Adopt A Stream to Protect and Improve Water Quality

KFCB to host free Adopt-A-Stream workshops  

Want to become involved in protecting and improving streams in Forsyth County? Keep Forsyth County Beautiful (KFCB) will host free Adopt-A-Stream workshops in 2010. These workshops will include chemical and biological monitoring.  

Chemical monitoring tests for pH, dissolved oxygen, temperature and conductivity of a stream. Participants can choose from one of five introduction and chemical monitoring workshops:  

1. April 10 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Upper Etowah River Alliance (UERA) Headquarters at 180 McClure Street in Canton
2. May 22 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Central Park at 2300 Keith Bridge Road in Cumming
3. June 19 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the City of Cumming Waste Water Treatment Facility at 4605 Bethelview Road in Cumming
4. July 10 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Poole’s Mill Park at 7725 Poole’s Mill Road in Ballground
5. September 4 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the UERA Headquarters at 180 McClure Street in Cumming  

Biological monitoring takes an inventory of the macroinvertebrates in a stream. Participants can choose from one of five biological monitoring workshops:  

1. May 1 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the UERA Headquarters at 180 McClure Street in Canton
2. May 29 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Central Park at 2300 Keith Bridge Road in Cumming
3. June 26 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Bethelview Trail Head of Big Creek Greenway at 5120 Bethelview Road in Cumming
4. July 31 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Poole’s Mill Park at 7725 Poole’s Mill Road in Ballground
5. September 25 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the UERA Headquarters at 180 McClure Street in Canton  

“KFCB wants citizens to know they can play an active part in protecting and improving the county’s resources,” KFCB Community Outreach Specialist Kevin Smith said. “These workshops will help participants understand how they can impact the water in the county and even in the state.”  

Forsyth County’s Adopt-A-Stream program is part of the Georgia Department of Natural Resources, Environmental Protection Division. To register for an Adopt-A-Stream workshop, visit www.handsonforysth.org. To receive additional information, call Kevin Smith at 678.513.5892.