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Ogeechee Riverkeeper®

Newsletter
March 2022

Welcome Kris Howard to the ORK team!

Kris, a native of Augusta, Georgia, is the newest member of the ORK team, joining as the Science and Policy Manager. Kris who spent most of his youth fishing, kayaking, and camping whenever the opportunity presented itself. The time he spent outdoors fostered a natural curiosity that led him pursuing a career in science.

Meet Kris

For 50 years, the Clean Water Act has helped make U.S. waters drinkable, fishable, and swimmable for all, but now the Act is at risk. Learn more about this landmark legislation and how you can help protect it on the Waterkeeper #ACT50 site.

New Trainer of the Year Award

ORK's Education and Outreach Coordinator, Mel Sparrow, was named the New Trainer of the Year Award by Georgia Adopt-A-Stream. The award recognizes the accomplishments of trainers with less than three years of experience with Georgia AAS. The awards celebrate the accomplishments of outstanding volunteers and improve program retention by recognizing the diversity of participants.

Georgia AAS

Read the post

The importance of freshwater organisms

Why spend all the time and effort to study things that appear to have little to no impact on human welfare? Our research fellow Brian writes about freshwater creatures and their importance as a bioindicator and why scientists value keystone species.

Legislative updates

ORK, along with Georgia Water Coalition, is working with lawmakers to ensure clean water is protected across the state. We are currently watching HB 1150 & HB 1289.

View their progress via the Bill Tracker or contact your representatives.

Take action

Become a member

April is ORK's membership drive

Becoming a member of ORK allows us to continue the important work of testing water quality, sharing stories from the watershed, fighting legal battles, providing recreational guidance, and coordinating cleanup efforts in our 5,500 square-mile territory across 22 Georgia countries.

Earth Day Community Cleanup

ORK will hold a community cleanup as a part of the Great American Cleanup through Keep Georgia Beautiful Foundation in the upper watershed. The event will take place at 2 main locations: river landings in Louisville (~30 volunteers) and a river shoals location near Hamburg State Park (10-15 volunteers).