Water Issues Abound - by Jeff Hoffman
Water - "they're not making any more of it." The same amount that we
had in the past is all we have to use in the future. Such an important
resource needs to be preserved and shared for the common good, not sold
as private water rights for profit. This viewpoint was shared by John
Sibley, President of The Georgia Conservancy, in his keynote remarks at
the annual meeting of the Center for a Sustainable Coast held at Epworth
Center last Saturday.
Sibley further reminded attendees that, "On the coast we are downstream
of everybody. Whether it's runoff from roads and backyards in Atlanta,
farm fields in mid-state or huge paper mills, it ultimately flows into
the estuarine waters of the coast. The whole ecosystem (not just
people) depend on this watershed."
The Center for a Sustainable Coast is circulating a petition to be sent
to Georgia officials expressing concern over the troubled condition of
Georgia waters. Bullet points highlight specific concerns as:
- Toxins entering Georgia waters increased 83% from 1989 to 1998
according to the EPA.
- Only 10% of Georgia waters are sampled and tested. Two-thirds of
those sampled fail to meet Federal Standards.
- Blue crab, shrimp and numerous finfish species are declining in size,
health and numbers.
- Coal-burning power plants release mercury as a toxic pollutant and
also produce acid rain pollution which directly affects wildlife and
vegetation.
- In Georgia there are at least 100 fish consumption advisories (most
due to mercury contamination) and half are in coastal waters.
And therefore, it is imperative the State improve methods of monitoring
water quality and the enforcement of existing laws.
The petition gained signatures from individual members of several other
associations who attended the meeting. These included the Glynn
Environmental Coalition, the Coastal Georgia Audubon Society, Residents
United for Planning and Action (RUPA), the St. Simons Land Trust, and
the Driftwood Nature Center.
If you share these concerns and would like to add your name to the
petition, contact David Kyler, the Center's executive director, at their
office in the Village at 221 Mallory Street, Suite B, (912) 638-3612.
This gathering of civic and environmental leaders took place
appropriately outdoors under majestic oaks, magnolias and cedars on the
banks of the Frederica River, its high-tide reflecting golden rays over
the thoughtful activity. Even the nearby bell tower at Epworth chimed
out encouragement for the diligent efforts of these scientists and
citizen advocates as it boldly rang the tune "The Old Rugged Cross."
Another featured speaker, John Schacke, Ph.D., from the Georgia Dolphin
Ecology Program, in Athens, GA described a new long-term study of the
ecology and behavior of Atlantic bottlenose dolphins. Joining with
Daniel Odell, Ph.D., Sea World, Inc. in Orlando, FL and groups of
Georgia college students, they propose to study the dolphin population
along the central Georgia coast.
This region is one of the few remaining undeveloped coastal areas on the
Eastern Seaboard. And, dolphins, as a top-level predator, may reflect
the underlying conditions of the environment in which they reside.
Research here can provide benchmarks against which to measure the
effects of coastal development over time.
The ten-year study will begin with photographic identification to
catalog the area's resident dolphins (as opposed to migrating or
transient dolphins). Photos of their dorsal fins serve as accurate
identifiers just like those of whale flukes and fins. The pattern of
notches, cuts and other markings are almost as unique as human
fingerprints.
Genetic sampling of tissues can also be obtained. Numerous water
studies are to be included to assemble background information on the
local environment, e.g. temperature, salinity, turbidity, subsurface
topography, nutrient input, water chemistry, fish stocks, etc.
This information combined with standardized dolphin behaviors (e.g.
traveling, feeding, whistling, calving in nursery areas, etc.) can
provide valuable data toward efforts to protect and preserve the unique
ecology of the middle Georgia coast.
Recognizing the importance of this scientific activity, the Center for a
Sustainable Coast is in the final stages of negotiating local
sponsorship for the dolphin ecology program. Become a member of the
Center and help support such worthwhile activities. Their web site,
www.sustainablecoast.com, contains a web links section which offers many
valuable references expounding on related topics.
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