North Oconee River WatershedsTanyard to Lilly Branch

Outline of Presentation

• Overview of Project• Current Watershed Conditions• Potential Sources of Pollution & Controls• Invasive Species• Education and Outreach• Public Input

Project Goals

The goal is to improve water quality and watershed ecosystem health while affording opportunities for passive and active education and engaging the campus and ACC Community.

9-Elements• Identification of pollutant sources• Estimate of expected improvements from

recommendations• Description of management measures & critical

areas • Estimate of amounts of technical & financial

assistance • Information and education component • Schedule for implementation• Description of interim milestones• Set of criteria for determining success• Monitoring component to evaluate progress

Collaborative Partnership• UGA River Basin Center (Amble Johnson)• UGA Office of Sustainability (Tyra Byers)• UGA Odum School of Ecology (Dr. Laurie Fowler)• College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences (Dr. Mark Risse)• College of Environment and Design (Dr. Jon Calabria and Dr. Alfie Vick)• Warnell School of Forestry (Dr. Todd Rasmussen)• UGA Grounds Department (Dexter Adams)• UGA University Architects (Ben Liverman and Lara Mathes)• Athens Clarke County Storm Water (Ryan Eaves and Ellison Fiddler)• Upper Oconee Watershed Network (Elizabeth Little and Summer Blackwell)• Friends of Five Points (Kevin Barnes)• Emerging Green Professionals (John Tankard)• Ecology Club and Go Green Alliance (Sara De La Torre Berón)

Watershed Issues• Heavy urbanization in the watershed (lots of

pavement)• Piped for large portions of reach• Polluted• Invasive species• Not always seen as amenities (places to throw

trash, etc.)• Recent work by the UGA Grounds department to

identify sources of contamination and by university architect to filter run-off

LILLY BRANCH• Poor Water Quality

– Hydrocarbon Pollution (Leaking underground storage tanks)– Fecal Contamination– High Conductivity and low Ph

• High Storm Flows (leading to erosion and undercut banks)

• Limited Riparian Corridors• Invasive Species• Native Diversity (salamanders)• Daylight section by Lamar Dodd School of Art with

stormwater BMP’s• Community and Campus Amenity

Tanyard Branch• 2.02-square kilometer watershed • 74% impervious surface• Approximately 50% of the stream length is piped• Impaired: failure to meet designated use of fishing as a result

of fecal coliform levels (also high conductivity and low Ph)• High storm flows lead to eroding and undercut stream banks• Invasive species• Recent Watershed Characterization by ACC Stormwater• Grounds department water quality monitoring and clean-up• Highly visible near the football stadium with daylighted

sections in the community

Education and Outreach• Elementary school education• Community Meetings and Workshops• Invasive species removal days and trash clean

ups• Website with watershed information• Educational signage• Targeted outreach campaigns (clean up after

pets example).