Southeast Coast Network News May 2019 (U.S. National Park Service)

Starkey, McDonald attend Water Resources Conference

Southeast Coast Network Aquatic Ecologist Eric Starkey and network Fluvial Geomorphologist Jacob McDonald gave presentations at the biennial Georgia Water Resources Conference held April 16-17 at the University of Georgia.

Eric gave a short presentation entitled "Multiscale Assessment of Estuarine Water and Sediment Quality" that included an overview of the SECN's water-quality monitoring program and highlighted results at Cumberland Island National Seashore from 2007 to 2017.

Jacob presented "Knickpoints, Undercuts and Slumps: Stream Habitat Monitoring at Chattahoochee National Recreation Area" which focused on the geomorphic surfaces and landforms observed on the monitored reaches at the park in suburban Atlanta. The presence or absence of these surfaces and landforms were interpreted within the theoretical framework of channel evolution. Jacob added that while a stream may now be classified as stable (in stage 4 or 5), headward migration of knickpoints (especially in the smaller tributaries) may cause significant changes and greatly increase sediment yield as the stream equilibrates to a new base level.

The goal of the conference, which started in 1989, is to provide an open forum for the discussion of current water policies, research, projects and water management in Georgia.

SECN intern Kelsey Mack — Kelsey Mack, above, will join the Southeast Coast Network later this month as a coastal monitoring intern, duty stationed at the network office in Jacksonville, Florida.
NPS photo / SECN

New Additions

Kelsey Mack recently joined the Southeast Coast Network as the seasonal coastal monitoring intern. Her main focus will be working on the shoreline monitoring project which will involve the processing, analysis, and creation of shoreline reports for the parks. Kelsey will also assist in installing benchmarks and leading the benchmark survey effort, which is the final part of the shoreline project development. Kelsey will be duty stationed at the network field office located at Timucuan Ecological and Historic Preserve.

Kelsey is originally from the Columbus, Ohio area, and graduated in 2017 with a B.S. in Biology and Minor in Marine Science from Wittenberg University. Her experience includes studying at the Duke University Marine Lab and working as an Environmental Research Intern for the Conservancy of Southwest Florida, where she was involved in monitoring the health and restoration of mangrove forests. Please contact Lisa Cowart Baron, SECN coastal ecologist, with any upcoming events or opportunities that would expand Kelsey's experience.

Network Presentations at American Association of Geographers meeting

The Southeast Coast Network was represented at the 2019 American Association of Geographers meeting held last month in Washington, D.C. Fluvial Geomorphologist Jacob McDonald and Graduate Assistant Stephen Cooper gave presentations at the annual conference.

Jake's presented his paper, "Variable-ity in Power to Detect Change," during the Fluvial Forms and Processes I session. This study analyzed the results of 66 stream surveys to determine whether there is sufficient statistical power to detect changing conditions in these studies.

Stephen presented his poster "Wadeable Stream Habitat Monitoring at Ocmulgee Mounds National Historical Park" during the Remote Sensing and UAS poster session, and highlighted the SECN approach to stream habitat monitoring.