Purpose:
The Georgia Aquatic Connectivity Team (GA-ACT) is a collaborative group of individuals from a variety of organizations and agencies interested in enabling and increasing the pace of obsolete dam removals and the removal of other barriers to aquatic connectivity in Georgia. By working together as a learning community and leveraging our network of professionals with complementary expertise, resources and connections, we will be much more effective in our efforts to improve aquatic habitat, increase recreational opportunities and bring economic benefits to communities throughout Georgia.
The goal of the GA-ACT is to increase the pace of the removal of barriers to aquatic connectivity, with our priorities guided by data gathered by Team members and compiled on the Southeast Aquatic Barrier Prioritization Tool: https://connectivity.sarpdata.com/
Actions:
The GA-ACT is a learning network and a forum to identify opportunities to remove specific dams and culverts and to address higher-leverage factors to increase the rate of dam and culvert removal, including:
- Identifying priority dam removal and culvert replacement projects
- Providing training and technical support for barrier removal project managers
- Streamlining the regulatory process for barrier removals
- Encouraging policies to incentivize dam owners to remove obsolete structures
- Developing and leveraging funding sources for barrier removals
The GA-ACT will pursue its work through regular (quarterly, initially) phone calls/webinars and annual in-person meetings and through electronic communications (email sgottlieb@tnc.org to be added to our email list). In 2019, the GA-ACT is working to write and publish a Guidebook to Dam Removals in Georgia.