Newspaper Page Text
May 21, 2008
PAGE 3B
^Reporter
Monroe County Outdoors
Monroe
County bird
count results
T he 2008 Spring
Monroe County
North
American
Migration
Count was held
Saturday, May 10.
This was the day
before the Mothers
Day tornados struck
Georgia. A total of
1,356 individual
birds represent
ing 90 species
were seen this
year.
Typically the headliners
of the count are the bright
ly colored birds such as the
scarlet tanager, Baltimore
Oriole, magnolia and pine
warblers. These are birds
that pass through the coun
ty on the their way north
ward. This year they were
no shows. As a result, birds
that breed here each spring
and summer stole the show.
Joining me on this year’s
count team were Ann Amis,
Ron Lee, Jerry Payne, Rose
Payne, Todd Schneider and
Janice Williams.
Although four less species
were seen this year than in
2007, the number of total
individual birds spotted
was remarkably similar.
This spring 21 more birds
were seen than last year.
Going into this year’s
count, with a total of 151
different species having
been seen on previous
spring counts, it is difficult
to discover a species never
before recorded. In spite of
this, two new species were
found. The birds added to
the list were the anhinga
and house wren.
The anhinga, sometimes
called the water turkey,
ranges throughout the
Coastal Plain. While it is
commonly seen as far north
as Macon at places like
Ocmulgee Mounds, for some
reason it rarely ventures
north to Monroe County.
The anhinga seen on this
year’s count marks only the
second time the bird has
been documented on the
Rum Creek Wildlife
Management Area.
The house wren is often
confused with the Carolina
Wren. Carolina wrens are
permanent residents in
Monroe County. It sports a
white line above its eye.
The house wren has no
such line. The house wren
appears to be slowly
expanding its breeding
range southward. Although
the bird nests in and
around Atlanta, nesting
records this far south are
unusual.
Four count records were
set this year. New record
high numbers were estab
lished for the Eurasian col-
lared-dove (10), northern
rough-winged
swallow (39), cliff
swallow (333),
and black and
white warbler (3).
The ten most
abundant birds
tallied this year
were the cliff
swallow (333),
bobolink
(100),
European
starling (76),
American crow (63), rock
pigeon (58), Canada goose
(51), turkey vulture (51),
mourning dove (42), north
ern rough-winged swallow
(39), and northern mocking
bird (37).
The survey suggests that
the spring songbird migra
tion has already passed
through Monroe County.
None of the warblers seen
on this year’s count are
birds that nest exclusively
north of here. Also missing
were vireos, thrushes and
tanagers that pass through
the county as they wing
their way to and from their
wintering grounds in the
Caribbean, Central and
South America.
As for those birds that
winter locally but nest far
to the north, all but a hand
ful of these species have
left for their nesting
grounds. The only birds
that were found lingering
were two female lesser
scaup, 10 American coots
and two Savannah spar
rows. I suspect that most,
if not all, of these birds will
be departing soon.
Last year the count was
plagued by smoke generat
ed by the fires in the
Okefenokee Swamp. It
would be interesting to
know what, if any, impact
the severe weather advanc
ing from Alabama had on
this year’s count effort. I
know, though, that the data
collected locally, when com
bined with similar counts
also held on the 10th, will
provide biologists with a
unique snapshot of the
progress of the 2008 spring
migration.
If you would like a copy of
the complete results of the
count, contact Melissa
Hayes at 994-1438.
Terry Johnson is a
Wildlife Biologist with the
Department of Natural
Resources, Wildlife
Resources Division and the
Director of the Nongame
Endangered Wildlife
Program at Rum Creek
Wildlife Management Area.
He can be reached at (478)
994-1438 or via email at
TJWoodDuck@aol. com.
NBA’s Jarvis Hayes in
Forsyth for hoops camp
Detriot Piston Jarvis
Hayes will be
hosting this sum
mer’s basketball
camp sponsored
by the Monroe
County
Recreation
Department. The
camp is sched
uled for Saturday, June
28 from 8 a.m. - 6 p.m.
and is open to boys and
girls ages 8-14. The
registration fee is $100
per camper and the
deadline is June
21. Each camper
will receive a
camp t-shirt, an
autographed photo
of Jarvis Hayes
and a personal pic
ture with Hayes.
Before joining the
NBA Hayes played for
the Georgia Bulldogs.
For more information
call Rosemary Walker at
478-994-7795.
Forsyth, Georgia's
2007 Water Quality Report
Your Water is Safe to Drink
Last year we conducted more than 1000 tests for over
100 drinking water contaminants. This brochure is a
snapshot of the quality of the water we provided last
year. Included are details about where your water
comes from, what it contains, and how it compares to
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) standards. We
are committed to providing you with the information
because we want you to be informed. For more informa
tion about your water call 478/994-3423 and ask for
Barry Walker, Patrick Wright, or Craig Helms.
Special Population Advisory
Some people may be more vulnerable to contaminants
in drinking water than the general population.
Immuno-compromised persons such as persons with
cancer undergoing chemotherapy, persons who have
undergone organ transplants, people with HIV/AIDS or
other immune system disorders, some elderly, and
infants can be particularly at risk from infections. These
people should seek advice about drinking water from
their health care providers. EPA/Center For Disease
Control guidelines on how to lessen the risk of infection
by Cryptosporidium and other microbial contaminants
are available from the Safe Drinking Water Hotline
800/426-4791.
Drinking Water Sources
Your water comes from the Tobesofkee Reservoir.
Source water assessment information may be obtained
by calling the Georgia Environmental Protection Divi
sion at 404/651-5167.
Public Participation Opportunities
If you are interested in participating in water policy
decisions the Forsyth City Council meets the first and
third Tuesday of each month. These meetings are open
to the public. For more information call the City Hall at
478/994-5649.
Contaminants in Water
Drinking water, including bottled water, may reason
ably be expected to contain at least small amounts of
some contaminants. The presence of contaminants does
not necessarily indicate that water poses a health risk.
More information about contaminants and potential
health effects can be obtained by calling the EPA's Safe
Drinking Water Hotline 800/426-4791.
The sources of drinking water (both tap water and
bottled water) include rivers, lakes, streams, ponds,
reservoirs, springs, and wells. As water travels over the
surface of the land or through the ground, it dissolves
naturally occurring minerals, and can pick up
substances resulting from the presence of animals or
from human activity.
Contaminants that may be present in source water
before we treat it include:
• Microbial contaminants, such as viruses and
bacteria, which may come from sewage
treatment plants, septic systems,
agricultural live
stock operations, and wildlife.
• Inorganic contaminants, such as salts and
metals, which can be naturally-occurring or
result from urban stormwater runoff, indus
trial or domestic wastewater discharges, oil
and gas production, mining or farming.
• Pesticides & herbicides, which may come
from a variety of sources such as agriculture
and residential use.
• Radioactive contaminants, which are natu
rally occurring.
• Organic chemical contaminants, including
synthetic and volatile organic chemicals,
which are by-products of industrial processes
and petroleum production, and also can come
from gas stations, urban stormwater runoff,
and septic systems.
Water Quality Monitoring
To ensure that tap water is safe to drink, EPA prescribes
regulations that limit the amount of certain contami
nants in water provided by public water systems. We
treat our water according to EPA's regulations. Food
and Drug Administration regulations establish limits for
contaminants in bottled water, which must provide the
same protection for public health.
Water Quality Data
The table in this report lists all the drinking water
contaminants we detected during the 2007 calendar
year. The presence of these contaminants in the water
does not necessarily indicate that the water poses a
health risk. Unless otherwise noted, the data presented
in this table are from testing done January 1 through
December 31, 2007. The state requires us to monitor for
certain contaminants less than once per year because the
concentrations of these contaminants are not expected
to vary significantly from year to year. Some of the data,
though representative of the water quality, is more than
one year old.
Terms & Abbreviations
• AL: Action Level - the concentration of a contaminant which, when exceeded, triggers treatment or other
requirements that a water system must follow.
• MCLG: Maximum Contaminant Level Goal - the level of a contaminant in drinking water below which there is no
known or expected risk to health. MCLGs allow for a margin of safety.
• MCL: Maximum Contaminant Level - the highest level of a contaminant that is allowed in drinking water. MCLs are
set as close to the MCLGs as feasible using the best available treatment technology.
• N/A: not applicable • nd: not detectable at testing limit • NTU: Nephelometric Turbidity Units
• pCi/1: picocuries per liter (a measure of radioactivity)
• ppm: parts per million or milligrams per liter — (corresponds to one minute in two years)
• ppb: parts per billion or micrograms per liter — (corresponds to one minute in 2,000 years)
• TT: Treatment Technique - A required process intended to reduce the level of a contaminant in drinking water
Substance
MCL
in mg/L
MCLG
Level Detected
Violation
(Y or N)
Typical Source of Contamination
Microbiological Contaminants
Turbidity (NTU)
1.0
N/A
.06
N
Soil Runoff.
Total Organic Carbon (ppm)
TT
N/A
2.04
N
Naturally present in the environment.
Inorganic Contaminants
Copper (ppb)
AL=1300
1300
180
(90 th percentile)
N
Corrosion of household plumbing systems; Erosion of
natural deposits; Leaching from wood preservatives.
Fluoride (ppm)
4
4
.88
N
Erosion of natural deposits; Water additive which
promotes strong teeth; Discharge from fertilizer and
aluminum factories.
Load (ppb)
Haloacetic Acids (ppb)
AL=15
0
4.5
(90percentile)
N
Corrosion of household plumbing systems; Erosion of
natural deposits.
60
N/A
63.15
(Highest
individual qtrly
average)
44.47
(Highest
running annual
average)
N
N
By-product of drinking water disinfection.
Total Trihalomethanes (ppb)
80
N/A
84.08
(Highest
individual qrtly
average)
47.67
(Highest
running annual
average)
N
N
By-product of drinking water disinfection.
Turbidity: Turbidity has no health affects. However, turbidity can interfere with disinfection and provide a medium for microbial growth. Turbidity may indicate the
presence of disease-causing organisms.
Total Organic Carbon. Total organic carbon has no health effects. However, total organic carbon provides a medium for the formation of disinfection byproducts. These
byproducts include trihalomethanes (THMs) and Haloacetic acids (HAAs). Drinking water containing these byproducts in excess of the MCL may lead to adverse health
effects, liver or kidney problems, or nervous system effects, and may lead to an increased risk of getting cancer.
Copper: Copper is an essential nutrient, but some people who drink water containing copper in excess of the action level over a relatively short period of time could
experience gastrointestinal distress. Some people who drink water containing copper in excess of the action level over many years could suffer liver or kidney damage.
People with Wilson's Disease should consult their personal doctor.
Fluoride: Some people who drink water containing fluoride in excess of the MCL over many years could get bone disease, including pain and tenderness of the bones.
Children may get mottled teeth.
Lead: If present, elevated levels of lead can cause serious health problems, especially for pregnant women and young children. Lead in drinking water is primarily from
materials and components associated with service line and home plumbing. The City of Forsyth Water System is responsible for providing high quality drinking water,
but cannot control the variety of materials used in plumbing components. When your water has been sitting for several hours, you can minimize the potential for lead
exposure by flushing your tap for 30 seconds to 2 minutes before using water for drinking or cooking. If you are concerned about lead in your water, you may wish to
have your water tested. Information on lead in drinking water, testing methods, and steps you can take to minimize exposure is available from the Safe Drinking Water
Hotline or at htlp:/www. Epa.gov./safewater/lead.
Haloacetic Acids. Some people who drink water containing Haloacetic acids in excess of the MCL over many years may have an increased risk of getting cancer.
Total Trihalomethanes. Some people who drink water containing trihalomethanes in excess of the MCL over many years may experience problems with their liver,
kidneys, or central nervous systems, and may have an increased risk of getting cancer.
This water quality report was prepared by Utility Partners, LLC, as a service to the City of Forsyth