Alabama A&M University Named Watershed Management Center

AAMU president Dr. Beverly Edmond signed a Memorandum of Understanding with officials from the EPA and the Alabama Department of Environmental Management during a ceremony Thursday at the university's Agricultural Research Center.

"Everyone lives in a watershed and at EPA we believe a watershed approach is the most effective framework to address today's water resource challenges," said EPA Acting Regional Administrator Stan Meiburg. "This designation will allow AAMU to continue developing the strong partnerships with other institutions, organization and agencies required to protect and restore watersheds in northern Alabama."

Some of the benefits of being a recognized Center of Excellence include receipt of EPA technical assistance where needed, such as instructors and speakers, EPA letters of support for grant opportunities, and identification of opportunities for Center of Excellence involvement in local and regional watershed issues.

Low water on the Flint River in northern Alabama (Photo credit unknown)

Started in 2007, the EPA Region 4 Centers of Excellence for Watershed Management Program works with colleges and universities from across the Southeast to provide hands-on, practical products and services for communities to identify watershed problems and solve them.

Each EPA designated Center actively seeks out watershed-based stakeholder groups and local governments that need cost effective tools for watershed scientific studies, engineering designs and computer mapping, as well as assistance with legal issues, project management, public education and planning.

To become a recognized Center of Excellence, the university must demonstrate technical expertise in identifying and addressing watershed needs and the involvement of students, staff and faculty in watershed research.

ADEM Director Trey Glenn said, "Alabama has tremendous water resources and the department's mission is to ensure those resources are protected for today's citizens and future generations. We are confident that this new partnership with Alabama A & M will allow all parties to leverage our resources and focus our efforts to protect water quality in Alabama."

Centers of Excellence study and manage water supply, water quality, water rights, drainage, storm water runoff, and the overall planning and utilization of watersheds.

These centers play a major role in pulling together the key players in watershed management, including landowners, land use agencies, and environmental specialists.

"The cities of tomorrow will be judged on how well human beings take care of the natural environment that surrounds and flows through them," said Dr. Teferi Tsegaye, AAMU Chair of the Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Sciences and Director of the Center of Excellence for Watershed Management. "Watershed health provides an accurate footprint of how heavily or lightly man walks upon the Earth."

Copyright Environment News Service (ENS) 2009. All rights reserved.