Around Mobile District
Corps, Georgia DNR and volunteers prepares fish habitat
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| Volunteers drop shoreline trees into the lake bed to create a fish attractor for bass, crappie and other game fish in Allatoona Lake before the late winter rains fill the lake. (Photo by Christopher Purvis) |
Park Ranger Terrell Stoves succeeded in putting together a team of partners and volunteers to fell more than 300 trees to create fish habitat before the late winter and early spring rain refill Lake Allatoona.
For this first-time project to the Allatoona project, Stoves established a small team that brought together Jim Hakela, a fisheries biologist with Georgia Department of Natural Resources and four local volunteers – Mike Bucca, Bruce Miller, Ray Bowin and Matt Driver.
Bucca is a guide on the lake and volunteered as a team leader for this project. “Even thought this project will make fishing easier and may hurt my business a little, it’s still a worthwhile effort and will be great for the fishing on Allatoona,” he said.
Driver is active in Allatoona fishing tournaments and hosting charity events round the lake. He is not only working on this project to help his fishing in tournaments, but to help provide better fishing cover for everyday anglers.
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Volunteer Matt Driver uses the chainsaw to angle cut the tree to prevent it from falling over and ripping the root ball out of the earth creating erosion problems. A Cartersville Daily Tribune photographer moves in for a close-in action shot. (Photo by Christopher Purvis) |
The team members spent Feb. 8 selectively cutting unhealthy and dead trees from along the shoreline and placing them in the dry lake bed. These trees had exposed roots or other health problems that would cause them to dies and fall on their own.
This project kept the park ranger busy with identifying areas on the project for the fish attractors, selecting and marking trees. The energized volunteers quickly worked through the designated areas, keeping Stoves busy. “The volunteers are gung-ho and moving fast so we need more trees for them! We still have about 5 areas where we haven't completed marking, he said with a smile.
The trees were selected and cut to prevent shoreline erosion. We cut them in a way that will prevent the root ball from lifting and destroying the shoreline, said Stoves. “If these trees were not removed, they would eventually fall and take the soil around the root ball with them. This would create dents in the shoreline and potentially increase shoreline erosion.
| Park Ranger Terrell Stoves sprays yellow paint to mark the trees for the volunteers to cut for the fish attractors on Allatoona Lake. (Photo by Jim Hakala) |
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The trees were selected and cut to prevent shoreline erosion. We cut them in a way that will prevent the root ball from lifting and destroying the shoreline, said Stoves. “If these trees were not removed, they would eventually fall and take the soil around the root ball with them. This would create dents in the shoreline and potentially increase shoreline erosion.
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Allatoona Lake Park Ranger Terrell Stoves shows volunteers where to place anchor pins in the remaining tree stump. (Photo by Christopher Purvis) |
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The anchors are also inserted into the log and attached to the stump with a rope to keep the tree from floating off and becoming a navigation hazard. (Photo below by Matt Driver) |
Looking at the dry lake bed it is difficult to imagine it becoming a fish habitat; however, February-March rains will refill the lake. “At summer level these trees will be anywhere from 1-20 feet deep. Most will be in about 10-15 feet of water,” said Stoves. “They will attract all species of game fish from bluegill and sunfish in the shallows, to crappie and bass in the middle, to catfish in the deeper waters."
The fish habitat will provide a safe haven for fish such as bass and crappie to hide, to feed and to spawn. It will provide anglers a new fish concentration location to reel in the big one.
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Spring cleaning comes early to Bay Springs wildlife habitat
In the chilled morning hours of Feb. 10, local citizens, Boy Scouts and corps employees set out to improve wildlife habitat in the Bay Springs recreation area in east central Mississippi.
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| Park Ranger Craig Koon works with the shoreline clean-up crew during the Bay Spring Lake Habitat Improvement Day activities. (Photo by Volunteer Brian Credille) |
“We had 40 volunteers and 7 Corps employees participate in the Bay Springs Lake Habitat Improvement Day,” said Park Ranger and organizer Benjamin Davis. The tasks of the day revolved around two Eagle Scout projects that included a shoreline clean-up, installing fish attractors, and work on wood duck boxes.
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| Park Ranger Ben Davis pushes the boat off the bank as participants prepare to deliver another load of Christmas trees to the fish attractor locations during Bay Springs Lake Habitat Improvement Day activities. (Photo by - Ranger Mike Carter |
The volunteers placed more than 180 Christmas trees and two truck loads of crappie stakes in the lake to create fish attractors.
“We pick out a couple coves each year where we want to place the fish attractors,” said Davis. He explained that the trees and stakes will last for several years, sometimes up to 10 years, depending on type of wood and location.
“The crappie stakes are thin strips of wood about 4-8 feet tall and are driven into the ground about 6 inches apart to make a ‘stake bed’," the ranger said. “The stake beds are normally about 4 feet by 4 feet and provide cover for the fish and spawning areas for crappie.
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Stake beds and Christmas trees are placed to create fish attractors as the lake level rises. (Photo by Volunteer Brian Credille) |
The waterfowl will also benefit from the Saturday clean up as 21 duck nesting boxes were cleaned out and repaired. The old nesting material is removed, repairs are made and a few inches of cedar shavings are placed in the bottom of the boxes. A GPS reading is taken on each nesting box location and marked on the project map as part of the nesting box inventory.
| Boy Scouts empty last year’s nesting material, repair the wood duck box and add new cedar chips to the box before staking it back into the ground and taking a GPS reading to identify the box location. (Photo by Ranger Mike Carter) |
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The workers proudly celebrated the success of the day with hamburger and hot dog lunch break. Spring cleaning came early this year and by summer the fish and waterfowl will be enjoying the benefits of hard work humans did on a cold February Saturday.
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Congratulations to...
- Mike McKown, geotechnical engineer, engineering division will be recognized as the Civil Engineer of the Year by the Mobile Area Council of Engineers
- Angela O'Connor, civil engineer, engineering division, will be recognized as the Young Engineer of the Year by the Mobile Area Council of Engineers
Farewell to ...
- David Hobbie, regulatory division, who transferred to Jacksonville District
- Peggy DuBray, North Regional Area Office, who retired with more than 33 years of federal service.
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To Your Health
How much fruit juice is one serving?
According to the American Institute for Cancer Research, one serving of 100 percent fruit juice is six ounces. Nutritionists say that juice can be a great way to get many of the vitamins, minerals and phytochemicals we need.
However, if you’re looking to boost your fiber intake and you’re watching your calorie intake, juice might not be your best option. Why? Because you’re not going to get fiber from your juice, and you’ll like still be hungry when you’re done drinking it.
Experts recommend that only one or two servings of fruit a day should come from juice. Instead, eating whole fruits is recommended. Consumers also need to be careful when consuming juices, because many of are actually “cocktails,” which means they are not 100 percent juice; they may also be called “juice beverages.” Also, many fruit labels refer to a serving as 8 ounces instead of 6 ounces.
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District Briefs
Sending E-mail to Users Located in State Department Facilities
Military and civilian personnel located in State Department facilities cannot receive e-mails that have been digitally signed or encrypted with DoD certificates (CAC). When they receive such e-mails, they are unable to open them, and their systems will time out or lock up.
Mobile District e-mail messages by default are not digitally signed or encrypted. So, if you send e-mail to personnel at these locations, it will not be encrypted unless you change the encryption status. Note that it is currently unclear whether SOUTHCOM personnel are affected by this problem.
If you have any questions concerning digital signatures or encryption using DoD certificates (CAC cards), contact the IM HelpDesk at 251-694-4444.
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Items for Mobile Weekly welcomed
Send submissions for the Mobile Weekly to Public Affairs, SAM by Wednesday for next edition of the newsletter.
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District office establishes web site for maintenance needs
This is the building maintenance web site that should be used for all building needs. It also includes emergency phone numbers for such things as power outages: https://lm/MDOMaint.html.
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Sign up for 2007 Corps of Engineers Golf League (Western Invitational Golf League)
Last day to sign up is Feb. 28. Team selection will be done March 1. The first 48 individuals that sign up are guaranteed a slot, so don’t delay! First play is March 13 at Timbercreek Golf Course in Daphne at 4 p.m. Course price same as last year -- $14 for nine holes. You won’t find a better deal.
For information or to register, email or phone:
Melvin Golemon 251-690-3549
Gary Browder 251-690-2916
Meddie Clark 251-694-3712
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Mike Causey's Column
Mike Causey writes about matters that concern federal employees. This week’s subjects include:
Your Exit Strategy (Stealth or tell the world?)
Knock, Knock! Who's There? (selecting the best day to retire)
Social Security: Half A Loaf, If You're Lucky (The evil twins)
Is Anybody There? (When the federal government closes in Washington, D.C.)
Tax Gap Blues! (IRS)
The full stories: http://www.federalnewsradio.com/index.php?nid=7
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Situational Awareness
Lawmakers keep eye on communications grant program
By Chris Strohm, National Journal's Technology Daily
House lawmakers on Friday pressed Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff to establish guidelines for a new $1 billion grant program to help emergency responders buy communications equipment than can work across jurisdictions.
The Homeland Security and Commerce departments are supposed to co-administer the program, which is to be funded with proceeds from selling radio spectrum this year. But House Homeland Security Committee Chairman Bennie Thompson, D-Miss., and ranking Republican Peter King of New York said the departments have been unable to agree on management of the program.
"I can't impress upon you my and the ranking member's concern about the whole issue," Thompson told Chertoff during a hearing.
Full story: http://www.govexec.com/story_page.cfm?articleid=36107&dcn=e_gvet
President's budget pushes electronic retirement system
By Brittany R. Ballenstedt
About a year from now, federal employees may be able to begin accessing their retirement records online.
With the release of President Bush's budget Monday, the Office of Personnel Management outlined its hopes to attain $15 million in fiscal 2008 for its Retirement Systems Modernization project.
The funding would be used to "replace OPM's legacy information technology systems with modern technology, move from paper to electronic record-keeping and enhance core retirement business processes to meet the needs of active and retired federal employees by providing access to account information and planning tools," according to the president's budget proposal.
Full story: http://www.govexec.com/story_page.cfm?articleid=36063&dcn=e_gvet
OPM launches online management competency tool
By Brittany R. Ballenstedt
The Office of Personnel Management on Tuesday unveiled a Web-based instrument for assessing the skill levels of federal managers, supervisors, team leaders, and others in key areas of leadership and performance management.
The launch comes exactly one week after OPM released the agency-specific results of its Federal Human Capital Survey which assessed federal employees' perceptions of their jobs and views on management challenges.
OPM officials briefed agencies on Tuesday about the benefits of using the management system. The personnel agency's goal is to help agencies that currently do not have leadership competency models or assessment instruments to assess their proficiency in leadership management.
Full story: http://www.govexec.com/story_page.cfm?articleid=36069&dcn=e_gvet
Lawmakers re-introduce whistleblower, ethics measures
By Jenny Mandel
House lawmakers debated measures Tuesday that would strengthen whistleblower protections, restrict "revolving door" employee movement between agencies and industry, and require senior officials to report meetings with lobbyists and others seeking to influence government actions.
Both the Whistleblower Protection Enhancement Act (H.R. 985) and the Executive Branch Reform Act (H.R. 984) were introduced in similar form in the last Congress, and were overwhelmingly approved in committee, only to be sidelined without reaching the floor for a vote.
Reps. Henry Waxman, D-Calif., and Tom Davis, R-Va., reintroduced the two bills with the hope that they will make better progress in the new Congress.
Full story: http://www.govexec.com/story_page.cfm?articleid=36125&dcn=e_gvet
New FOIA reform legislation expected soon
By Daniel Pulliam
Newly empowered congressional Democrats likely will introduce legislation to reform the Freedom of Information Act in the next month, sources in both chambers said this week.
The bill's introduction likely will coincide with Sunshine Week March 11-16, an initiative led by the American Society of Newspaper Editors to educate the public about the importance of open government. National Freedom of Information Day also happens that week, on March 16.
Rep. William Lacy Clay, D-Mo., chairman of the House Oversight and Government Reform Subcommittee on Information Policy, Census and National Archives, said Wednesday after a hearing on FOIA that he expects to see reform legislation introduced soon.
Full story: http://www.govexec.com/story_page.cfm?articleid=36143&dcn=e_gvet
OMB seeks public input on federal spending search tool
By Jenny Mandel
The Office of Management and Budget has announced an ambitious schedule to implement a requirement to report on federal spending under a new law, sketching out how data will flow from a spaghetti bowl of sources and formats into a unified, searchable database by the end of this year.
The agency on Thursday launched a Web site, FederalSpending.gov, that lays out a schedule to implement the 2006 Federal Funding Accountability and Transparency Act and solicits comments on "how you, as a citizen, would like to see the [law] implemented and government award information presented."
The law, which was enacted last September, mandates the creation of a single user-friendly Web site where citizens can search through all federal contracts, grants, loans and other awards, by January 2008.
Full story: http://www.govexec.com/story_page.cfm?articleid=36142&dcn=e_gvet
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Retirement Planning
Taking Your (Sick) Leave
By Tammy Flanagan, National Institute of Transition Planning
I promised last week that I'd have something for the folks covered by the Civil Service Retirement System this week. So I'm focusing on credit for sick leave, which (in general) CSRS retirees get and Federal Employees Retirement System retirees don't. But even if you're in FERS, you should read on for more details.
Full story: http://www.govexec.com/dailyfed/0207/020907rp.htm
Short-term Benefits
By Tammy Flanagan, National Institute of Transition Planning
The idea of a federal retiree used to conjure up the image of a Betty Bureau or Freddy Fed who had 30 or more years of government service by the time they applied for retirement. That image is changing, thanks to flexible hiring practices and the benefits available for employees who enter federal service later in life.
Full story: http://www.govexec.com/dailyfed/0207/021607rp.htm
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Web Highlights
National Chili Day. Feb. 22. A day to recognize chili as an American staple and to celebrate our love for a great bowl of red—especially in the cold winter months.
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Quote of the Week
"Brains, like hearts, go where they are appreciated."
~Robert McNamara, former U.S. secretary of defense
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This Week in History
Feb. 16 - 1937 - Wallace H. Carothers patented nylon.
Feb. 17 - 1933 - First issue of "Newsweek" magazine published.
Feb. 18 - 1908 – The first U.S. postage stamp sold for a penny.
Feb. 19 - 1985 - Cherry Coke was introduced by the Coca-Cola Company in New York City.
Feb. 20 - 1872 - Silas Noble and J.P. Cooley of Granville, MA patented the toothpick manufacturing machine.
Feb. 21 – 1968 - An agreement between baseball players and club owners increased the minimum salary for major-league players to $10,000 a year.
Feb. 22 – 1630 - Popcorn was introduced to English colonists by Quadequine, brother of Massasoit.
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