An Invitation

Current Projects

Future Possibilities

• Contact the community
  • Summer 2000: Begin contacting residents, institutions, civic associations, environmental groups, municipal authorities and businesses in the watershed to solicit their interest, support, and participation, as well as their knowledge of local history.
  • Initial agenda
    • Uncover concerns e.g., erosion, pollution, kudzu, trash
    • Gather and analyze information
    • Define challenges and opportunities
    • Develop objectives
    • Document data and decisions
• Stream characterization
  • Walk the stream, take photographs of erosion, sedimentation, trash, as well as relatively undisturbed and attractive sections
  • Get property owner permissions.

Progress Report

• 6/10/00 Tim Bryson creates website
• 7/2/00 Stream Walk: Mt. Vernon Drive / Glenn Circle segment [Map]
  • Participants: Neil Norton, Lynne Norton, Serey Andree, Tim Bryson. [Photo]
  • Activity: Walked upstream about 100 yards then downstream to Glenn Lake Park, collecting debris and checking status of stream bed and bank
  • Findings:
    • debris continues to be deposited from storm drains
    • mosquito guppies survive in pools in spite of drought. spotted one frog as well.
    • water disappears underground at bridge under Glenndale Ave.
    • streambank damage at home reconstruction at Glenndale Ave. on west side of bridge
    • broken culver remains unrepaired at Glenn Lake Park.
    • walkers wished they all had waterproof boots. [Try http://www.benmeadows.com e.g., Monarch PVC Knee Boot.]
  • Next steps:
    • Call City re. broken culvert and possible replacement with a bridge (more attractive, less damaging)
    • Schedule more clean-ups.
    • Share info on streambank protection with new resident.
• 8/8/00 Tim meets with Clairmont Heights Civic Association Board
  • Overview presentation of Glen Creek watershed
  • CHCA Board interested in organizing kudzu removal and stream cleanup (esp. removal of the boat behind Emory Woods) starting in winter.
  • CHCA Board interested in joining Trees Atlanta tree sale
  • Next step: contact homeowners whose property abuts the stream and ask permission to work in stream..
• 8/16/00 Tim joins Emory's Ad Hoc Committee on Environmental Stewardship (Candler Lake Watershed)
• 8/21/00 Steven Blackburn (404-562-9397) offers to lend biological and chemical monitoring equipment to certified Georgia Adopt-A-Stream volunteers in the Glen Creek watershed.
• 10/1/00 Tim joins Emory's Committee on the Environment (Faculty Senate committee which reviews all Emory projects.)
• 11/18/00 Peachtree/Nancy Creek River Rendezvous. Catherine Fox, Dennis McClure, and Scot Fleckenstein of the Glen Creek watershed attended this event to jump-start testing of Glen Creek. Results reported two weeks later indicated high levels of fecal coliform, one sign of leaky sewer pipes. More testing will be done after the Christmas holidays.
• 12/6/00 Emory Village Planning Workshops culminate in a presentation of options for calming traffic and greater protection of Peavine Creek. See Emory Wheel article. Clairmont Heights Civic Association submitted an application for funding similar project but was turned down..
• 12/15/01 Website becomes ad-free. But it costs $5 per month. For the time being I (Tim Bryson) will pay this fee.

Kudzu Removal

• 1/13/01 Kudzu Vine Removal. On Saturday, January 13, about a dozen people showed up on the stream behind Emory Woods Apartments to help cut kudzu vines from trees. Co-sponsored by the Clairmont Heights Civic Association. Report and Photos.
• 2/9/01 Kudzu Vine Removal. Organized by Valerie Boss of the Clairmont Heights Civic Association.
• 9/7/02 Kudzu Vine Removal. Organized by Valerie Boss of the Clairmont Heights Civic Association.

Sewage Spills and Sewage Line Repair/Replacement

• 8/8/01 Sewage Spill reported in Community Review : 1121 Church Street, Decatur. 4,000 gallons from manhole overflowing blocked by roots. Roots were cut and line was high pressure washed.
• 8/18/01 Sewage Spill reported in Community Review: Church Street @ Glenlake Park. 5,000 gallons from manhole overflowing. Debris removed.
• 2/8/02 Sewage Spills are no longer reported in Community Review but are posted on signs. They seem always to occur just upstream from Glenlake Park. The most recent leak was 1,000 gallons two weeks ago. A month ago it was 5,000 gallons. Most of the leakage appears to occur in this area as a resulty of sewage overflows. Neil Norton, a local resident and president of the Glennwood Estates Neighborhood Association, is attempting to get the county to fix the lines there.
• 1/15/03 Sewer Line Replacement begins. I call Jim Reagan, County Water and Sewer Department supervisor for this area, to complain about lack of erosion/sediment control and about tree damage. He says that the work has been contracted out and that responsibility lies with the county inspectors to whom he conveys my concerns. Fencing is strengthened immediately. Call chief inspector John Walker (770-621-7200) if there is further damage.