Aquatic Restoration and Recovery Conference

You’re invited to join the Mobile River Basin Coalition for two days of presentations and discussions on the status of imperiled aquatic species and ongoing restoration projects in the Mobile Basin

Mark your calendars!

February 3rd and 4th, 2009
Alabama 4-H Center
Columbiana, Alabama

For additional information, please contact

John Grogan (jdgrogan@southernco.com) or

Jeff Powell (jeff_powell@fws.gov)

RSVP by January 23 at: Alabama Clean Water Partnership

LODGING

Rooms are available at the Alabama 4-H Center for $65 per night. A block of 30 rooms will be guaranteed until January 13th . After January 13th room availability will be on a first-come-first-serve basis. Please visit the Alabama 4-H Center Website for details.

Rooms are also available at the Hampton Inn, Days Inn, and Holiday Inn Express in nearby Calera (approximately 30 minute drive)

FOOD

A box lunch, drinks/snacks, and a light dinner on the 3rd, and a light breakfast on the 4th will available to conference participants

There are also a variety of fast food and other restaurants in Calera and Columbiana

DRAFT AGENDA

Tuesday, February 3rd

    9:00 - 10:00   Registration

    10:00 - 10:20   Welcome & Opening Remarks

    10:00 John Grogan (Alabama Power Company): Welcoming remarks

    10:10 Jeff Powell (U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, AL): Mobile River Basin Recovery Plan, revisited

    10:20-12:00 Opportunities and Challenges in Aquatic Recovery
    Session chair: Allison Jenkins (Alabama Clean Water Partnership)

    10:20: Dr. James Kundell (University of Georgia, Professor Emeritus): Forces impacting the Southeast:      demographic and biophysical, what do people value

    11:00: Cynthia Bohn (U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Atlanta, GA): The role of SARP and the National Fish Habitat     Initiative in the MRB

    11:15: Allison Jenkins (Alabama Clean Water Partnership): The Alabama Clean Water Partnership - Clean Water     Alabama Style

    11:45: Jim Crew (Alabama Power Company): Recovery opportunities through FERC re-licensing

    12:00-1:00 Lunch (provided)

    1:00-2:00 Prioritization and Restoration of Aquatic Habitats
    Session chair:

    1:00: Dr. Patrick O'Neil (Geological Survey of Alabama): Creating a geospatial database and long term monitoring     strategy for high priority restoration watersheds

    1:30: Dr. Paul Johnson (Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources): Development and     implementation of freshwater mollusk recovery efforts in Alabama

    2:00-2:15 Break

    2:15-5:00 Current Research and News

    2:15 John Hall (University of West Alabama): A historical perspective of the Mobile River Basin

    3:15: Paul Hartfield (U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, MS): Status of Tulotoma snail

    3:30-3:45 Break

    3:45: Dr. Bernard Kuhjada (University of Alabama): Current research with the watercress, rush, and other spring     darters

    4:00: Dr. Carol Johnston (Auburn University): Current research with the pygmy sculpin

    4:15: Steve Rider (Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources) and Jeff Powell (U.S. Fish and     Wildlife Service, AL): Tracking and status of the Alabama sturgeon

    4:30: Jeffrey Garner (Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources): The Mussels of the Alabama     and the Mobile River Basin

    6:00-8:00 Poster session and social (food and beverages provided)

Wednesday, February 4rd

    9:00-11:00 Future Issues and Challenges across the Basin
    Session chair: Paul Freeman, The Nature Conservancy

    9:00: Marlon Cook (Geological Survey of Alabama): Groundwater/surface-water interaction and quantification of     sediment loads in Alabama streams: Issues of critical importance for biological integrity resources

    9:30: Tom Littlepage (Alabama Office of Water Resources): Assessing Alabama's Water Needs: Present and Future

    10:00: Charles Stover (Alabama Power Company): Managing the drought of 2007 and development of a drought     plan for the Alabama River Basin

    10:30: Mike Eubanks/Chuck Sumner (U.S. Army Corps of Engineers-Mobile District): Status Report on the revised     water control manuals for the ACT

    10:45-11:00: Other invited topics -- TBD

    11:00 Conclusion of Meeting
    Closing Remarks: John Grogan (Alabama Power Company)

Download Agenda PDF File

Session chair: