Following are brief descriptions of particular projects and programs. The reader is referred to the indicated person for details, results, or plans for the activities. Many programs are multidisciplinary and involve many personnel. Only one or two names are listed as a starting contact. As mentioned above, the activities are associated with current efforts. This listing is not alphabetical, and is not in any priority order.

A. Alternative Water Resource Use

1. Seawater, waste water, reclaimed water:

• Impacts of seawater and wastewater irrigation on turfgrasses. Carrow, R. N., R. R. Duncan, et al., Preliminary Results indicate that the new ecotypes of “seashore paspalum” can be irrigated with straight seawater, seawater blends, or any type of effluent (gray, recycled), regardless of quality. Water usage on salt-affected sites is 50 to 66% of what is currently used on bermuda grass. Current Activities include the release of two seashore paspalums for golf greens and fairway/tee/athletic turf sites; development of workshops on “Management of Salt-Affected Turfgrass Sites”; a book on “Management of Salt-Affected Turfgrass Sites” (1998); development of a book on “Seashore Paspalum: An Environmental Grass” (fall, 1999) for environmentally safe management of seashore paspalum under poor water quality or limited water quantity conditions; and detailing guidelines for assessing waste water sources for turfgrass areas and management protocols (soil management, water treatment, turf management).

2. Storm Water:

• Development of interactive activities to address reservoir and storm water management impacts on water quality. Macie, J. L., et al.
• Development of composting and mulching strategies to control runoff, soil erosion, and nutrient losses along roads and in construction areas. Risse, L. M. et al. New Project. Initial Results indicate that new approaches are more effective that hydro-seeding/silt fence approaches to controlling runoff and erosion.

B. Contaminant Impacts

• Coordination and providing leadership for extension training programs in water quality. Segars, W. I., et al. Current Activities include development of water related publications, mass media releases, water quality data base expansion, and creation of training materials for nutrient management.
• Coordination of extension and state training programs for Farm*A*Syst, pollution prevention in agriculture, best management practices for water quality benefit, animal waste management, and non-point source pollution. Risse, L. M., et al., Current Activities include the coordination of the AWARE (Animal Waste Awareness in Research and Education) Team for information and workshops.
• Evaluation of seashore paspalum ectoypes for phyto-remediation of soils/water from organics and inorganics. Duncan, R. R. and D. Adriano. New Project.
• Watershed assessment program for Georgia. Smith, M. C, D. Gattie, et al. This program is providing cities and communities complete watershed assessment opportunities (public meetings, biological assessment of streams, and modeling current and projected land uses) for potential to handle NPDES (National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System) discharge, as well as, the impact of growth and development on the quantity and quality of water in the streams in the developing areas.
• Household Hazardous Waste Pick Up Day. Macie, J. L. Collected 250 gallons of latex and oil-based paint which was recycled. Homeowners are often left with paints that are left behind by builders or with paints they have overestimated they need for their own paint jobs. Paint can be a major groundwater contaminate.
• Investigation of funding mechanisms for outdated pesticide recovery. Centner, T. J., L. F. Gunter. This New Project is evaluating government related program approaches to pay for the infrastructure to handle the management of outdated and unwanted pesticides to obviate environmental problems.

1. Agricultural Fertilizers: Nitrogen, Phosphorous, ...:

• Reduction of potential nitrate and phosphate leaching and runoff from golf greens and fairways. Shuman, L., et al. Preliminary Results from bermuda grass plot studies indicate that runoff P concentrations increased with fertilizer applications. Nitrate concentrations in leachate did not exceed 10 mg L-1 for the first three years of the monitoring study.
• Evaluation of municipal sludge application impact on ground water nitrate contamination on the outskirts of Albany. West, L. T., et al. Preliminary Results indicate that adjacent feedlots and municipal sludge application were the primary sources of ground water nitrate.
• Evaluation of restricted grazing on stream water quality. Gaskin, J. W., L. M. Risse, et al. Water quality, percent vegetative cover, and basal area are being monitored along a stream in a heavily-used pasture to determine impacts on the stream due to cattle on the stream bank during wet periods. Preliminary Results indicate restricting grazing to dry conditions can help stream bank stability. This practice may provide a low-cost management tool to help improve water quality under certain site conditions.
• Evaluation of the impacts of N and P fertilizer application on quality of surface runoff from grasslands. Cabrera, M.L., et al. Recommended rates of N and P fertilizers are being applied to tall fescue/bermudagrass paddocks instrumented to measure and sample surface runoff. Preliminary Results show that elevated levels of P can be found in surface runoff occurring soon after fertilizer applications.
• Evaluation of the impacts of site specific application of N fertilizer and compost on water quality. Kissel, D. E., et al. New Project
• Education programs on water quality and the impact of Best Management Practices in Banks County. Mitchell, J.
• Recirculating fertilizer solutions in greenhouses effects on water quality of runoff. Van lersel, M., et al. Preliminary Results indicate that bedding plants and pot crops can be produced efficiently in recirculating irrigation systems in greenhouses, without fertilizer or water runoff. This results in a decrease in water and fertilizer use of approximately 50%, as compared to standard production practices, while eliminating the risk of ground and surface water pollution. Current Activities include the development of fertilization guidelines for a variety of crops and the application of systemic pesticides in recycling irrigation systems.
• Reduction of non-point source runoff from urban landscapes containing fertilizers and pesticides through the use of best management practices (BMPs). W. A. Gardner and R. R. Westerfield. BMPs include proper selection and planting of ornamentals and turf, the use of pest resistant plants, and implementation of integrated pest management. A Training Manual and homeowner brochure have been prepared and are available through the Center for Urban Agriculture.
• Development and application of nutrient management plans. Cabrera, M., Sheppard, C., et al. New regulations require the development of farm plans which include approaches to nutrient management (application, off-site reduction, commercial fertilizers and manures). The input to this planning process has included extensive participation by personnel within the CAES.

2. Pesticides and other organic chemicals:

• Evaluation of the impact of pesticides on water quality through comprehensive farm model systems (USDA, ARS). Wauchope, R. D., et al., New Project
• Evaluation of the persistence, movement and fate (degradation) of organic chemicals (pesticides, industrial chemicals, animal feed additives, etc.) in water and bed sediment. Armbrust, K. L., et al.

3. Heavy Metals:

• Reduction of heavy metals in water and sediments of the Big Creek watershed in Alpharetta. Shuman, L., et al. New Project

4. Sediment:

• Sediment TMDL Technical Advisory Group. Radcliffe, D. E., J. Bramblet, and M. A. Risse. In the fall of 1999, about 20 faculty members from the university and scientists from federal and state agencies formed a Technical Advisory Group (TAG) for the Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) program. The immediate objective of this group has been to develop a protocol for scientifically-based TMDLs for streams impaired by sediment. A white paper containing the protocol has been drafted and is likely to be released in January of 2002. The most important recommendation in this paper is the establishment of a numeric target for maximum turbidity under base-flow conditions in streams of the Piedmont. The rationale is that base-flow turbidity is a good surrogate for total annual sediment input.
• Sediment TMDL for the North Fork of the Broad River. J. Bramblett and D.E. Radcliffe. The North Fork of the Broad River is on the list of streams requiring a TMDL due to excessive sediment. This project is designed to implement best management practices to control sediment and monitor the stream for sediment levels. New Project.

5. Biological Indicators:

• Wetland invertebrate and stream invertebrate responses to ecological and external impacts. Batzer, D.
• Single landuse watersheds for pathogen TMDLs. Bakker, M., M. L. Cabrera, P. G. Hartel, D. E. Radcliffe, and L. T. West. Over 1,000 lake and stream segments in Georgia are listed as water-quality impaired by the EPD and scheduled for development of a watershed management plan that will limit contaminant levels to a Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) protective of water quality. This project is designed to determine the loads of fecal coliforms and E.coli in typical Piedmont watersheds with predominant landuses of silviculture, livestock production, and suburbia and to develop parameters for watershed-scale models used in testing TMDL scenarios. New Project.
• Mobility of hormones in poultry litter. Cabrera, M. L., P. G. Hartel, and D. E. Radcliffe. Sex hormones such as estradiol and testosterone in drinking water can cause abnormalities in fetal development in humans and wildlife. They are found at high concentrations in poultry litter and little is known about the mobility of these hormones in soils. This project is designed to measure runoff and leaching of estradiol and testosterone in field plots of corn where poultry litter has been applied. Leaching will also be measured in soil columns. New Project.
• Development and validation of biological monitoring organisms (including fish, larval and juvenile mussels) for assessing environmental concentrations of contaminated waters. Black, M. C., et al.
• Development of the Comet assay (micro gel electrophoretic assay to detect genotoxicity in single cells) for detecting genotoxins in whole organisms (e.g., aquatic macroinvertebrates). Black, M. C., et al.
• Development of sensitive biomarker assays to detect sublethal impairment (e.g., oxidative and genotoxic stress) in indigenous and caged aquatic organisms. Black, M. C., et al.
• Evaluation of the effects of disturbance on stream ecosystems, including biological indices. Wallace, B., et al. Results indicate subtle differences in community structure of stream benthos as well as differences in rates of detritus decomposition. Stream ecosystem studies continue to indicate the importance of stream-riparian linkages, and the effects of leaf-litter on stream ecology.
• Ribotyping to determine the host origin of escherichia coli in water. Segars, et al. Current Results indicate that RNA can be used to determine what animal species was the source of the e.coli in water.

6. Monitoring Strategies:

• Development of effective in-situ monitoring strategies to detect non-point source pollution in aquatic habitats. Black, M. C., et al.

C. Ground Water Protection

• Evaluation of the relationship between soil morphological properties to rate of water movement through soil horizons and depth of seasonal high water tables in the Piedmont, Flatwoods, and Coastal Plain regions for better siting of agricultural and urban uses. West, L. T., et al. Preliminary Results indicate the presence of specific soil horizons in the Coastal Plain with low hydraulic conductivity directly impact the potential for ground water contamination by agricultural chemicals. In addition, seasonal high water tables can be predicted and can help determine pathways of agri-chemical movement (to ground and surface water) and site suitability for household waste disposal (septic systems).
• Economic factors associated with protection of ground water from contamination. Bergstrom, J., et al.
• Development of strategies prior to the implementation of new regulations to include more monitoring and better information in matching scientifically-identifiable sources of pollutants with impaired waters. Centner, T. J.
• Development and implementation of training programs for ground water and surface water protection from crop production systems. Hawkins, G., et al.
• Development of protocols to protect ground water when seawater or seawater blends are used for irrigation of turfgrass areas. Carrow, R. N. and R. R. Duncan, et al.

D. Waste Water Treatment/Management

• Development of ultraviolet-enhanced ozonation methods for increasing efficacy/efficiency in treatment/recycling of food-processing, pulp/paper, and textile/carpeting wastewaters. Law, S. E., et al. Bench-scale results have been implemented by engineering a mobile, trailer-carried, pilot-scale prototype to facilitate flow-through evaluations of this advanced oxidation process (AOP) on-site at various Georgia industries.
• Guidelines on appropriate treatment of irrigation water for use on turfgrass sites. Carrow, R. N., R. R. Duncan, et al.
• Evaluation of methods to reduce toxicity in the effluent from a city waste water treatment plant (WWTP). Smith, M. C., D. Gattie, et al. This New Project is testing alternative “post treatment” systems (from wetlands to rapid sand filters) for their effectiveness in reducing toxicity.

1. Animal Systems:

• Development and application of nutrient management plans. Sheppard, C., et al. New regulations require the development of farm plans which include approaches to nutrient management (application, off-site reduction, commercial fertilizers and manures). The input to this planning process has included extensive participation by personnel within the CAES.
• Development of a P-index for Georgia. Cabrera, M. L., G. Harris, D. E. Radcliffe, and M. A. Risse. Working with a number of other Georgia scientists, a P-index was developed which will be used by the NRCS and state to determine when P applications to a field from manure should be limited. This was part of a national effort. A novel approach was used in that all of the elements of the index are based on quantitative relationships rather than arbitrary weighting factors.
• Determining the relationship between soil P and P in runoff. Radcliffe, D. E. and M. L. Cabrera. This project was part of a national effort to determine the relationship between soil test P and P concentrations in runoff for benchmark soils. In the first phase of this project, a series of rainfall simulation measurements on small field plots and sod blocks were conducted to determine this relationship in Cecil and associated soils. This relationship was incoporated into the P-index for Georgia. Earlier research showed that when fresh manure was applied, this became the primary source of P and there was no relationship between soil test P and runoff P concentrations. The second phase of this project consisted of a series of rainfall simulations to determine how long it takes from the time manure is applied, to the point where manure P ceases to be the primary source and soil test P becomes the primary source. The rainfall simulations for the second phase have been completed, but the sample analyis is not complete.
• Water quality impacts and education programs for manure management in dairy, poultry and swine systems. Worley, J. W., et al. Education Programs have demonstrated the benefit of applying aluminum sulfate (alum) to broiler litter to reduce ventilation and heating requirements by lowering the pH and reducing ammonia release during brooding of broiler chickens raised on previously used litter. Alum also has been shown to reduce runoff of phosphorous from litter-applied fields.
• Water quality improvement and effluent treatment for catfish production. Burtle, G. J., et al. Results indicate grass filter strips (bermuda and bahaia grass) were effective in removing up to 80% of the suspended solids from catfish pond effluent.
• Animal production systems, including cleaning operations and land application approaches to manage animal wastes. Newton, G. L., et al.
• Monitoring and modeling strategies to improve siting of animal production operations for water quality improvement. Vellidis, G., et al. Preliminary results from water quality monitoring in two representative watersheds in south Georgia (Little River and Piscola Creek) indicate biotic index scores change drastically with season and that different indices yield conflicting assessments of stream health. Existing biotic indexes should be used only in the winter months when total taxa diversity are highest.
• Use of BMP’s for cattle producers to improve water quality - Redbud Farm Demonstration. Segars, W. I., L. M. Risse, et al. New Project
• Little River/Rooty Creek Hydrologic Unit Area - Special CSREES water quality project. Segars, W. I., et al. Results indicate that proper land application of animal waste has minimum impact on surface and ground water quality if best management practices are used by farmers.
• Evaluation of restricted grazing on stream water quality. Gaskin, J. W. and M. L. Risse. Water quality, percent vegetative cover, and basal area are being monitored along a stream in a heavily-used pasture to determine impacts on the stream due to cattle on the stream bank during wet periods. Preliminary Results indicate restricting grazing to dry conditions can help stream bank stability. This practice may provide a low-cost management tool to help improve water quality under certain site conditions.
• Impact of land application of poultry litter on surface water runoff. Gaskin, J. W. and M. L. Risse. Test plots are used to evaluate water quality impacts of using various rates and types of poultry litter as fertilizers. Preliminary results indicate composted poultry litter may have higher soluble phosphorus concentrations in runoff per phosphorus application.
• Evaluation of alternative water supplies for cattle on stream water quality. Cabrera, M. L. et al. Stream water quality is being evaluated in unfenced streams with and without alternative water supplies (watering troughs). Stream water quality in fenced streams is also being monitored.
• Evaluation of pasture aeration on volume and quality of surface runoff from grasslands fertilized with broiler litter. Cabrera, M. L., et al. Six 1.8-A, instrumented plots are being fertilized with broiler litter twice a year. Three of them receive an aeration treatment right after each litter application, whereas three remain untreated as controls. Volume and quality of surface runoff are being monitored for two years.
• Evaluation of time spent by cattle in unfenced streams. Cabrera, M.L., et al. GPS collars are being used to track animals grazing pastures with unfenced streams. Preliminary results indicate that cattle spends between 5 and 11 % of the time within 30 feet of unfenced streams.
• Evaluation of the impacts of dairy BMPs on water quality. Smith, M. C., D. Gattie, et al. This New Project is to monitor water quality from a 1000-ac watershed with six dairies and about 1000 head of cattle. BMPs to be evaluated include fencing out of streams, reestablishing riparian buffers, and improving nutrient management within the watershed.
• Development of the Animal Waste Awareness in Research and Education (AWARE) team. AWARE, et al. This team integrates research and extension scientists from the Crop and Soil Sciences, Biological and Agricultural Engineering, Poultry Science, Animal and Dairy Science, and Applied and Agricultural Economics. Activities have included development of a newsletter, web page, organization of manure tours, conferences on waste management, providing advisory functions to the GA DNR and other groups about animal waste management issues.

2. Food Processing:

• Development of ozonation techniques to enhance treatment/recycling of food-processing wastewaters. Law, S. E., et al.
• Coordination of an outreach program to assist food processors in meeting waste water treatment and water quality goals and standards. Merka, W. C. and B. Kiepper.

3. Constructed Wetland Systems:

• The economics of using constructed wetlands to control dairy farm runoff. Bergstrom, J., et al.
• Design and installation of constructed wetland systems for wastewater treatment. Smith, M. C., D. Gattie, et al.

4. Natural Wetland Systems:

• Soil and landscape characterization of nutrient cycling and pollutant removal functions of wetlands within the wetland function assessment guide for western Kentucky (with the Corps of Engineers). West, L. T., et al. Preliminary Results indicate that this first regional wetland functional assessment guide will be used as the basis for other regional guides across the U.S..
• Wetland invertebrate responses to ecological and external impacts. Batzer, D.

5. Municipal:

• Evaluation of municipal sludge application impact on ground water nitrate contamination on the outskirts of Albany. West, L. T., et al. Preliminary Results indicate that adjacent feedlots and municipal sludge application were the primary sources of ground water nitrate.
• Evaluation of land application of municipal sludges. Gaskins, J.

E. Economic and Policy Issues

• Delineating the demarcation of point and non-point source pollution regarding animal wastes. Centner, T. J. Preliminary Results indicate difficult regulatory issues are posed by contamination from manure spread on fields, spilt on roads, and wastes overflowing onto fields. This research evaluates the statutory and case-law demarcation of point source and non-point source pollution regarding animal wastes. Through an evaluation of the joint state and federal regulatory framework, the project delineates the legal responsibilities of persons generating non-point source pollution from animal wastes. Selected state provisions regarding concentrated animal facilities are being identified to project future regulatory issues regarding animal waste.