NGWRA:
Established in January 2005, the North Georgia Water Resources Agencies (NGWRA) groups individually and collectively are concerned with the quality, protection and restoration of surface water resources within the 15 County Metropolitan North Georgia Water Planning District. The NGWRA supports collaborative planning and a comprehensive, holistic watershed approach to the study and implementation of protection and restoration strategies for these water resources.
NGWRA Objectives:
- Determine parameters important to ecosystem restoration in streams;
- Develop a regional model to quantify current and future stream health;
- Develop a Memorandum of Understanding to demonstrate commitment of the working group;
- Develop a regional monitoring plan for stream restoration projects, and;
- Cross educate team members in agency policies and streamline processes.
ABOUT NGWRA:
The original purpose of this group was to create a scientifically defensible way to predict and later measure the impact of restoration and protection efforts. The group brings together individuals from all water-related agencies and organizations working in North Georgia to share information and expertise in order to improve environmental decision making, data gathering, analysis and prediction and to share opportunities through networking. The Ecosystem Restoration Model (ERM) was created as a result of these efforts. The model was built upon the current state of scientific knowledge and work to continually improve that project as the state of knowledge improves. There is a need to be able to demonstrate environmental lift in order to satisfy the Corps of Engineers requirements necessary to fund restoration projects.