A Corps of Engineers Handshake Program win for the Stewards of Lake Seminole
Stewards of Lake Seminole, Inc. was notified last December that their project request was one of only five projects selected nation wide to receive funding from the United States Army Corps of Engineers Handshake Program. The Handshake Program was started in 2004 to offer seed money to Corps installations to support worthwhile partnership projects. The objective of this program is to initiate new, or enhance existing, natural resources management opportunities by engaging local partners and stimulating the constructive collaboration of the partnering relationships.
The Stewards submitted a project request to restore the accessibility and use of 125 acres at the mouth of Saunders Slough off the Chattahoochee River. As part of this ecosystem restoration project, the Stewards have committed to 20 days of aquatic excavator use to remove the biomass caused by Cuban bulrush, giant cut grass and other invasive aquatics that are choking off fish and wildlife habitat. In return, the Handshake Program provides $25,000 to the project and the Mobile District of the Corps provides an additional $50,000 for a project total value of $127,000. Funding for the operation of the aquatic excavator is made possible by a substantial grant from the Edward C. Fogg, III, and Lisbeth A. Fogg Family Charitable Trust and the State of Georgia Department of Natural Resources. The aquatic excavator is made possible through the Seminole County Commissioners. The importance of this community support is reflected in the leverage of those funds to generate a greater participation by other entities to achieve results which individually could not have been achieved.
The Ortho mosaic photograph, (on Page 1) taken by Alex Croom, shows over 90% coverage of aquatic vegetation in the first 125 acres of Saunders Slough. The small blue strip is the only open water at the time this picture was taken. The second picture on page 1 clearly shows the infestation of Cuban bulrush and other aquatic invasives choking out access to once fishable waters. Documented studies by the Georgia Department of Natural Resources and others show that the growth rate of all species of fish is significantly reduced with this level of aquatic vegetation. We will begin the efforts to restore this ecosystem in June.
If you are not a Steward, join them by visiting stewardsoflakeseminole.com.
Article written by Steve Dickman, a Steward of Lake Seminole.
