatermanagementprogramssincethe1970’s.Morethan4,000stormwaterutilitiesareoperationaltoday,butwehavebeenslowtoembracetheconceptinthe“deepsouth”.StormwaterutilitiesareprevalentintheborderstatesofFlorida,Georgia,andTennessee.InAlabama,theLegislatureatlonglastpassedstate‐enablinglegislationin2014.However,thelegislationwasunusuallyprescriptiveinhowuserfeesmustbebilledandsetveryrestrictivelimitationsontheamountthateachpropertycouldbebilled.Weexaminetheconceptofstormwaterutilities,theuseofstormwaterutilitiesintheSoutheast,andtheopportunity,orlackthereof,tousethisfundingmechanismtosuccessfullyaddressourlocalstormwatermanagementneedsinAlabama.



AssessmentofGroundwaterResourcesinNanafaliaAquifer2010‐2016AmyeHinson,GeologicalSurveyofAlabamaTheGeologicalSurveyofAlabama(GSA)withsupportoftheGovernor’sofficeandtheLegislaturerecentlycompletedanassessmentofAlabama’sgroundwaterresourcesinsupportofwaterpolicydevelopmentforthestate.Thepurposeoftheassessmentwastogeneratespatialdatabasedonhydrogeologiccharacteristicsandinformationfromwaterwellsthatmaybeusedforfuturegroundwatersourceplanninganddevelopmentaswellasfortheimprovementofpoliciesaffectingthemanagement,conservation,andprotectionofgroundwaterresources.TheNanafaliaaquiferisaveryproductiveaquiferintheCoastalPlaininAlabamaandisusedbymanypublicwatersuppliersinsoutheastAlabama.Datafortheassessmentwascollectedfrom2010through2016toclassifycurrentgroundwaterresourcesintheNanafaliaAquiferinAlabama,withthegoalto(1)acquireandpopulateanacceptablegroundwaterwellinformationdatabase(Risk‐BasedDataManagementSystem[RBDMS],(2)conductanextensivefieldsurveyofwellstomeasurewaterlevelsforuseinproducingup‐to‐datepotentiometricsurfacemaps,(3)analyzegeophysicallogstocreategeologiccrosssectionsandgeologicstructuremapstophysicallydefinethedepthofgeologicformationtops,determineaquiferthicknessanddepth,determinethegeologiccompositionofwater‐bearingstrata,andtoindexwellstoaquifers,and(4)createlarge‐scaleplatesdepictinggeologiccrosssections,formationstructure,isopachmaps,andpotentiometricsurfaceinformation.Extensiveanalysisofgeophysicalinformationanddataresultedintheproductionofgeologiccrosssections,anetpotentialproductiveinterval(NPPI)map,apotentiometricsurfacemap,ageologicstructuremap,agroundwaterproductionimpactmap,andgroundwaterrechargeestimatesfortheNanafaliaaquiferinAlabama.PastandFuturePredictedEffectsofSeaLevelRiseandHumanActivitiesonHabitatsandShorelinesinCoastalAlabama’sWeeksBayWatershedScottJackson,EcologyandEnvironment,Inc.Althoughtherearemanypotentialimpactsassociatedwithclimatechange,someofthemostpronouncedandeasilyobserved,arethoserelatedtosealevelrise(SLR).Whilemuchuncertaintystillexistsovertheratesatwhichsealevelisexpectedtoriseinthenearfuture,apparenteffectsofsealevelriseoverthelast50‐60yearsarebeingobservedalreadyinsomeportionsofAlabama’scoastalwatersheds.ObservedandpredictedfuturechangestocoastalhabitatsandshorelineswereanalyzedaspartoftheMobileBayNationalEstuaryProgram’s(MBNEP)WatershedManagementPlan(WMP)fortheWeeksBaywatershedinBaldwinCounty,Alabama.Theanalysisindicatesthatthesehabitatsandshorelinesinthewatershedhavebeen,andwilllikelycontinuetobeimpactedbybothhumanactivitiesandprocessesrelatedtoclimatechange,suchasSLR.Inordertoassesschangestoshorelinesinthewatershedovertime,aerialphotographsfrom1955werecomparedwithaerialphotographsfrom2015.OneofthemostnotableobservationswaslandlossofemergentislandslocatednearthemouthsoftheFishandMagnoliaRivers.Someoftheseareasexperiencehighlevelsofboattrafficandresultingwake,whichcanleadtoshorelineerosionoftheislands.Additional



factorsrelatedtothesizeoftheseislandsincludetheoccurrenceoffloodeventsandtropicalsystems,whichcancauseincreasedflowandvelocityleadingtogreaterpotentialforbankerosion.TheothermostobviousshorelinechangeisthewideningofmultiplesmalltributariesofboththeFishandMagnoliaRivers,whichdonotappeartobeaffectedbyboatwake.Theseparticularcoastalstreamsaregenerallyveryshort,runthroughmarsh,andhaveverysmallwatersheds.Theyaretypicallynotwideordeepenoughtobenavigablebymotorizedboats.Assuch,erosionduetoboatwakeismostlikelynottheprimarycauseoftheobservedwidening.RecordeddatafromtheNationalOceanicandAtmosphericAdministration’s(NOAA’s)nearestlong‐termtidalgaugelocatedatDauphinIsland,(approximately17milessouthwestfromthemouthofWeeksBay),showsthatmeanrelativesealevelhasrisen0.165meters(6.5inches)intheMobileBayareasincethegaugewasinstalledin1966.Suchariseinmeanrelativesealevelcouldexplainwhythesmallerstreams,whichexperiencelittletonoriskoferosionfromboatwakeandnosignificantupstreamlandusechangesintheirmicro‐scalewatersheds,havewidenedtosuchanextentinarelativelyshortperiodoftime.NOAAandtheU.S.ArmyCorpsofEngineers(USACE)havepredictedthatsealevelattheDauphinIslandstationwilllikelyrisesomewherebetween0.34and2.15meters(1to7feet),bytheyear2100.Iftherateofsealevelrisesacceleratessignificantly,coastalenvironmentsmaynotbeabletorespondaccordinglyandwilldecreaseinsizeorbesubmerged.Aslocalsealevelsincrease,somemarshesmaymigrateintoneighboringlow‐lyingareas,whileothersectionsofmarshwillbelosttoopenwaterorconverttoanintertidalmudflat.Inundevelopedorlessdevelopedcoastalareas,ecosystemsaremorelikelytobeabletoshiftupwardandlandwardwiththerisingwaterlevels.PredictedeffectsofvariousSLRscenariosonfuturehabitatdistributionintheWeeksBaywatershedwereanalyzedusingoutputgeneratedbytheGulfCoastPrairieLandscapeConservationCooperative(GCPLCC)fromtheSeaLevelAffectingMarshesModel(SLAMM).TheSLRscenarioschosenforanalysisoftheWeeksBayWatershedwere0.5,1.0,and2.0metersofrelativemeanSLRintheareafromtheinitialyear(2002)totheyear2100.InallthreeSLRscenarios,thelargestproportionofhabitatpredictedtohaveanetreductioninacreage(viaconversiontoanotherhabitattypeortypes)wasthe“Swamp”category,whichconstitutedgreaterthan50percentoftotallossinallscenarios;andthe“RegularlyFloodedMarsh”categoryconsistentlyshowedthelargestgains.However,astheSLRscenariowasincreased,thiscategory’sproportionoftotalhabitatgaineddecreasedasadditionalhabitatcategories,suchas“TransitionalFreshMarsh,”“EstuarineOpenWater,”and“FloodedForest,”begantoincrease.



GrowingandMaintainingaVibrantWatershedGroupinNorthCentralAlabamaKevinJenne,ChoccoloccoCreekWatershed;JohnLoper&ThomasLoper,TheLoperGroup;AlanFowler,GeosyntecConsultants,Inc.&MichaelPrice,GenesisProject,Inc.TheChoccoloccoCreekWatershedisarelativelynewwatershedgroupformedin2011toprotectthewatersofChoccoloccoCreeklocatedinnortheastAlabama.ChoccoloccoCreekflowsforapproximately65milesfromitsheadwatersintheTalladegaNationalForestsoutheasttoitsconfluencewiththeCoosaRiverandreceivesinputsfromasurroundingdrainagebasinthatisapproximately500squaremilesinsize.TheupperhalfofChoccoloccoCreekislargelysurroundedbyundevelopedforestlands,andthelowerportionisborderedbyacombinationofactiveagriculturallandsandmanagedforestlands.MultipletributariesprovidesurfacewaterflowtoChoccoloccoCreekwithseveralofthesefeedingthelowerhalfofthecreek.Oneofthesetributaries,SnowCreek,flowsforapproximatelysixmilesthroughhighlydevelopedurbanandindustrializedareasbeforeenteringChoccoloccoCreeknearitsmidpoint.InadditiontotheurbanandindustrialinputsfromSnowCreek,thelowerportionofChoccoloccoCreekisthereceivingwatersforseveralpermitteddischarges,includingtwowastewatertreatmentplantsandtwoindustrialpointsources.TheagriculturallandsborderingmuchoflowerChoccoloccoCreekarealsopotentialsourcesfornonpointpollutants,includingnutrients.ThispresentationwillfocusonactivitiesthatarebeingconductedtogrowandmaintaintheChoccoloccoCreekWatershedrecognizingthatwithoutdiligentefforts,theinitialenthusiasmandinterestinawatershedgroupcanwaneasmembershipandvolunteersdiscoverthatdespitethebenefits,it’shardwork.Thepresentationwilladdressimportantfactorsforgrowingandmaintainingwatershedgroupsincludingcommunication,organization,andfundraising.Communicationisaninfluentialfactorformaintaininggroupmomentum,andtherearemultipletoolsavailabletodaythatcanbeapplied.Evenwiththesetools,themessagingmustbeconsistentanddesignedtohighlightspecificgroupeventsandsuccesses.Thesesuccesses,nomatterhowsmall,mustbecelebratedwidelyusingtherangeofavailablecommunicationtools.Whilemanywatershedgroupsbeginasalooseaffiliationofindividualsand/ororganizationsboundbyacommongoalofprotectingand/orrestoringawatershedorwaterbody,themostsuccessfulgroupshavebecomeincreasinglymoreorganizedovertime.Thisincludesdevelopingaformalstructurewithdefinedrolesandresponsibilitiesandoftenincludesgoverningboardsand/oraboardofdirectors.ThepresentationwillprovideanoverviewastowheretheChoccoloccoCreekWatershedisonthisjourneyanddescribeupcomingplans.Finally,fundingiscentraltothesuccessofanyorganization,includingwatershedgroups.Itisimportanttorecognizethatdespitehowmuchvolunteerlaboragroupmaybeabletomuster,fundingwillberequiredtosupportprojects.Thepresentationwilldescribehowfundingforthiswatershedgroupisbeingsecuredfromacombinationofsourcesincludingmemberships,specialeventsandgrants.



HydrologicAlterationandtheCleanWaterAct:PartIGerritJobsis,AmericanRivers;&RandyHaddock,CahabaRiverSocietyChangesinnaturalstreamflowor“hydrologicalteration”candirectlyaffectthephysical,chemicalandbiologicalwaterqualityofstreams,lakesandwetlands.TheresultscanhavesignificanteffectsondesignatedusesprotectedbytheCleanWaterActincludingaquaticlife,recreation,culturalresourcesanddrinkingwater.Theidentificationofwatersnotmeetingtheirdesignatedusesduetohydrologicalterationcansupporteffortstoaddressexistingimpairmentsandavoidnewhydrologicalterations.In2015,EPAissuednationalguidancetostateandtribalwaterqualityagenciesthatclarifiestreatmentofhydrologicallyalteredwatersundertheCleanWaterActandencouragestheagenciestomorefullymonitor,assess,andidentifywatersimpairedduetohydrologicalteration.ThesewatersshouldbereportedtoEPAandultimatelyCongressunderCategory4CofStateIntegratedReports,alsoknownas305(b)reports.Thisworkshopwillprovideanopportunitytolearnabouttheeffectsofhydrologicalteration,EPA’sguidancetostatesandtribes,andapproachesforworkingwithwaterqualityagenciestoidentifyandlisthydrologicallyimpairedwatersinthebiennialreportstheyarerequiredtosubmittoEPA.ExamplesofstreamsinAlabamathatshouldbeclassifiedashydrologicallyimpairedwillalsobeprovided.WeeksBayWatershedHydrologicandWaterQualityModelingLatifKalin,AuburnUniversityTheMobileBayNationalEstuaryProgram(MBNEP)istryingtodevelopwatershedmanagementplansforallHUC‐12watershedsaroundtheMobileBay.ThispaperpresentsthewatershedmodelingeffortsandtheresultsfortheFishRiverandMagnoliaRiverwatersheds,whichconstitutethetwomainfreshwaterresourcestotheWeeksBay,asub‐estuaryofMobileBay.Thepresentedwatershedmodelingeffortispartofthe“FishRiverandMagnoliaRiverWatershedManagementPlan”project.TheSoilWaterAssessmentTool(SWAT)modelwassuccessfullyappliedtotheFishandMagnoliaRiverwatersheds.AlthoughbothwatershedsarepartoftheWeeksBayWatershedsystem,therearedifferencesintheirlanduse/cover(LULC),soilandtopography.Therefore,separatemodelsweredevelopedforeachwatershed.The2011USDANationalAgriculturalStatisticsServicecroplayerwasusedastherepresentativeLULClayerduringmodelcalibrationandvalidationforflow,sediment,nitrogen,andphosphorous.Initially,manualcalibrationwasusedtohavephysicallymeaningfulparameterranges.AtthenextstepSWAT‐CUP(SWATCalibrationandUncertaintyProcedures)wasusedtofinetunethoseparametersusingauto‐calibrationfeatures.Thecalibration/validationperiodwas2005to2015.Modelperformancesingeneralwereverygoodduringbothcalibrationandvalidationperiods.ThecalibratedmodelwasrunwiththesameLULCusingdailyclimatedatafrom1986to2015togenerate30year‐longmodeloutputs.These30‐yearmodeloutputsrevealedthattheannualaverageTSSloadingsfromtheoutletsoftheHUC‐12levelUpper,MiddleandLowerFishRiverwatershedsare0.52,0.56and0.48t/ha,respectively.TheannualTSSloadto



theWeeksBayfromtheFishRiverwatershedisestimatedtobe19,361tons.TheTSSloadingfromtheMagnoliaRiverwatershedtotheWeeksBayis1,371tons,or0.14t/ha.ItisclearthatFishRiverwatershedisthedominantsedimentprovidertotheBay.Further,FishRiverwatershedismoresusceptibletoerosionthantheMagnoliaRiverwatershed.Topographylikelyplaysthebiggerroleinthis,asFishRiverwatershedhasasteeperterrain.TheTNloadingsfromtheoutletsofeachHUC‐12levelunitsare9.36,10.52,10.96and14.33kg/ha,respectively,fortheUpperFish,MiddleFish,LowerFishandMagnoliaRiverwatersheds.TheNorthtoSouthincreaseinTNloadingsisassociatedwiththeincreaseinAgriculturalland.ThesamenumbersforTPare1.24,1.41,1.60,1.42kg/ha,respectively.Again,thereisthegeneralincreasingtrendfromNorthtoSouth.Notsurprisingly,theTSS,TNandTPloadsarenotgeneratedevenlythroughoutthewatersheds.Asamatteroffact,only10‐14%ofthetotalwatershedareaintheFishRiverwatershedisresponsiblefor50%oftheTSS,TN,andTPloadsgeneratedfromthewholewatershed.IntheMagnoliaRiverwatershedthispercentagevariesbetween19%and24%.WealsolookedatthepastandfutureLULCimpactsonflowandwaterquality.Forthatpurpose,SWATmodelwasrunwiththe1992LULCaswellastwopotentialfutureLULCscenariosrepresenting2040(highgrowthandmediumgrowthscenarios).Thesameclimatedatafrom1986to2015wereused.Averageannualflowsdidnotvarymuch,althoughlowandhighflowsareexpectedtoexhibitdifferences.RegardingTSSloading,thereisanapparentincreaseinTSSloadingtothebaymovingfrom1992LULCtofutureLULC.Thehighgrowthscenarioisexpectedtohavethelargerincreaseinsedimentloading.TNhadadifferenttrend.ModelresultsshowthatTNloadingswerehigherunderthe1992LULCcomparedto2011.FutureincreaseinresidentiallandsinbothwatershedsareexpectedtoleadtoincreaseinTNloads.TPloads,ontheotherhand,appeartobelowestunderthe1992LULC,andfuturegrowthisexpectedtoeithernotchangeorcausereductioninTPloadingstothebay.HowcanweprepareAlabamafortheeraofwatercrisis?JonghunKam,PrincetonUniversityAlabamaisnowfacinganeraofwatercrisisbecauseofmorefrequentwater‐relatedextremeevents.Inrecentyears,droughtsandfloodscametogetherorclosetoeachother(e.g.,2016–17SoutheasternU.S.Droughtand2017TropicalStormCindy)andcausedsevereagriculturalandeconomiclosses.Inthisera,waterresourcesmanagementformultiplehazardsbecomesmorechallenging.Tohelpbuildtheresilienceofthecommunitytodroughtsandfloods,asub‐seasonaltoseasonal(S2S)forecastingsystemisdeveloped,integratingtheNOAANationalWaterCenter(NWC)ensemblehydrologicforecastingandNorthAmericanMulti‐ModelEnsemble(NMME)seasonalforecasting.Forthesub‐seasonalforecasting,theNOAANWChydrologicensembleforecastingiscustomizedtosupportfloodresponseandpreparednessplanningatthestateandcitylevels.Fortheseasonalforecasting,theNMMEseasonalforecastingisutilizedinsimulatingofflinealandsurfacehydrologicmodel,theVariableInfiltrationCapacity(VIC)andderivingmultipledroughtindicesatthestatelevel,includingStandardPrecipitation/StreamflowIndex,andSoilMoisturePercentile.The



proposedS2Sforecastingsystemwillbeoperatedweeklyandmonthlyforthepurposesofrespondingtofloodsanddroughts,respectively,viaaweb‐basedinterface.Eventually,itwillhelpbuildtheresilienceofthecommunitytodroughtsandfloods.ApplicationofAnnAGNPStomodelanagriculturalwatershedinEast‐CentralMississippifortheevaluationofanon‐farmwaterstorage(OFWS)systemRiteshKarki,AuburnUniversity;MaryLoveM.Tagert,JoelO.Paz,MississippiStateUniversity;&RonaldL.Bingner,USDA‐ARSNationalSedimentationLaboratory,Oxford,MSAnnualizedAgriculturalNon‐PointSourcePollutantModel(AnnAGNPS)isawatershed‐scale,continuoussimulation,physicalmodelthathasbeenwidelyusedtosimulaterunoff,nutrients,sediment,andpesticidesinagriculturalwatersheds.ThisstudyappliedAnnAGNPStosimulaterunoff,nutrients(totalNitrogenandtotalPhosphorus),andsedimentfroma30.3hectareagriculturalwatershedinEast‐CentralMississippi.AnnAGNPSwasalsousedtoevaluateanOn‐FarmWaterStorage(OFWS)systemasaBestManagementPractice(BMP)fornutrientandsedimentloadingcontrolfromagriculturalfieldswithinthiswatershedandasasourceofwaterforirrigation.AnR2of0.85andNash‐SutcliffeCoefficientofEfficiency(E)of0.82indailyrunoffestimationshowedthatthemodelcanadequatelysimulaterunofffromagriculturalwatershedsinEast‐CentralMississippi.Inaddition,anR2of0.88andEof0.67forevent‐basedsedimentestimationandanR2of0.74andEof0.54formonthlyphosphorusestimationalsoshowedthatthemodelcansatisfactorilysimulatesedimentandphosphorus.However,withanR2ofonly0.15andEof‐0.107,themodelwasunabletosimulatenitrogenatamonthlyscale,likelybecauseofthelackofsitespecificandaccurateinputdata.TheevaluationoftheOFWSsystemshowedthatthesystemwasabletocapture220,000m3ofrunofffromthemonitoredwatershedthatcanbestoredandusedforirrigation.AnnAGNPSestimatedthattheOFWSsystemalsocaptured46tonsofsedimentand558kgofphosphorusduringthemonitoringperiod(September2014toMarch2016),preventingdownstreamnutrientandsedimentpollution.UsingDroneImagestoCaptureChannelGeometryforHydrologicalModelingThorstenKnappenberger&EveBrantley,AuburnUniversityHydrologicalmodelsareimportanttoolsinstreamrestorationchanneldesignandmonitoring.Streamchanneldesignsmayincludehydrologicalmodelswiththegoaltominimizeshearstressandriskoffatalerosionandprojectfailure.AfterimpairedstreamsandreachesarerestoredthechannelgeometryistypicallyacquiredthroughanintensiveGPSsurvey.Basedonthesurvey,hydrologicalmodelsareprocessedandtheas‐builtchannelgeometryiscomparedtotheplannedengineeringdesign.SuchGPSsurveysaretimeconsumingandonlycapturesinglepointsina3Dlandscape.Analternativeistouseunmannedaerialvehicles,ordrones,tocaptureaerialimagesand



processtheminto3Dsurfacesthatthencanbeusedinhydrologicalmodels.Weidentified3restorationprojectsintheD’Olivewatershedanddeveloped3Dsurfacemodelsforeachofthe3restorationsites.WeusedanInspire1(DJI,Shenzhen,China)UAVtocapturetheaerialimagesandprocessedtheminto3DsurfacemodelsusingPix4D(Pix4DInc,SanFrancisco,CA).ShearstresswasthenmodeledbasedonGPSsurveydataandbasedonUAV3Dsurfacemodels.GPSsurveypointsanddataderivedfromthe3Dsurfacemodelscorrelatedwellwithcorrelationcoefficientsofr=0.98.In‐streamchannellocationswerecapturedmoreaccuratelywiththeGPSsurveywhilethe3Dsurfacemodelsresultinhighresolutiondataonthebanks.Fromourresults,UAVdroneimagescannotreplaceGPSsurveys.However,ahybridofbothapproachesleadstohighestsurfacequality.Criticalpoints,especiallyinthechannelwherethewatersurfaceobscurestheUAVimages,stillhavetobeacquiredviaGPS.HighresolutionaerialimagescanalsobecreatedfromtheUAVimages.Thoseaerialimageshelphydrologicalmodelerstounderstandtheas‐builtconditionswithouthavingtovisittheconstructionsite.FutureworkwillassessthesuitabilityofUAVtechnologytomonitorrestorationsitesovertimecapturingchannelevolutionandvegetation.Inthisstudy,onlyRGBimageswereprocessed.However,futuredatawillalsoincludemulti‐spectralimages.Withthesedata,itwillbepossibletoassessvegetationgrowthandhealth.Thisprovidesausefultooltoidentifyandreplantareasoflowvegetationsurvival.EstablishingComprehensiveVolunteerWaterQualityMonitoringJasonKudulis,MobileBayNationalEstuaryProgramIncoastalAlabamacomprehensivewatershedmanagementplanningisinfullswing.Inall,thirtyonewatershedsaretargetedtogetaplan,trulyamassiveandhistoricundertakingforcoastalAlabamawaterresources.ToguideplanningeffortstheEPAidentifiesninekeyelementsforinclusion,oneofwhichisamonitoringcomponent.Monitoringisvitaltounderstandingtheoverallhealthofawatershed.Itcanbeusedtoevaluatethesuccessorfailureofimplementedplanningstrategiesordeterminewhereadditionalfocusisneeded.Oftencitizendrivenvolunteermonitoringprogramsareestablishedtomeetthiscriticalneed.However,organizing,funding,andretainingvolunteermonitorstobuildalongstandingprogramcanbeachallenge.ToaddresstheseobstaclesandensuresupportofbothexistingandfuturevolunteerprogramstheCommunityActionCommittee(CAC)oftheMobileBayNationalEstuaryProgramhasidentifiedcitizenmonitoringasapriorityandtakenstepstoallocatesubstantialresourcesincludinghiringamonitoringcoordinator.Usingpartnerships,technologyandAlabamaWaterWatch’sEPAapproveddatacollectionmethodstheCAChasfashionedaframeworktogetnewmonitoringprogramsoperationalandoutfittedforsuccess.Additionally,theCACservesasahubforplace‐basedgrassrootsorganizationsandmonitoringentitiestostrengthentheirindividualgroupeffortsandfosteraunifiedvolunteermonitoringcommunitytoadvocateforwaterqualityandwisestewardship.Todate,thevolunteermonitoringprogrammodelhasledtothecreationofnewvolunteermonitoringprogramsintheFowlRiverWatershedandtheBonSecour/SkunkBayou/OysterBayComplex.



Land‐atmospherecouplingandsoilmoisturememorycontributetolong‐termagriculturaldroughtSanjivKumar,AuburnUniversity;MatthewNewman,NOAAESRLPSD,NCAR;BenLivneh,CUBoulder;DavidLawrence&DanicaLombardozzi,NCARWeassessedthecontributionofland‐atmospherecouplingandsoilmoisturememoryonlong‐termagriculturaldroughtsintheUS.Weperformedanensembleofclimatemodelsimulationstostudysoilmoisturedynamicsundertwoatmosphericforcingscenarios:activeandmutedland‐atmospherecouplingstrengths.Land‐atmospherecouplingcontributestoa9%increaseand31%decreaseinthedecorrelationtimescaleofsoilmoistureanomaliesintheUSGreatPlainsandtheSouthwest,respectively.Thesedifferencesinsoilmoisturememoryaredirectlyrelatedtothelengthandseverityofmodeldrought.Consequently,long‐termdroughtsare10%longerand3%moresevereintheGreatPlains,and14%shorterand20%lesssevereintheSouthwest.AnanalysisofCoupledModelIntercomparsionProjectphase5datashowfourfolduncertaintyinsoilmoisturememoryacrossmodelsthatstronglyaffectsimulatedlong‐termdroughtsandpotentiallyattributabletothedifferencesinsoilwaterstoragecapacityacrossmodels.EstimatingnitrogenremovalservicesofeasternoysterinMobileBay,AlabamaQuanLai&ZhangYaoqi,AuburnUniversity;EliseIrwin,U.S.GeologicalSurveyEstimatingandvaluatingservicesofanecosystemisoftendemandingwhenthereisaneedtojustifyarestorationdecisionandtocalculatetherecoveryofpostdollarinvestment.Ecologicalrestorationisofteninitiatedasameanstoceaseorreversethetrendofdegradedecosystemandspecieslosscausedbyhuman‐inducedimpacts.Easternoystershavebeenacknowledgedfortheirimportantcontributiontohumanwell‐beingbyprovidinggoodsandservicessuchasprotectingshorelinesfromwaveaction,removingexcessnutrients,increasinglightpenetrationandprovidingshelterandfoodforfish,crustaceansandinvertebrates.However,impactsfromoverharvest,diseaseandpoorwaterqualityhavecausedsubstantialdeclinesofoysterreefsglobally.Inthisstudy,weestimatednitrogenremovalservicesprovidedbyoysterreefsinMobileBay,Alabama.Theoysterreefswereestimatedtoremoveover32,000kgofNitrogenperyearthroughdenitrification,andgreaterthan16,000kgofNitrogenperyearthroughtheburialofbiodepositsintosediments.Almost10,000kgofNitrogencanberemovedperyearfromoysterharvestintheMobileBay,alone.ByusingthecostofremovingnitrogenfromanAlabamasewagewatertreatmentplant,weestimatedtheeconomicbenefitofthenitrogenremovalserviceswasupwardsof$235,000ayear.Thesefindingsprovideadditionaleconomicbenefitstotheoverallestimationofoysterreef’secosystemservicesinAlabama.TheseresultscanbeusedbydecisionmakersorthepublictoestimatetheeconomicreturnofoysterhabitatrestorationinvestmentsinAlabamawaters.



UpdateonGrantFundedComprehensiveSteamRestorationProjectsintheD'OliveWatershed,BaldwinCounty,AlabamaPaulLammers,MobileBayNationalEstuaryProgramTheMobileBayNationalEstuaryProgramsecuredNationalFishandWildlifeFoundationandAlabamaDepartmentofEnvironmentalManagement319grantfundingtocomprehensivelyrestoredegradedstreamsandwetlandstoreducesedimentationintoD'OliveandMobilebays.TheD'OliveCreekWatershedManagementPlan(2010)describedfactorsunderlyingexcessiveerosionandsedimentation,identifiedmostcritically‐degradedstreamreaches,andrecommendedimmediaterestorationmeasurestopreventfuturedegradation,reducesedimentsources,andpreventfuturedegradation.Thewatershed'sthreeprincipaltributaries(alongwithtwounnamedtributaries)areincludedontheState's303(d)listofImpairedWatersduetoexcessivesedimentandhabitatalteration.StreamrestorationalongtheEasternShoreofBaldwinCountyisnotatrivialpursuit.Withsignificanttopographicalrelief,layersoferodiblesandandclay,anaverageoffiveandahalffeetofhardrainfallingannually,andhardenedurbanlandscape,thisarearepresents"theperfectstorm"ofstormwaterimpacts,includingfloodingandflashiness,streambankerosion,wetlandsdegradation,andsedimentation.AlreadybenefittingfromsedimentloadinganalysesprovidedbytheGeologicalSurveyofAlabama,MBNEPsecuredtheservicesofanationally‐recognizedstreamrestorationexperttoguidethedesign,engineering,andmanagementofprojectsbeingimplementedsimultaneously.LocalengineeringcontractorsalsosoughtinputfromconsultantstodesignrestorationstrategiescapableofwithstandingenormoussheerstressestowhichthecoastalstreamsofsouthAlabamaarefrequentlysubjected.Witheightof11projectsnearingcompletionandthreemoreprojectsadvancingthroughdesignphases,MBNEPwillprovideanupdateandsharesolutionsdevelopedtothechallengesencounteredinimplementingthesteamrestorationprojects.Water‐solublecarbohydratessensingsystemusingboronicacidmodifiedpoly(amidoamine)dendrimersXiaoliLiang&MarcoBonizzoni,TheUniversityofAlabamaBodiesofwateroftencontainsharmfulcompoundslikeorganophosphorusfromindustrialfarmingandmetaboliteslikecarbohydratesfrombacteriaandplankton.Monitoringthesecomponentsisessentialtocontrolwaterquality.Majorchallengestosenseanalytesinwaterincludeshighcost,lowsensitivity,complexityoftheappropriatematerials,andinconvenientconstructionofthefunctionaldevices.Therefore,developingsimpleanalyticalmethodsusingmaterialsthatarecommerciallyavailableoreasytopreparewithgoodwatersolubilityandhighsensitivityisurgent.Ourgroupdevelopedaqueousanalyticalsensingsystemsforcarbohydrates.Phenylboronicacidscanbeusedasreceptorsinchemicalsensorsforcarbohydrates.However,theirbindingaffinityandsolubilityareusuallypoorinwater.Weimprovedtheseparametersbycovalentlyconnectingboronicacidmoietiestothesurfaceofacommercialavailablepolymer:third‐generationpoly(amido)amine(PAMAM)dendrimers,toformawater‐solublePAMAM‐boronicacidreceptor(PAMAMba).We



firstmonitoredtheinteractionofthismodifiedboronicacidreceptorwithcarbohydrate‐likestructuredyessuchas4–methylesculetinandalizarinRedSviaabsorbanceandfluorescencespectroscopy.WethenstudiedtheinteractionofthePAMAMbareceptorwithcarbohydratesbysettingupanindicatordisplacementassaybasedonthoseresults.Additionofmonosaccharides(e.g.fructose,glucose,galactose,ribose)anddisaccharides(e.g.lactose,maltose,sucrose,trehalose)tothe[PAMAMba●(dye)n]complexesallowedustostudythecarbohydratescomplexationtoPAMAMbabyfollowingthedisplacementofthebounddyes.Wedemonstratedtheuseofthesepolymer‐basedsensorsinamultivariatearraysensingplatformforthediscriminationofcarbohydratesinwaterasaproofofprincipletowardstheirbroaderapplicabilityinphysiologicallyandenvironmentallyrelevantconditions.Thiswillallowustogenerateapatterningsystemthatcanbeusedtosensedifferenttypesofcarbohydratesandothercarbohydrate‐likestructuresinwater.Thesesensingeffortswillbeveryhelpfultomonitorbacterialcontaminationofsurfaceanddeepwatersbytrackingthewell‐knowncarbohydratemetabolitesofthesespecies.FaunalHabitatLinkagesforAlabamaBarrierIslandRestorationAssessmentatDauphinIslandClintLloyd,AlabamaCooperativeFishandWildlifeResearchUnit,&EliseIrwin,USGS.DauphinIslandisastrategicallysignificantbarrierislandalongthenorthernGulfofMexico,servingastheonlybarrierislandprovidingprotectiontomuchofthestateofAlabama’scoastalnaturalresources.TheislandhassustainedimpactsfrombothstormsandtherecentDeepwaterHorizonoilspill,warrantingevaluationofrestorationoptions.ThisworkwillidentifythemostbeneficialandeffectiverestorationactivitiesforDauphinIslandthat,ifimplemented,wouldensurelong‐termsustainabilityandresiliencyofthestateofAlabama’sonlybarrierisland,itshabitats,thelivingcoastalandmarineresourcesitsupports,aswellasestuarineconditionsinMississippiSoundandtheextensivecoastalwetlandstothenorth.Wehaveidentifiedmultipleobjectivesassociatedwithlong‐termsustainabilityandresiliencyofDauphinIsland.Toevaluatetheinfluenceofrestorationalternativesonconservationvalueswearedevelopingadecisiontoolforthedecisionmaker(AlabamaDepartmentofConservationandNaturalResources)thatwillconstituteatransparentassessmentofthetradeoffsamongtherestorationstrategies.Afundamentalobjectiveofthisprojectistomaximizecostalmarineresources,particularlyforthefaunathatinhabittheislandandthespecifichabitattypesthatthesespeciesutilize.TeammembersworkedtogethertoelicitfaunalexpertiseanddevelopedalistofspeciesthatutilizeDauphinIsland.Thislistwasusedtoestimateandrankgenerallinkagesofspeciestohabitats.Therankingswerethenusedinnonmetricmulti‐dimensionalscaling(NMDS)ordinationtoidentifysimilaritiesamongfaunalspeciesbasedonestimatedhabitatusage.Thesehabitatgroupingswillbeusedalongsidegeospatialmodelscurrentlybeingdevelopedtohelpquantifychangesinhabitatasaresultofasuiteofrestorationalternatives.Throughconceptualandpredictiveecologicalmodeling,reducinguncertaintycanultimatelyilluminatehow



theserestorationalternativescontributetothelong‐termsustainabilityofDauphinIslandasabarrierisland.Gradient‐basedFloodMap:AScience‐BasedPolicyAlternativetothe100‐yearFloodZoneRachelLombardi,UniversityofAlabamaThe100‐yearfloodismostcommonlyusedinfloodriskdiscoursebecauseofthefloodinsuranceratemaps(FIRM)createdbytheNationalFloodInsuranceProgram(NFIP).Itiswidelysupportedbyliteraturethat100‐yearfloodsandassociatedfloodmapscreatemoreconfusionforthepublicthantheyeffectivelycommunicaterisk.With30–40%offloodinsuranceclaimsoccurringoutsideofthe100‐yearfloodzone,floodpolicyneedstobeupdatedtoaholisticrepresentationoffloodhazards.Thispaperproposesascience‐drivenpolicyalternativeto100‐yearfloodmapscalledgradient‐basedfloodriskmapswhichdepictthefloodinundationofallremotefloodannualexceedanceprobabilities(0.01orsmaller)giventheavailablehydrologicdataforaregion.Akeyfactorindevelopingaccuratemapsofremoteprobabilityfloodhazardistheinclusionofhistoricandpaleoflooddatainthefloodfrequencycurve.Paleofloodsarereconstructedusingsedimentologicalevidenceleftbyfloodstoreconstructactualextremeeventsthathaveoccurredinariver’sgeologichistory.Theinclusionofpaleofloodandhistoricdatacanextendfloodrecordsthousandsofyearswhichallowhydrologisttodetermineremoteprobabilityfloodswithoutextrapolationbeyondavailabledata.Theimpactofusingallavailablehydrologicdataonfloodmapsandthefeasibilityofgradient‐basedmaparedemonstratedwithcasestudiesofseveralU.S.communitieswhichhavehistoricallyexperiencedextremefloods.Thesecasestudiesshowthekeybenefitofthegradient‐basedfloodmapisvisualcommunicationofaholisticviewoffloodhazardandallowspropertyownerstomakemoreinformeddecisionsregardingfloodrisk.ImplementingaModifiedHANDMethodforReal‐TimeContinentalInundationMappingRyanMcGehee,AuburnUniversityThemodifiedHeightAbovetheNearestDrainage(HAND)methodisaterrainanalysismethodthatcanprovidecomputationallyefficientfloodinundationapproximations.Wearedemonstratingthecompletemethodologyandprovidingourprogresstodateonanationalimplementationofthemethod.WeexpecttofindsignificantimprovementsinourabilitytoapproximateamorediverserangeofhydrologiccasesthantheoriginalHANDmethodwhilestillbeingabletodrawonitsstrengths.Ultimately,themodifiedHANDmethodhasrevolutionarypotentialforthefieldofwaterpredictionand—withoptimization—couldbeabreakthroughtechnologyforfloodforecastingandfloodinundationmapping.



MediumrangeforecastingofreferenceevapotranspirationincontinentalU.S.usingnumericalweatherpredictionsHanoiMedina,AuburnUniversityForecastingevapotranspirationisoneofthefundamentalissuesinwaterresourcesandirrigationmanagement.Numericalweatherprediction(NWP)forecastscanbeusedasmodelinputsforpredictingmediumrange(1‐10days)referenceevapotranspiration(ETo).ThisworkcomparestheperformanceofrawandbiascorrectedmediumrangeETopredictionsovernineclimateregionsinthecontinentalU.S.,usingdailyperturbedNWPforecasts,issuedbetweenMayandAugust,from2014to2016.TheNWPare:theEuropeanCentreforMedium‐RangeWeatherForecasts(ECMWF),theNationalCentersforEnvironmentalPrediction(NCEP)GlobalForecastSystem(GFS),andtheUnitedKingdomMeteorologicalOffice(UKMO).Thestudyalsopondersifthecombinationofsingle‐modelensembleswithoverallsimilarlevelsofskillleadstoamoreskillfulmulti‐modelensemble.EToestimatesbasedonquality‐controlledU.S.RegionalClimateReferenceNetworkmeasurements,andcomputedwiththeFAO56PenmanMonteithequation,areadoptedasbaseline.TheresultshowsthattheECMWFhasthebestperformance,followedbyUKMOandGFS.ThesimplecombinationoftheECMWFandUKMOprovidedjustslight,butyetsignificant,improvementsinmostperformancestatisticswithrespecttothebestmodel.ErrorsintheincomingsolarradiationforecastsarefoundtohavearelativelyhighdetrimentalimpactontheoverallETouncertainty.Fromapracticalperspective,ourstudyofmedium‐rangeEToforecastsprovideusefulinformationforwatermanagers,farmers,andirrigationsystemoperators.InlandNavigationinAlabamaLarryMerrihew,CoalitionofAlabamaWaterwayAssociationsWarriorTombigbeeThispresentationexaminesthevalueoftheinlandriversystemsofAlabamaandtheroleoftheAssociationsthatmonitorandpromotethisresource.TheriversystemsofAlabamaenhancetheeconomicandenvironmentalprofilesoftheState,andhavehelpedchangepublicandpoliticalopinionsregardingtheimportanceofthenavigableriversbyinvolvingthepeopleinthediscussionsabouttheriversystems.Thepresentationwillalsoexaminefactorsaffectingtheriversfromlocal,State,andNationalentities.



CoastalMarinePlanninginAlabamaChristianMiller,MobileBayNationalEstuaryProgramCoastalMarinePlanning(CMP)isacomprehensive,adaptive,andecosystem‐basedspatialplanningprocessthatanalyzescurrentandanticipatedusesofcoastalareasandthemarineenvironmenttoreduceenvironmentalimpactsandconflictsamongusers.TheAlabamaDepartmentofConservationandNaturalResources(ADCNR),viaagrantfromtheNationalOceanicandAtmosphericAdministration‐OfficeforCoastalManagement,providedagranttotheMobileBayNationalEstuaryProgram(MBNEP)todevelopandinitiateCMPintheStateofAlabama.Theplanningeffortoccurredinfivephases,beginninginMarchof2012withthegoalofimprovingthecoordinationoflandandwaterusesalongtheGulfCoast:I.EstablishaSteeringCommittee,gatherdata,andidentifygaps(FY2012).II.Setvisionandshort‐andlong‐termgoalsandobjectives;gatherdata;andidentifygaps(FY2013)III.Expandnetworkofstakeholders,prioritizeandmapusesandresources,begintoaddressgoalsandobjectives;andgatherdata(FY2014)IV.Developdecisionsupporttoolandgatherdata(FY2015)V.Implementbetaversionofdecisionsupporttool,continuestakeholderinput/education,andimplementCMP(FY2016)ToguideCMPinAlabamaaCMPSteeringCommitteewasestablishedandfirstmetinMarch,2012.TheareaapprovedbytheSteeringCommitteesettheCMPareaasthatwhichfallsatandbelowthecontinuous10‐footcontourinBaldwinandMobilecounties,Alabama,andadjoiningwaterbottomsextending200milesoffshoreintofederalwaters.TheSteeringCommitteeidentifiedthefollowinggoalsandobjectivesforCMPinAlabama:•Ensuresustainabilityofecosystemservices.•Minimizeimpactsofcoastalactivitiesontheenvironment.•Preserveeconomicviabilityofportactivities.•ProtecttheinterestsoftheStateofAlabama.•Coordinateamongagenciesinfutureactivitiesthatposeconflictsofinterest.•DevelopabaselineofmarineusesthroughoutcoastalAlabama,andmonitorovertime.Inordertoachievethesegoals,thecommitteedevelopedthefollowingobjectives:1.InventoryexistingdatasetsthatcaninformCMP.2.DefinethegeographicareaforCMP.3.Identifyimportanthabitats,resources,andusesthatwouldbenefitfromimprovedmanagementandcoordination.4.DevelopastrategyforengagingthecommunityinCMP.TheinitiationofCMPinAlabamapresentedmanychallenges,andcontinuedengagementwithstakeholders,includingtheAlabamaWorkingWaterfrontsCoalition,willbenecessarytocontinuetoadvanceCMPinAlabama.TheperceptionofpotentialregulationoflandsandwaterisachallengeincoastalAlabama,andparticipantswerecarefultorefertothiseffortas“marineplanning”insteadofothercommonly‐usedtermsincluding“marinespatialplanning”or“coastalzoning”whichelicitconnotationsofaregulatorymethodology.TheState’sapproachtoinitiatingCMPinAlabamawasfromaplanningeffortonly.Byallowingstakeholderstovisualizepotentialconflictsofusesonamap,thefocusshiftedawayfromdiscussionsofregulationtoamoresubstantivediscussion,whichincludedpotentialuseconflicts,dataaccuracy,anddatatypesandsources.Assuch,thisinitialapproachofmappingdatafortheexpressedpurposeofmarineplanningandunderstandingwhereconflictsofusesmayarisemightalsohelptosolicitmoreacceptabilityforfutureCMPeffortsinAlabama.



DevelopmentofBivariateandMultivariateCoastalDroughtIndex‐AcomprehensiveDroughtAssessmentToolforCoastalAreas,BaysandEstuariesSubhasisMitra&PuneetSrivastava,AuburnUniversityDroughtsincoastalareashasecologicalimpacts,affectssocio‐economicdynamicsandpublichealth.Theinteractionoffreshwater‐saltwaterinterfaceplaysanimportantroleintheeconomicandsocialdynamicsalongthecoastandestuaries.Inthisstudy,wedevelopabivariateandmultivariatedroughtindexthatcanquantifyandindicatedroughtconditionsincoastal,baysandestuariesbyincorporatingthemeteorological,hydrological,andsocio‐economicdroughtsvariables.Thebivariatecoastaldroughtindex(BDI)wasdevelopedusingthecopulatheorywhichincludedstreamflowandsalinitylevelsatthebayareas.Further,theentropyweightedEuclideandistancemethodwasusedtodevelopthemultivariatecoastaldrought(MDI)indexusingprecipitation,salinityandstreamflowdatasets.BoththeBDIandMDIwereabletocapturethemajordroughteventsoccurringintheregion(2000,2007and2011‐2012).AnalysisshowedthatboththeBDIandMDIwasabletoindicatedroughtsconditionsaccuratelybasedonmultiplevariableswhichpreviouslydevelopedunivariatedroughtindexfailedtodoforthecoastalareas.MDIwasabletodetectdroughtearlierthanBDIduetotheincorporationofprecipitation.CorrelationanalysisshowedthatboththeBDIandMDIwashighlycorrelatedwiththestandardizedunivariatedroughtindices.OneofthebetterfeaturesoftheMDIwasthatitwasabletocapturethedynamicsandtrendsofthevariablesinvolvedandthuswasabetterindicatorofdroughtsinthecoastalregions.ThecoastaldroughtindicesdevelopedinthestudycanbeusedbytheNationalIntegratedDroughtInformationSystem(NIDIS)asdroughtindicatorsatcoastalregionsalongthecoastalregions,estuariesandbaysintheUS.Trackingwastewaterinfluenceonoysters(Crassostreavirginica)inafreshwaterdominatedurbanizedestuaryHaleyNicholson,DauphinIslandSeaLab/UniversityofSouthAlabama,Infreshwaterdominatedsystems,majorwastewatersourcestourbanizedestuariescanincludewastewatertreatmentplants(WTP)andriverinedischargethatcanleadtooysterssettlinginwastewateraffectedareas,potentiallyaffectingtheabilitytoharvestadults.Todefinetherelativeinfluenceofdifferentwastewatersourcesonlarvaloysters,wemeasuredoystersettlementratesandtimingintheMobileBay/MississippiSound(MB/MS)systemrelativetoWTPandriverinesources.Wetracedwastewaterinfluencebymeasuringnutrients(NO3,NO2,NH4,TDN)inpotentialwastewatersourcesandNandCstableisotope(SI)ratiosandindicatormicroorganisms(fecalcoliforms,E.coli,male‐specificcoliphage)inWTP,riverineinputsources,andoysters.OysterspatsettlementoccurredonlyathighersalinitysitesinMSwithfewspatcollectedatfresherMBsites,withpeaksettlementinmid‐summer.WTPandriverineinputsourceshaddistinctnutrient,SI,andindicatormicroorganismsignaturesthatcouldbetracedtogrow‐outlocations.Tissueswere1.2to2‰enrichedcomparedtosuspendedparticlesinthewaterandshowedwastewaterinfluenceinnorthernMB



nearamajorrivermouthandWTPoutfall.Similarly,nutrientsandindicatormicroorganismswerehighestinnorthernMB,withNO3concentrationshighestneartherivermouth,anddecreaseddownbay.IndicatormicroorganismsremainedatbackgroundlevelsinMSexceptduringraineventswhenmicroorganismsinwatersamplesincreased30‐60X.Overall,theriver,ratherthanWTP,wasthemainsourceofindicatormicroorganismsandnutrientstothissystem.Thecombinationofdecreasedanthropogenicwasteinput,dilution,nutrientuptake,andmicrobialdecaydownbaymayhavecontributedtolimitwastewaterinfluenceatoystersettlementlocations.Currently,oystersinthissystemsettleinareaslessaffectedbywastewater,butthatmaybevulnerabletofutureurbanizationandassociatedchangesinfreshwaterflowandwastewaterinputs.BridgingWaterPolicyandAquaticSpeciesConservation:WhatWeHaveLearnedFromaTwo‐InchFishPatrickO'Neil&AnneWynn,GeologicalSurveyofAlabama;JeffPowell&JenniferGrunewald,U.S.FishandWildlifeServiceTheTrispotDarterisararefishfoundonlyinafewtributariesoftheupperCoosaRiversysteminAlabama,Georgia,andTennessee.OriginallydescribedfromAlabamacollectionsmadeinthelate1940s,thespecieshadnotbeenfoundinAlabamaforover50yearsuntilitsrediscoveryin2008.Itoccupiesavarietyofstreamsizesbutspawnsinephemeralheadwaterchannels.Recentstudiesofitsspawninghabitatrevealedintricaterelationshipsbetweenthelocaldistributionandsurvivalofthisspeciestogroundwaterhydrogeology,climate,soils,landcover,andlandmanagement.Thisspeciesreproducesinseasonallywetheadwaterchannelswhereflowissustainedthroughthewinterandspringbyrechargefromsaturatedsoilsandshallowaquifers.Additionally,theTrispotDarterundertakesaHerculeanspawningmigrationbymovingupstreamthroughwaterfalls,streamblockages,andshallowpoolstoeventuallyreachitsspawningground.PoliciesaffectingwaterquantityandwaterqualityinAlabamaaredirectlyrelatedtotheviabilityofthisspeciesinseveralways.Maintaininggroundwaterconnectionswithspawningareasduringthebreedingseasoniscriticaltoprovidingaminimumflowforreproductionandgrowth;maintainingsustainableinstreamflowsinthenonbreedingstreamsisnecessaryforlong‐termsurvival;assessmentandimprovementofinstreamflowbarrierssuchasroadcrossingsandculvertsthatinhibitupstreammigrationmovementsisneeded;andtheuseandimprovementofbestmanagementpracticesforagriculture,forestry,andexpandingurbanareaswithintherangeoftheTrispotDarterisimportantformaintainingwaterquality.



MacroinvertebrateCommunityResponsetoDroughtYearsinRegulatedandUnregulatedReachesoftheTallapoosaRiver,AlabamaKristieOuellette,ElyKosnicki,TomHess,&ClintLloyd,AlabamaCooperativeFishandWildlifeResearchUnit;&EliseIrwin,U.S.GeologicalSurveyHydropeakingisacommonpracticeforhydroelectricfacilities,eventhoughitiswellknowntoreducedownstreamriverinecommunitycomplexity.Theextremefluctuationsinriverstage,flowandtemperatureasaresultofhydropeakinggreatlyaltersthenaturalflowvariationandcreatesstressfulenvironmentalconditionsfortheaquaticcommunitiesdownstreamoftheimpoundment,especiallynativespeciesthatthriveinnaturalflowconditions.R.L.HarrisDamisahydropowerfacilitylocatedintheupper‐centralTallapoosaRiverbasinthathasbeenthesubjectofanadaptiveflowmanagementprojectsince2005.Macroinvertebrateshavebeencollectedsinceprojectinceptioninspringandfallseasonstoinvestigateeffectsoncommunitiesthataresubjecttobothriverregulationandnaturalvariationinhydrology.Asubsamplefromeachyearwasrandomlyselectedandmacroinvertebrateswereidentifiedtothelowestpossibletaxonlevel.Non‐metricmultidimensionalscaling(NMDS)wasusedtoordinatesamplesoverWisconsindoublestandardizationofsquarerootabundancemacroinvertebratespaceusingBray‐CurtisSimilarityIndex.Selectedmetricsofrichness,functionalfeedinggroups,andhabitwereanalyzedusingANOVA.Themacroinvertebratecommunitiesdifferbetweentheregulatedandunregulatedportionsoftheriver,andtheseresultsareconsistentthroughallyearsanalyzedthusfar.Overall,regulatedreachessupportfewerpredatorsandscrapers,andmorenon‐insecttaxa,gatherers,andmulti‐voltineswimmers.Ourresultssupportanincreaseincommunitycomplexityinallreachesduringdroughtyears,althoughthiscouldalsobearesultofincreaseddetectionprobabilityduetodroughtconditions.Macroinvertebratecommunitycompositionofregulatedreachesmostresembledthoseofunregulatedreachesduringthedroughtyears.Thisispotentiallyaresultoffewerreleasesduringdroughtyears,whichissupportedbythepresenceofsensitivespeciesclosertothedamaswellasanincreaseinshreddersandcase‐buildersduringthedroughtyears.Whilereachandwateryearexplainsomeofthevariationinmacroinvertebratecommunities,itishighlyimportanttoconsiderthelegacyeffectofpreviouswateryearswhenproposingflowplansbasedoncurrentwaterconditions.DisinfectionofLiquidHumanWastethroughPhotoelectrochemicalProcessQingPeng,UniversityofAlabama;&JeffreyGlass,DukeUniversitySustainablemethodsthatcandisinfectliquidhumanwaste(LHW)intoreusablewaterbeforedischargingintotheenvironmentareurgentlyneededtoaddresswaterandenergychallenges.Photoelectrochemical(PEC)processesareapromisingmethodtoaddressthischallengebyutilizinginexhaustiblesolarenergytoreclaimwaterfromLHWandgenerate/storeenergy.IwillpresentthepreliminarydatashowingPECprocessasaviableprocesstoreclaimLHW.ThepossibilityofgeneratingchlorineoxidativespeciesthroughPECwithLHWastheelectrolytefordisinfectionwillbe



shown.Theeffectofthesupportingelectrolyte,lightscattering/absorption,andbiofoulingofthePECelectrodesurfaceonthedisinfectionprocesswillbediscussed.OurresultsshowthepromiseofthePECstrategyforreclaimingwaterfromLHW,alongwithchallengestobeovercomeforpracticalimplementationofthismethod.HydrologicclassificationofAlabamariversbasedonclusteranalysisofdimensionlesssignaturesSarahPraskievicz&CehongLuo,UniversityofAlabamaClassificationofriversisusefulforavarietyofpurposes,suchasgeneratingandtestinghypothesesaboutwatershedcontrolsonhydrology,predictinghydrologicvariablesforungagedrivers,andsettinggoalsforriverconservationandmanagement.Manyexistingriverclassificationsystemsaretop‐down(basedonaprioriclassdefinitions)andsometimesarbitrary.Inthisresearch,wepresentabottom‐up(basedonmachinelearning)riverclassificationdesignedtoinvestigatetheunderlyingphysicalprocessesgoverningrivers’hydrologicregimes.TheclassificationwasdevelopedfortheentirestateofAlabama,basedon248UnitedStatesGeologicalSurvey(USGS)streamgagesthatmetcriteriaforlengthandcompletenessofrecords.Fivedimensionlesshydrologicsignatureswerederivedforeachgage:slopeoftheflowdurationcurve(indicatorofflowvariability),baseflowindex(ratioofbaseflowtoaveragestreamflow),risinglimbdensity(numberofrisinglimbsperunittime),runoffratio(ratiooflong‐termaveragestreamflowtolong‐termaverageprecipitation),andstreamflowelasticity(sensitivityofstreamflowtoprecipitation).WeusedaBayesianclusteringalgorithmtoclassifythegages,basedonthefivehydrologicsignatures,intodistincthydrologicregimes.Wethenusedclassificationandregressiontrees(CART)topredicteachgagedriver’smembershipindifferenthydrologicregimesbasedonclimaticandwatershedvariables.Usingexistinggeospatialdata,weappliedtheCARTanalysistoclassifyungagedstreamsinAlabama,withtheNationalHydrographyDatasetPlus(NHDPlus)catchment(averagearea3km2)astheunitofclassification.TheresultsoftheclassificationcanbeusedformeetingmanagementandconservationobjectivesinAlabama,suchasdevelopingstatewidestandardsforenvironmentalinstreamflows,andtheclassificationmethodologycanalsobeextendednationwide.Suchhydrologicclassificationapproachesarepromisingforcontributingtoprocess‐basedunderstandingofriversystems,byfocusingonthephysicalcontrolsthatarecommonacrossdifferentriversratherthanonwhatmakeseachriverunique.



Challenges,perspectivesandunderstandingsregardingwetlandfunction–acomparativecasestudyRasikaRamesh,LatifKalin,MehdiRezaeianzadeh,&ChrisAnderson,AuburnUniversity;MohamedHantush,USEPARapidcoastaldevelopmenthasledtoloss/alterationofwetlands,streams,andheadwaterareasthatbuffercoastalwaterwaysfrompollution.Headwaterstreamsareparticularlyvulnerabletoalterationanddisappearanceasaresultofurbanexpansionandagriculture.Thisstudyaimstoassessfunctioningofheadwaterslopewetlands:groundwater‐fedforestedwetlandsthatoccurinheadwaterareasoffirstorderstreamsandareabundantintheAlabama‐MississippiCoastalPlain.However,headwaterwetlandsarelessstudied,especiallyintheGulfCoastalPlain.Toaddressthisknowledgegap,threeheadwaterwetlandsalongagradientofurbanmodificationinBaldwinCounty,ALwerechosenforthisstudy.Modelingthissystempresentsuniquechallengespertinenttoalowgradientcoastalplainsystemincludinghighwatertables,significantgroundwaterinteractionsanddealingwithverysmallwatersheds(beingheadwaterareas).ModelssuchastheSoilandWatershedAssessmentTool(SWAT)andWetQual(watershedandwetlandscalemodelsrespectively)wereusedtoconductamodelingbasedinquiryintothefunctioningofthesewetlands.Theresultsofthisstudyreinforcetheinfluenceofresidencetimeinwetlandnutrientmitigation.TheseinsightswerecontrastedwiththatderivedfromasimilarmodelingbasedinquiryofasmallrestoredwetlandinadominantlyagriculturalwatershedwhoserunoffflowstoanestuaryinChesapeakeBayinMaryland.Thisstudyissignificantfortworeasons:(1)itexpandsourunderstandingofthediversityofnutrientmitigationabilityamongdifferentkindsofwetlands(2)itexpoundsonthemanychallengesthathavetobemetinordertomodelsuchcomplexsystems.MinimumstreamflowrequirementsnecessaryforstreambedinundationusinggraphicalandmathematicalmethodsforAlabamastreamsClaireRose,RodneyKnight,PatrickO'Neil,&ScottGain,U.S.GeologicalSurveyofAlabamaWateriscriticaltothesurvivalofaquaticbiota;however,littlehasbeendonetoquantifytheminimumwaterdepthinastreamthatcanstillprovideadequatehabitatforthesupportofaquaticbiologicalcommunities.Muchresearchinthisfieldhasfocusedeitheronconnectionsbetweenvariousstreamflowmeasuresandaquatichabitatorlinkagesbetweenhabitatandthebiologicalhealthofariver.Thereislittlephysicalevidencethatinstreamflowstandardsbasedonindicessuchasthe7Q10,developedwithregardtowasteassimilation,areminimallyprotectivetoaquaticbiota.Aquaticresourcemanagementwouldbenefitfromabettertoolforunderstandingtheinteractionsbetweenstreamflow,channelmorphology,andstreambedinconnectiontobiologicalhealthtoestablishscientifically‐defensibleflowrequirements.Inparticular,understandingminimumflowsneededtofullyinundatestreambedswouldprovideanempiricalbasisforecologicallymeaningfulinstreamflowstandards.TheUSGS,in



cooperationwiththeGeologicalSurveyofAlabama,evaluatedstreamflow,channelmorphology,andhabitatavailabilityat36streamgagesitesinfourphysiographicregionsofAlabamaforthepurposeofdevelopingamathematicalapproachtotargetarangeofstreamflowsthatcorrespondtothemaximumbedinundationthreshold.Theobjectiveofthatanalysiswastodetermine(1)ifstreamflowandchannelgeometrycouldbelinkedinadiscerniblemanner,and(2)thepotentialtodevelopregionaltoolsforpredictingcritical‐flowthresholds.Visualandmathematicalmethodswereappliedtothe36sitesindividuallytodeterminethestreamflownecessaryforminimallyinundatingthestreambedateachsite.Thenumberofsiteswasexpandedbytwo‐foldtostrengthentherobustnessofthedataset.Thepurposeoftheexpansionwastoincreasestatisticalsignificanceindeterminingstreamflowcorrespondencewithregionalandphysiographiccharacteristics.Specifically,siteswerelocatedastoallowforstrongerevaluationforregionalizationofthemethodaccordingtophysiographicregionandgeologicunittypeandpotentialpredictionofstreamflownecessaryforinundatingthestreambed.Theanalysisincludeddailyvaluestreamflowtimeseries,streamflowmeasurementdata(cross‐sectiondata),gameandnon‐gamefishcommunitydata,availablehabitatdata,andstreamcross‐sectionalsurveys.Thisinvestigationwillbeusedtoanswerquestionsregardingmaximizedphysicalhabitatatlowflow,predictingstreamflowbyregion,geology,andotherphysiographicboundaries,andtodeterminecorrelationbetweenthehealthoftheaquaticbiotaandstreamflownecessaryforinundatingthestreambed.PrimumNonNocere–FundamentalsofEcological‐DrivenRemediationJohnSchell,TEA,Inc.,JohnLoper&ThomasLoper,TheLoperGroup,Inc.,MichaelPrice,GenesisProject,Inc.,AlanFowler,GeosyntecConsultants,Inc.Thedecisiontoremediateahazardouswastesiteisbasedinpartonperceivedriskstoecologicalreceptors.Benchmarksadornedinahighlevelofuncertaintybegeterrorsindecisionmaking.Similarly,overstatingtheprecisionofblunttoolsusedinassessingecologicalrisksprovidesdecisionmakerswithafalsesenseofconfidenceinconclusionsreachedthroughthisassessmentprocess.Theresultcansometimesbeunnecessaryremediationandafutileattemptatrestoration‐anattempttoputthingsbackthewayhumansperceivetheyshouldbe.Understandingthechallengesintryingtotrulyrestorewhatnaturehasbuiltoverlongperiodsoftime,decisionmakersneedtobeconfidentthatthereisrealsubstantialecologicalharmpriorto“curing”theharmwithintrusiveremediation.Wehavelearnedfromdecadesofexperiencethatremediationofsedimentsitesisnotalwaysazero‐sumgame:thebenefitsfromremediationequal(orexceed)thedestructionincurredfromtheremedialaction.Thisiscertainlynottrueintheshorttermandnumerouscasestudiesillustrateitisnottrueinthelongterm.Asscientists,weneedtoconsiderallthedataestablishedbytherelevantconstellationofbenchmarksandimproveourabilitytodeterminewhenaneffectsthresholdhastrulybeenbreachedandinjuryhasoccurred.Animportant,andoftenoverlookedcomponentisunderstanding,andwherepossiblequantifying,theconsequenceofintrusive“remedies”.Someoftherelevantconsequencesinclude



habitatdestruction,communitydisruption(wildlifeandhuman),impactstoculturalgeographyandthepotentiallossofspeciesthatarethreatened,endangeredorclassifiedasextinct.Webster’sdefinesaremedyas“amedicine,application,ortreatmentthatrelievesorcuresadiseaseorinjury;somethingthatcorrectsorcounteracts.”Doesanintrusiveremedialactioninanaquaticenvironmentrelieveorcorrectanecologicalinjury?Theanswerrequiresatwo‐stepprocess:first,establishthereisaninjury;andsecond,haveconfidencethatthe“remedy”willcorrectorcounteractthecauseoftheinjury.Theevidencerequiredtoestablishaninjuryconstitutesa“HealthCheckList”andincludesinformationonhabitat(aquatic,riparian,terrestrial),chemistry(pH,conductivity,pollutants),andthebenthicpiscineavianandmammaliancommunities(structure,dominance).Theentiretyofthedatasetneedstobeconsideredinthedecision‐makingprocess,withanunderstandingandappreciationfortheuncertaintiesandvariabilityinherentinthedifferentassessmenttools.TheAnnistonPCBSiteprovidesacasestudyfortheapplicationofasystematicapproachtodetermineharmorinjuryandtheneedforinvasiveaction.Dataareavailableonchemicalconcentrationsinsediment,waterandbiota,aswellashabitatqualityandstructureofthebenthicandpiscinecommunities.Thesedatawillbediscussedintermsoftheneedforremediationandthedifficultiesinachievingacceptablerestorationoftheecosystemshouldintrusiveremediationoccur.Non‐LethalEstimationofProximateBodyCompositionofChannelCatfishUsingBioelectricalImpedanceAnalysisJulieSharp,AlabamaCooperativeFishandWildlifeResearchUnit,AuburnUniversity,EliseIrwin,U.S.GeologicalSurvey,AuburnUniversityAssessmentofbodycompositionservesasanaccuratemeasureoffishcondition.Fatcontentisknowntobeareliableindicatorbecauseanimalswithmorestoredfat,orenergy,aremorecapableofsuccessfulreproductionandsurvival.Physiologicalandbiochemicaltechniquesareusedtomeasurecompositionbutrequiretimeandfiscalresourcesforlaboratoryanalysis,eliminatinguseforrareandendangeredspeciesorlong‐termmonitoring.Alternatively,bioelectricalimpedanceanalysis(BIA)isanon‐lethaltechniqueusedtoestimatebodycomposition,suchasfat,protein,andwater,frommeasurementsofresistanceandreactance.Whilemodelshavebeendevelopedforonlyafewspeciesoffish,developmentofaBIAmodelforChannelCatfish,Ictaluruspunctatus,isdesirablebecauseofthespecies’economicimportanceandneedstomeasureconditioninthefield.AccurateBIArequiresinitialmodeldevelopmentwhichwasaccomplishedbycorrelatingreactanceandresistanceto%DW.Speciesspecificrelationsbetween%DWandproximatecompositionestimateswereestablishedwithsimpleconversionequations.Theinfluenceofelectrodelocationonimpedancemeasurementswasassessedtodeterminewhichresultinthemostaccuratebodycompositionpredictions.Lastly,theeffectoftemperaturewasanalyzedtodevelopcorrectionequationswhichwilllendthemodelstouseinthefield.



WhatDifferenceDoesaYearMake?TheInfluenceofDroughtPeriodsonLowFlowStatisticsandWaterQualityTrendsLynnSisk,TTL,Inc.DroughtsinrecentyearshavehaddramaticimpactsontheamountofwaterflowinginriversandstreamsinAlabama.Areviewofmeasuredstreamflowrevealshowtheserelativelyshorttermdroughtshavechangedtheestimatedseven‐day,ten‐yearlowflow(7Q10)forstreamswithdifferingnumbersofyearsofmeasuredflow.Forstreamswithlongerperiodsofrecord,asingleyearofdroughtmayhavelessimpactontheestimatedannual7Q10thanitsimpactonastreamwithfeweryearsofmeasuredflow.However,theseverityofthedroughtalsoplaysaroleindetermininghowaseasonalorannualdroughtmayinfluencetheestimated7Q10forastream.Inthissameway,droughtperiodscaninfluencetheestimationofwaterqualitytrendsinriversandstreamsandskewestimatesofannualpollutantloadingsandwaterqualityinstreams.ThispresentationwillexaminehowpastdroughtsinAlabamahaveinfluencedestimatesof7Q10streamflowandwaterquality.KeepingLagoonsEPACompliantWadeStinson,WastewaterComplianceSystemsThemostcommonmethodfortreatingdomesticwastewaterinsmallcommunitiesiswastewatertreatmentlagoon.Asthepopulationintheruralareascontinuestoincrease,andasdischargestandardsbecomeincreasinglystringent,thechallengeofremovingcontaminantsfromwastewaterhasbecomeincreasinglyimportant.Asaresult,theselagoonsystemsthatdonotmeetdischargerequirementsaregenerallyreplacedwithexpensivemechanicaltreatmentplants.Whatalternativesareavailableforcommunitieswithlagoonsfacingeverincreasingdischargeregulations?Thispresentationexploresvaryinginnovationsthatcanbeappliedtoatypicallagoonsystemtomaintaincompliancefornextonetotwopermitrenewingcycle,includecleaning,circulation,screening,optimizeexistingaeration,fixedfilmtechnologies,curtains,coversanddisinfection.CreatingaCleanWaterFuturefortheWeeksBayWatershedRobertaSwann,&ChristianMiller,MobileBayNationalEstuaryProgram.AnumberofwaterqualityandwaterquantityissueshavebeendocumentedwithintheWeeksBayWatershed(WBW)overthepastseveraldecades.Populationgrowthandurbandevelopment,aswellassomeoftheagriculturalpractices,havecontinuedtointensifyproblemsintheWatershed’sfourprincipalHydrologicUnitCode(HUC12)subwatersheds:UpperFishRiver,MiddleFishRiver,LowerFishRiver,andMagnoliaRiver.Since1998,anumberofstreamsegmentsintheWBWhavebeenplacedonAlabama’s303(d)listduetoavarietyofpollutantsofconcern.TheWBWisalargearea(approximately130,000acres),containingalargenetworkofstreams(approximately362miles)withincentralBaldwinCounty.TheWatershedincludesallorportionsof



ninemunicipalities(Fairhope,Daphne,SpanishFort,Loxley,Robertsdale,Silverhill,Summerdale,Foley,andMagnoliaSprings)andassociatedunincorporatedareasofBaldwinCounty.Increasedvolumeandvelocityofstormwaterrunoff,aswellassomeagriculturalpractices,haveexacerbatedconcernsoverwaterqualitydegradation,e.g.,bacterialpollution,nutrientoverenrichment,sedimentation,andfloodingwithintheWatershed.Torespondtotheseconcerns,theMobileBayNationalEstuaryProgram(MBNEP)andtheBaldwinCountySoilandWaterConservationDistrict(BCSWCD)facilitatedeffortstoaddressissuesintheWeeksBayWatershed.ThisinvolvedawardofacontractinJanuary2016toThompsonEngineering,Inc.(Thompson),alongwithsub‐consultantsEcologyandEnvironment,Inc.(E&E),BarryA.VittorandAssociates,Inc.(BVA),BobHigginsandAssociates,Hand‐ArendallLLC,andLatifKalinforpreparationofacomprehensiveWeeksBayWatershedManagementPlan(WMP).DevelopmentoftheWMP,madepossiblethroughfundingbytheNationalFishandWildlifeFoundation’sGulfEnvironmentalBenefitFund,hasbeenguidedbythegoals,objectives,andexpectationscontainedintheMBNEP’s2013–2018ComprehensiveConservationManagementPlan(CCMP).Thisplanningprocess,guidedbytheMBNEPandwatershedstakeholders,chartsaconceptualcourseforimprovingandprotectingthethingspeoplemostvalueaboutlivingalongtheAlabamacoast(waterquality,fish,environmentalhealthandresilience,access,cultureandheritage,shorelines).InadditiontomeetingrequirementsforwatershedplanningspecifiedbyEPA’s“NineKeyElements”,thefocusinpreparationoftheWMPhasbeentoprovideastrategytoconserveorrestorethosehabitattypesthataremoststressed:freshwaterwetlands;streams,riversandriparianbuffers;andintertidalmarshesandflats.TheoverallgoalistohelpWeeksBayWatershedstakeholdersdevelopaplanthatrecommendsspecificandtangiblemanagementmeasurestoprotect,conserve,andpreservetheuniquequalitiesoftheareaandrecognizeandencouragestewardshipoftheWatershed’sresourcesinacooperativeway.WeeksBayisrecognizedthroughdesignationasaNationalEstuarineResearchReserve(NERR)since1986andasanOutstandingNationalResourceWater(ONRW),oneofonlythreewithintheStateofAlabamasince1992.TheMagnoliaRiverisrecognizedasanOutstandingAlabamaWater(OAW)sincereceivingthatdesignationin2009.EarlyinthewatershedmanagementplanningprocessitbecameveryobvioustotheThompsonteamthattwovaluableentitiesexistwithinthiswatershedandshouldbespecificallyrecognized–theWeeksBayNationalEstuarineResearchReserveandtheWeeksBayFoundation.ThisWMPoutlinesaholisticapproachtoaddresstheissuesandconcernsidentifiedforthelandandwaterareasoftheWBW.ThepurposeofthisWMPistoguidewatershedresourcemanagers,policymakers,communityorganizations,andcitizenstoprotectthechemical,biological,andculturalintegrityoftheWBW,andspecificallyitswatersandhabitatssupportinghealthypopulationsoffish,shellfish,andwildlifeandprovidingrecreationinandonthesewatersofcoastalAlabama.Toaccomplishthesebroadgoals,thisWMPidentifiesarangeofmeasuresthatcanbeappliedtomoreefficientlymanageurbandevelopmentandagriculturalpracticeswithintheWBW.Bysuccessfullyaddressingtheco‐relatedproblemsidentifiedwithpopulationgrowth,urbandevelopment,andsomeagriculturalpracticeswithintheWBW,thelong‐termhealthofthestreamcourses,WeeksBayandMobileBaywillbeenhanced.PreparationoftheWMPwas



accomplishedthroughacollaborativeeffortthatwasguidedbytheThompsonteamandtheStakeholdersWorkingGroup(SWG).Thefocusofthisteamwastoelicitstrongstakeholderparticipation.TheSWGincludesabout25representativesfromthecities,thecounty,stateandfederalagencies,homeowners,agriculturalinterests,developers,andengineers.TheSWGcontinuedtomeetbimonthlywiththeThompsonEngineeringteamthroughoutthedevelopmentprocess,havingatotalof10meetingsoverthecourseoftheWMPdevelopment.Findingandnurturingpublicsupport:whatculturalrhetoricscancontributetopublicdebatesonenvironmentalinitiativesandcleanwaterpoliciesCindyTekobbe,TheUniversityofAlabama.AnynumberofpublicpollsandopinionstudiestellusthatAmericansarepoliticallyandculturallypolarized.APew2014studyoftheopinionsof10,000peopledemonstratesthatcitizensarebyandlargefrustratedwiththeirgovernmentsandhavelittletrustforgovernment‐sponsoredinitiatives.Butitalsodemonstrateswhatmostpeoplecouldtellyoufromtheirexperienceatthefamilyholidaydinnertable–peoplearemorelikelytobelieveorsupportnotionsthatmatchtheirpreconceivedopinionsandvalues.Thismistrustandentrenchedideologycanmakeachallengeoffindingbroadsupportforevencommon‐sensepublicpolicy.Whilerhetoricasadisciplineismostcommonlyrecognizedastheartofpersuasion,itisalsotheartofunderstandinghowpeopleengageinknowledge‐makingpractices.Inordertopersuadeanaudience,thewriterorspeakermustcrafta“knowing”intheaudiencethatthespeaker’spositionisonetheytooshouldtakeup.Aspeakercraftsthisknowingbyconstructingfortheaudience:definitions,proofs,andpassion.Forexample,topersuadeanaudiencetovoteforabondinitiativetoimprovethequalityofwaterinlocalwaterways,thespeakermightmakeamoralargument.Thespeakercouldthenconstructaknowingthatcleanwaterisamoralchoicebyemphasizingthenecessityofsafedrinkingwaterandbyignitingpassionatebeliefsthatchildrenshouldhavesafewater.However,giventhepoliticalpolarizationinpublicdiscourse,amistrustofpublicspeakers,andatendencytoonlysupportideasthatalignwithpreconceivednotions,thetriedandtruerhetoricalpracticesofpersuasivespeakingandwritingmaybelesseffectivethantheyhavebeeninthepast.Alternatively,thedisciplineofculturalrhetoricsapproachesknowledge‐makingthroughthesharingofpersonalstories.Culturalrhetoricianspositionthestorytellersoffirst‐handandlivedexperiencesasprimaryknowledge‐makers,ratherthanrelyingonthetraditionalpersuasivepublicspeakertobetheconveyerofknowledgetoareceptiveaudience.Aculturalrhetoricianworkinginwaterpolicymightapproachgainingsupportforalocalcleanwaterbondinitiativebyinvitingspeakerstosharetheirchildhoodstoriesofdrinkingcleanwaterfromlocalspringsorsafelyswimminginlocalrivers.Speakersmightsharestoriesoftheimportanceofalocalcreektotheirfamilywhohaslivednearitsbanksforgenerations.Theexchangeoftheselivedexperiencescanhelpconstructapubliclyheldmemoryofthesignificanceofawaterwaytothecommunity,orhumanizetheissueofcleanlocalwaterbymakingthepolicyinitiativerelatabletotheeverydaylivesofcommunitymembers.Inthispresentation,thespeakerwillbrieflydefineanddescribethefieldandpracticesof



culturalrhetorics.Then,thespeakerwilldiscusssomeofthewaterqualityissuesintheirowncommunity.Next,theywillshareafewexamplesoflocalcommunity‐basedwatercleanupandwaterqualitypreservationinitiatives.Finally,thespeakerwillproposestrategiesforimplementingculturalrhetoricstogarnerorexpandcommunitysupportforwaterqualityinitiatives.APaleohydroclimatePerspectiveonAlabamaWaterPolicyMatthewTherrell,GlennTootle,BennetBearden,EmilyElliot,UniversityofAlabama,ThehistoricsocioeconomicdamagecausedbyhydroclimateextremessuchasdroughtandfloodingiswelldocumentedintheSoutheasternU.S.andrecenteventssuchasfloodinginLouisianaandtheCarolinasanddroughtandwildfireinthesouthernAppalachianshighlightthesignificantandongoinghazardposedbyhydroclimatevariabilitytothenaturalandbuiltenvironment.Determiningthelong‐termnaturalvariabilityofstreamflowaswellasthefrequencyandmagnitudeofextremehydrologiceventsisimportantnotonlyintermsofthoughtfullymanagingthewaterresourcesofthestatebutalsointermsofprovidingcontextforunderstandinghazardstolife,propertyandinfrastructure,andecologicalimpacts.ThepaleorecordofhydroclimateislimitedintheSoutheastingeneralandparticularlysoinAlabama.Howevertheavailablerecordsclearlyshowthattheobservedrecordofhydroclimate(e.g.,streamflow)doesnotadequatelyrepresenttherangeofnaturalvariabilityandthereforeanywaterresourcepolicythatdoesnottakethepaleorecordintoaccountwillnotstandthetestoftime.WaterresourcemanagersintheSoutheastshouldheedthelessonsoftheWesternstatesandnotonlypromotethedevelopmentofpaleorecordsintheregionbutalsousethesevaluablearchivestoinformandguidewaterpolicy.EcosystemreviewandanalysisfortheweeksbaywatershedmanagementplanTimThibaut,BarryA.Vittor&Associates,Inc.TheBaldwinCountyWetlandAdvancedIdentificationMap(ADID,2005)wasthegroundbasefortheassessmentofWeeksBayWatershedwetlands.TheADIDmapwasmodifiedthroughremotesensingtechniques,usingexistingspatialdatasetsandArcGIS.ThedatasetsincludedMBNEP/ADCNRStateLandsDivisiontruecolororthoimagery(2015),NAIPtruecolororthoimagery(2015),BaldwinCounty1‐ftLiDARcontourdata(2002),NRCSGradysoilsdata,andNationalHydrologyDataset(NHD)flowlines.Atotalof278fieldcheckpointswerevisitedinJanuary2017tocorroboratewetlandlocationsandidentifyareaswherewetlandswereadded,eliminated,oradjustedinthebasemap.ThemodifiedADIDmaphas12,367acresofwetlands,with89.7%inthepalustrineshrub/forestedcategory.Theecologicalconditionofwetlandsandriparianbufferswasinvestigatedthroughlandscapescaleassessment,usingthemodifiedADIDmap,NHDflowlines,andtheNationalLandCoverDataset(2011).Theproportionofnatural



(forested)landcoverwithina300‐ftuplandbufferwasusedtopredictthequalityofadjacentwetlands.Forriparianbuffers,natural(wetlandsanduplandforest)coverwithina100‐ft‐widecorridorborderingbothsidesofstudyareaditches,streams,andriverswasassessed.Non‐naturallandcovercategoriesincludebarrenland,hay/pasture,cultivatedcrops,developed‐openspace,andlow‐medium‐highintensitydeveloped.Wetlandandriparianbufferswereassessedforeachofthe169NHDcatchmentscomprisingthewatershed.Catchmentswithnaturallandcovercomprisingbetween100and75%oftheirtotalbufferacreagewerescoredasgoodquality,74to51%asfairquality,and50%orlessaspoorquality.WetlandbuffersintheUpperFishRiverHUC12aremostlyingoodcondition.MiddleFishRiverhas43%ofitscatchmentswithfairconditionwetlandbuffers,aroundonethirdingoodconditionandnearly25%inpoorcondition.TheLowerFishRiverHUC12hasamajorityofcatchmentswithwetlandbuffersingoodcondition,butmostofthetotalbufferacreageisonlyinfaircondition.WetlandbuffersintheMagnoliaRiverHUC12aremostlyinpoorcondition,including51%ofthecatchmentsand58%ofthetotalbufferacreage.RiparianbuffersinUpperFishRiverhavethehighestproportionofcatchmentsingoodcondition(76%),followedbyMiddleFishRiver(66%),LowerFishRiver(55%),andMagnoliaRiver(50%).MostoftheriparianbufferacreageintheMagnoliaRiverHUC12isinpoorcondition,duetonarrowornon‐existentbuffersalongdrainagewaysandditchesthattraverseagriculturalland.Bufferrestorationopportunitiesintheselocationsshouldbeanalyzedpriortoimplementation,toavoidinadvertentcreationofnutrientloadingsources.Poorconditionwetlandandriparianbuffersarepresenttosomeextentattheuppermarginsofallfoursub‐watersheds.Ingeneral,themainstemofFishRiverhasintactwetlandandriparianbuffers.Futuredevelopmentinthewatershedshouldproceedwithaheightenedawarenessofthevalueofmaintainingtheseareasinanaturalstate.Prioritiesforacquisitionandconservationinthewatershedincludetidalwetlands.Tidalmarshsystemsareconsideredhighqualityhabitatduetotheirlevelofecosystemservicesprovision,includinghabitatforfisheriesandspeciesofhighconservationconcern.Totalestuarineemergentacreageinthewatershedis507acres,withthesesystemslocatedinthelowerreachesoftheFishRiverHUC12,whichincludesmostofWeeksBay,andthelowerMagnoliaRiverHUC12.Thetotalareaoftidalmarsheswithinexistingconservationeasementsis176acres.AlabamaNaturalHeritageProgram(ALNHP)dataincludesswitchgrasstidalfringeattwolocationsontheMagnoliaRiver.ThiscommunitytypeisconsideredahabitatofextremerarityinAlabama(S1).Tidalpondcypress,alsoanS1habitat,hasdocumentedoccurrencesintheareaoflowerEslavaBranchandnearWeeksCreek.TheALNHPdataalsoincludeanareaofstreamsidewhite‐cedarswamp(S1)intheUpperFishRiverHUC12,associatedwithTurkeyBranchnearHighway90.Longleafpine‐turkeyoakwoodland(S2)occursnearFishRiverintheMiddleFishRiverHUC12,southofCR48.Theserarehabitatsshouldbeinvestigatedtoverifytheiroccurrenceanddocumenttheirextentandecologicalcondition,priortoconsiderationofestablishingconservationeasementsfortheirprotection.Invasiveexoticplantsarewidespreadinthewatershed.Establishingapublic‐privatecollaborationprogramformanagementofinvasiveexoticfloraandfauna,andforinventoryingimportanthabitatsandspeciesonprivatelands,wouldbeofsignificantvalueforlong‐termconservationandmanagement.



Multi‐decadalDeclineofAlabamaStreamflowGlennTootle,MattTherrell,BennettBearden,EmilyElliott,Jonhun,Kam,UniversityofAlabamaUnprecedentedpopulationgrowthcombinedwithenvironmentalandenergydemandshaveledtowaterconflictintheSoutheasternUnitedStates.ThestatesofFlorida,GeorgiaandAlabamahaverecentlyengagedinlitigationonminimumin‐streamflowstomaintainecosystems,fisheriesandenergydemandswhilesatisfyingagrowingthirstinmetropolitanAtlanta.AstudyofSoutheasternUnitedStates(Alabama,Florida,Georgia,Louisiana,Mississippi,NorthCarolina,SouthCarolinaandTennessee)streamflowidentifiedadecliningpatternofflowoverthepast~25yearswithincreaseddryperiodsbeingobservedinthelastdecade.Whenevaluatingcalendaryearstreamflowfor(56)unimpairedstreamflowstations,arobustperiodofstreamflowinthe1970’swasfollowedbyaconsistentdeclineinstreamflowfrom~1990topresent.Inevaluating20‐year,10‐yearand5‐yeartimeperiodsofannualstreamflowvolume,thepastdecaderevealshistoriclowsforeachoftheseperiods.PotentialclimaticdriverswhichcouldbeassociatedwiththisdeclinewereexaminedwithaparticularfocusonstreamflowgagesinandadjacenttotheStateofAlabama.

Havethelocalgovernmententitiesinvolvedinwaterresourcesmanagementevolvedovertheperiod1990tothepresentday?Havetheirchangingrolesinfluencedthedevelopmentofwaterpolicyinthestate?MaryWallace‐Pitts,UniversityofAlabamaTheneedforanintegratedwaterpolicyinAlabamahaslongbeenrecognized‐theAWRSCreportof1990(i)identifieddeficienciesrelatedtoplanningandmanagementandconcludedthe“actionsmustbetakenimmediatelytodevelopaframeworkformanagingwaterresources”.Almost25yearslatertheAlabamaWaterAgenciesWorkingGroup(AWAWG)recognizedtheimportanceofnaturalhydrologicboundariesandrecommendedthatfuturemanagementshouldbebased,atleastinpart,ontheirlocation(ii).However,todaylittledataexiststoinformdecisionmakerswithrespecttoselectionoftheappropriatelocalgovernanceentityorentitiestoimplementthewaterpoliciesbeingdevelopedforthestate(iii).Theliteratureisclearwithrespecttotheneedforanappropriateframeworkwithinwhichtoimplementsuccessfulpolicies.AccordingtoPeters(iv)anappropriateframeworkensuresthatthatthe“rightsandassets”ofallstakeholderscanbeprotectedwhilealsoprotectingpublicassetsforthelong‐term.Thisframeworkshouldalsoincludethenecessarypolitical/legalandinstitutionalstructures.ToaddressthisdeficiencytheAWAWGcreatedaLocal/RegionalFocusAreaPanel(v)(FAP)chargedwithrecommendinga“structureandstrategy”forplanningandimplementation,withaviewtodeterminingtheappropriateinstitutionalframework.Thisresearchisdesignedtocomparetheentitiesinexistencein1990andtheirrolewiththosepresenttoday.Throughananalysisofinstitutionalevolutionthroughtimeandacomparisonwithotherlocal,regionalandnationalframeworksanappropriateframeworkforAlabamawillbeproposed.Endnotes:iAlabamaWaterResourcesStudyCommission(AWRSC),1990,Waterfora



QualityofLifeiiAlabamaWaterAgenciesWorkingGroup(AWAWG),2014,MappingtheFutureofAlabamaWaterResourcesManagement:PolicyOptionsandRecommendationsiiiPitts,2016,AWRAConferenceProceedings2016,WhatistheAppropriateInstitutionalFrameworkfortheImplementationofWaterPolicyinAlabama?http://www.aaes.auburn.edu/wrc/wpcontent/uploads/sites/108/2016/09/Wallace_2016ALWRA.pdfivPeters,Doerte;2009PoliciesandLegalFramework;http://www.sswm.info/vAWAWG,2014,MappingtheFutureofAlabamaWaterResourcesManagement:PolicyOptionsandRecommendations

Reconstructingsedimentinputs,waterqualityandphytoplanktoncommunitiesinWolfBay,AlabamafromthesedimentrecordMatthewWaters,AlexMetz,&BenWebster,AuburnUniversityTheconnectivitybetweeninlandwatersystemsandcoastalenvironmentsoccursinbayswheresaltandfreshwatersaremixedformingadynamicenvironment.Giventhelargeinfluxofmaterials,waterqualityisofconcerninbaysystems,however,theseareascanbeextremelyproductiveandprovidesuitablehabitatforeconomicgainsuchasfisheriesandaquaculture.Whilemodelsandmonitoringeffortscanserveimportantroles,historicdataisgenerallylackingandisneededtobetterunderstandnaturalconditionsaswellaschangestotheecosystemfromhistoricperturbations.Paleolimnologicaltoolscanbeappliedtosedimentcorescollectedinbayareastoprovidehistoricinfluxesofmaterialsaswellaschangestotheprimaryproducercommunity.Here,wereportontheanalysisofa1.3msedimentcorefromWolfBay,Alabama.Thecoreincludedtwodistinctsectionscomprisedofmodernorganicsediments(0to0.5m)overashellhashlayer(0.6‐1.3m)representingahistoricperiodofoysterbeds.Resultsfrompaleolimnologicalmeasurementsincludingnutrients(C,N,P),photosyntheticpigmentsandorganicmattershowtwodistinctecologicalstatesinthebay’shistory.Driversofecosystemchangearebelievedtobelinkedtohumandisturbanceinupstreamandlocalwatersheds.

MappingandAnalysisofSedimentationinaSuburbanLakeBretWebb,UniversityofSouthAlabamaThispresentationwilldescribetheresultsofmappingandanalysisofnearly60yearsofsedimentaccumulationinasuburban,man‐madelake.ComprehensivemappingoflakebedelevationswasperformedintheartificialimpoundmentoftheLakeForestsubdivisionduringMayandJuneof2016.Nearly90%oftheprecipitationthatfallswithintheD'OliveCreekWatershedflowsthroughthisrecreationalamenitylakepriortoreachingMobileBay.Thegoalofthismappingwastodeterminehowmuchsedimenthadaccumulatedinthelakesinceitwascreated,bywayofadam,intheearly1970sandwheretheaccumulationhadmostlyoccurred.Additionally,someshallowsedimentcoreswereobtainedfromcreekdeltaswithinthelakeandwereanalyzedforgrainsizeandcomposition.Duetolimitedaccesstothewaterbody,anovelmethodwasrequired



toperformthelakesurvey:ahigh‐resolutionADCPwasmountedtoakayak,whichaffordedeasyaccesstoveryshallowanddenselyvegetatedwater.SpotelevationsonlandandinveryshallowwaterwereobtainedviawalkingsurveysusingRTKGNSSreceivers.Over12,000discreteelevationmeasurementswereobtainedduringthestudy.Thesepresent‐dayelevationswerecomparedtoa1958topographicsurvey,whichwaspainstakinglydigitizedforthepurposeofperformingacomparativeanalysisoflakebedelevations.Theresultsofthecomparativeanalysisrevealedthatover300,000cubicyardsofsedimenthadaccumulatedover78%ofthelakeareasinceconstructionofthedam.Also,thelakesurfaceareadecreasedbyapproximatelyone‐third,from61to43acres,overthatsameperiodoftime.Asaresult,thelakehaslostsomewherebetween45%and60%ofitsfloodstorage(belowthecrestofthedamspillway),thoughitsconstructionwasnotforfloodmitigation.Thesedimentgrainsizeanalysisrevealedthattheupper12into16inofsedimentarecoarse,well‐sortedsandshavingatextureandcolorsimilartowhatisfoundalongwhatremainsofMobileBay'ssandyshorelines.Asaresultofthesedimentimpoundmentupstreamofthedam,thoseshorelineshavebeendeprivedofoneoftheironlyremainingsourcesofbayshorelinematerials:creekflooddeposits.Theresultsofthisstudyarebeingconsideredinongoingrestorationandenhancementfeasibilitystudiesofthelake,includingthepotentialtorelocateandreusesomeoftheaccumulatedsediments.

AccessibleCountyLevelWaterResourceFactSheets:ExperiencesfromYourNeighborVincentWhite,U.S.GeologicalSurveyAccessiblewater‐resourcesdataandanalysisareessentialforthepropermanagementofacommunity’swaterresources.Knowledgeofwateravailability,quality,developmentpotential,andtheimpactofdevelopmentisnecessaryforwater‐resourcesplanningandprotection.Water‐resourcesinformationforLouisianaandmanyotherstatesarepresentedinavarietyoftechnicalreports,eachwithaparticulargeographicalscopeandtopicalfocus.Informationinthesereportsoftenincludesthewholestateoramulti‐countyarea.Basicinformationonsurfacewater,groundwater,andwaterqualityinasinglecountyofinterestoftenhastobegleanedfromseveralreports,manyofwhichmaybeinlimitedcirculationanddifficulttolocate.Manystake‐holdersanddecision‐makersareoftennotinapositionwithrespecttoresourcesandtime‐requiredtoresearchandsynthesizetheavailableliterature.Furthermore,difficultiesinacquiringandanalyzingdatarunsthespreadfromanapparentoractualabsenceofinformationforacountytoaninformationoverloadinducedbyreportsconductedusingdifferentterminologyinslightlydifferentstudyareasindifferentdecades.Concisesummariesareneededtoprovidetheinformationneededtomakedecisionsaboutcurrentandfuturedevelopmentwhichmeetstheneedsoflocalstakeholdersofallsegmentsandavoidstheexcessesofunder‐informationandover‐information.TheWaterResourcesofLouisianaParishesprojectisabout70percentfinishedachievingthisgoalwiththepublicationofanonlineandhard‐copyfactsheetforeachofLouisiana’s64parishes(equivalenttoacounty).These64publications,whicharegenerally6pagesinlength,providesummariesofgroundwaterandsurface‐wateravailability,waterquality,currentandhistoricalwaterusage,andanextensive



listofreferencesforreaderslookingformorein‐depthtreatmentsofthetopic.Adjunctivebeneficiariesofthisprojectincludescientistsunfamiliarwithalocalareaandsocial‐environmentaljustice.Scientistswillbeprovidedatooltoquicklygainageneralpictureofthestateofaffairsinregardstowaterresourcesinaparticularareaaswellasanalreadypreparedlistofreferencesforfurtherstudy.Asecondbenefitoftheprojectistheadvancementofenvironmentaljustice.AccordingtoEPA:“EnvironmentalJusticeisthefairtreatmentandmeaningfulinvolvementofallpeopleregardlessofrace,color,nationalorigin,orincomewithrespecttothedevelopment,implementation,andenforcementofenvironmentallaws,regulations,andpolicies...Itwillbeachievedwheneveryoneenjoysthesamedegreeofprotectionfromenvironmentalandhealthhazardsandequalaccesstothedecision‐makingprocesstohaveahealthyenvironmentinwhichtolive,learn,andwork.”Scienceisessentialforsounddecisionmakingandhigh‐qualityunbiasedscienceingeneralisexpensive.Communitiesonthelowerendofthesocioeconomicspectrummaynothaveasmanyscientificresourcesavailableduetoalackofinterestortheinabilitytopayforit.USGSWaterResourcesfactsheetsprovideatleastacertainlevelofaccessibleandfreeknowledgeforeverycommunity–regardlessofdemographicoreconomicfactors–atparish‐scaleresolutionfortheentirestate.

AlabamaDamSafety:InventoryUpdateandBeyondJeffZanotti,AmecFosterWheeler;WardellEdwards,AlabamaOfficeofWaterResourcesAlabamaistheonlystateinthenationwithoutaDamSafetyProgram.ThispotentiallylimitsAlabamaregardingtheconditionsandlocationsofthestate’sagingdaminfrastructure.In2008,Alabama’sOfficeofWaterResources(OWR)begancreatingastatewideinventoryofdamsbyusingGeographicInformationSystem(GIS)analyticaltoolsanddatasetstobothlocateandestimatehazardpotential.Throughyearlygoalsandlessonslearnedalongthewaythestatewideinventoryforall67countieswascompletedthisyear.Thisinventoryisapositivestepforwardinestablishingabasetomakeinformeddecisionsregardingdamsafety.TheendgoaloftheinventoryistosupplementtheNationalInventoryofDams(NID)andmaintainastatewidedatabasethatcanbeutilizedbyourstateandlocalgovernmentsforemergencymanagementandmitigationpurposes.TheproficiencyoftheGISapplicationsallowedustolocatenewdamsaswellasidentifyspatialinaccuraciesofthecurrentNIDdatabase.Withall67countiesofAlabamanowanalyzed,astatewidedatabasehasbeencompiledforassessment,mapping,andplanning.Thepotentialhazardclassificationswerebasedonacombinationofvolume,height,anddownstreamidentifiablehazards.ThispresentationwilldemonstratethewaysGIScanbeusedtocommunicatedamriskandhazardmitigation.Thecompilationofstatistics,facts,andhazardassessmentsgleamedfromtheuseofthisdatabase,willgoalongwayindiscussionsonthestateandlocallevelforthenextstepsinsecuringoveralldamsafetyforthestate’scitizens,property,andwell‐being.



Poster Presentations

(alphabetical order by author’s last name)

ID Author Title

1MohammadAl‐Hamdan

DevelopingaDynamicSPARROWWaterQualityDecisionSupportSystemUsingNASARemotely‐sensedProducts

2 PalkiArora EffectofSubsurfaceApplicationofBroilerLitteronPhosphorusLosses

3 ElizabethBankstonVerifyingthatColiscanEasygelColonyColorCorrespondstoExpectedColorResults

4 ShuoChen EffectsofAgriculturalLandUseontheSourcesandReactivityofDissolvedOrganicMatter(DOM)inSubtropicalStreams

5 SandraCuttsAnEvaluationofOrganicallyBoundTritium(OBT):TheSavannahRiverSite

6 ParnabDas SurfaceDischargeofRawWastewaterfromUnseweredHomesinCentralAlabama

7 KarlDeRouenJr. Drought,AccesstoImprovedWaterandConflict:Acasestudy

8 JamekiaDurrough‐Prichard

AvailabilityofGroundwaterResourcesfortheHighlandRiminAlabama

9 DeepaGurung FloodplainInundationDynamicsofSipseyRiver,Alabama

10 XiaoleHanHillslope‐streamConnectivityViaSubsurfaceStormflowonHeadwaterHillslopeinSoutheastChina

11 BrendanHiggins CouplingAnaerobicDigestionwithAlgaeCultivationforAdvancedTreatmentofAgriculturalWastewaters

12 AmyeHinson GeologicalSurveyofAlabamaRealTimeWaterLevelNetwork13 MichaelIhde DiscriminationofMetalCationMixturesinWater14 MariamKhanam TheEffectofRiverBathymetryonRiverineFloodSimulations

15 MattKoernerDevelopmentofanIn‐streamManipulationExperimenttoDetermineMicro‐scaleInteractionsBetweenFreshwaterMusselsandSediment

16 DavidKoonAlabamaCooperativeExtensionSystem’sEffortstoEducateHomeownersonSmartWaterUse

17 RachelKuntzTheLethalEffectsCausedbyLocalUntreatedStormwaterofDaphniaPopulationsComparedtoStormwaterTreatedThroughBioretentionMedia

18 ShelbyLauzon WormsLivinginToxicHydrogenSulfide

19 TaylorLedfordTheImpactofNutrientLoadingonNitrogenRemovalinaJuncusroemerianusandSpartinaalternifloraDominatedSaltmarshintheNorthernGulfofMexico

20 YangLu ElectrospunCarbon/IronNanofiberswithEnhancedHeatandChromium(VI)RemovalPropertiesofWaterTreatment

21 CehongLuoTheNeedsoftheRiver:ExaminingpotentialimpactsofexternaldriversonenvironmentalinstreamflowsontheCahabaRiver

22 KritikaMalhotra FingerprintingandModelingSourcesofIn‐streamSedimentsinaSouthernPiedmontWatershed



ID Author Title

23 MarielMcConville TheEukaryoticandProkaryoticBiotaofBlountCounty,ALSulfurSpring

24 AprilNaborsEvaluatingtheRemovalofTOCandResultingDBP’sUsingFilterAids

25 GabrielProanoHighSurfaceAreaBiofilterMediaFabricationUsingAdditiveManufacturingforMovingBedBioreactorsinWastewaterTreatmentProcess

26 JamesRiversIdentifyingPastTrendsinHydrologicandHydroclimaticExtremesinCoastalAlabamaWatersheds

27 JarrettRoland CenterPivotIrrigationWaterUseintheWiregrassRegionofAlabama

28 MaryRubischTidal‐flowWetlandswithFeedbackControlforManagementofNitrogeninAquacultureWastewater

29 MichaelSalisburyAnalysisofD’OliveCreekWatershed:IdentifyingthelocaldriversthathaveledtostreamdegradationandhowtheycomparetothedriversoftheFlyCreekWatershed

30 WalkerSkeeterAreIntensePrecipitationEventsIncreasingintheSoutheasternUSA?

31 KimberlyStowers HistoriometricAnalysis:Atoolboxforimprovingwatermanagementefforts

32 MdTazmulIslam PhysicalBasedGlobalBedloadFluxAnalysisinLargeRivers

33 DerekTollette TheEffectsofCrudeOilonNorthernGulfofMexicoSaltMarshNitrogenCycling

34 CharlesWaid StreamRestorationImpactonStreamStabilityandWaterQualityinMooresCreek,Alabama

35 CaitlinWessel ImpactsofMicroplasticsintheWaterColumnonOysters

36 EvanWujcik Fabric/MWCNTNanosensorforUltra‐PortableCopperIonDetectioninDrinkingWater

37 YifeiXuTheAnionsintheCitricAcidCycle:Tacklingthedifferentiationofminimallydiversespeciesusinghyperbranchedpolymericreceptors



Forfurtherinformation,pleaseseetheconferencewebsite:

http://aaes.auburn.edu/wrc/extension‐outreach/awrc‐conference/

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