Warmwater Stream Committee
Southern Division, American Fisheries Society
Informal Meeting Minutes - October 29, 2000
Baton Rouge, Louisiana (SEAFWA)

Chairman Chris O'Bara began the meeting at 1:00 p.m. by welcoming everyone and announcing that since attendance at these committee meetings held in conjunction with the Southeastern Assoc. of Fish & Wildlife Agencies has been poor for several years, the committee holds 2 formal meetings at other times during the year. As such, no official business would be conducted at this meeting but current projects and activities would be discussed. He invited anyone interested to join the Warmwater Streams Committee (WWSC).

Attendance kept increasing during the duration of the meeting and totaled 16 people. An attendance list is attached to these informal minutes.

A. Review of Agenda

An agenda was distributed (attached).

B. Introduction of Committee Members & Guests

Everyone present at the time introduced themselves - Christian Waters - NC; Bobby Reed - LA; Steve Smith - AL; Zack Brown - WV; Larry Mohn - VA; Mason Herndon - NC; Joel Fleming - Ft. Stewart; Chris O'Bara - WV; Dennis Riecke - MS.

C. Secretary's Report and Reading of Minutes

Secretary-Treasurer Dennis Riecke (MS) read the WWSC meeting minutes from the June, 2000 meeting at Henry Horton State Park, Tennessee. Chairman O'Bara announced they would be approved at the February 2001 committee meeting.

D. Treasurer's Report

Chairman O'Bara explained there was about $2,000.00 in the operational account; about $3,000.00 in the student account that we use for an Outstanding Student Award (travel to the AFS midyear meeting, plaque, AFS membership dues) presented at the AFS Midyear meeting and about $20,000.00 in the video account.

E. Old Business

E1. WWSC Streams Value Video - Chairman O'Bara gave a short history of our efforts to obtain funding for a stream values video. The project started about 4 years ago and South Carolina DNR is producing it. We intend to use the video to inform and educate the public about the values of warmwater streams. We have experienced several delays in production due to video needed to match the script. Chairman O'Bara asked everyone to review the video needs list.

E2. Outreach - Dennis Riecke passed out a printout from our web page and on behalf of our Outreach Liaison, John Copeland (VA) asked for input on context of our web page. The following were suggested:

a. have a function that allows users to ask questions for the committee members to answer (the Trout Committee has this);
b. use the web site to promote the values of warmwater streams; 
c. use the web site to outreach to other professional societies.

E3. Midyear 2001 Workshop - Chris O'Bara mentioned that the committee sponsored a Geomorphology of Rivers workshop and a Restoration Techniques Symposium at the 2000 Midyear SDAFS meeting. Some people commented that the subject was too technical to adequately cover in 4 hours.

The committee is sponsoring a Conflict Resolution Workshop at the 2001 Midyear SDAFS Workshop. Our purpose is to raise funds and promote professional education. The workshop will cost $40.00 and last about 4 hours. We plan to publicize it on our web page, in a letter to the state fishery chiefs and in the SDAFS newsletter.

E4. Warmwater Streams Symposium - Chris mentioned the previous discussions we have had on this topic. Committee decided it would be better to have a symposium at an AFS Parent Society meeting, perhaps in 2002 or 2003 or have it at a SDAFS Midyear meeting. The pros and cons of each meeting were discussed. The North Central Division Rivers and Streams Committee liked the idea. We are in the preliminary planning stages but desire contributed papers, invited keynote speakers, and published proceedings.

E5. Red River Chloride Control Resolution - The WWSC resolution was sent to Oklahoma Governor Keating and Texas Governor Bush and congressional delegations. Barry Bolton (OK) briefed everyone on the basics of the project. Chloride occurs naturally in the Red River System and the Corps has an elaborate scheme of low water weirs, and brine storage reservoirs to provide irrigation and drinking water for north central Texas. The Oklahoma Dept. of Wildlife Conservation fought the project but it got Keatings' support. Currently, the project has been shelved as the Corps lacks funding. They have abandoned all portions of the project in Oklahoma. All Texas portions are in place and their performance is being evaluated. These projects have not performed up to specifications. Duane Harrel was to pursue sending a resolution to the Parent Society, but we will delay that pending future project actions.

E6. Safety Program - This is a effort to gather published agency safety program information. It was begun after the committee learned of a lawsuit against a WV professor brought by the parents of a student who drowned. WVDNR was involved in the lawsuit because they had funded the research study. O'Bara said that most information has come from private industry. A few state agencies sent programs to Chris. Chris made another request for published safety programs so that, perhaps, this information could be distributed at the midyear meeting. Attendees from MS, AL, AR, OK and the USFS indicated their safety programs and efforts were informal. NC has electrofishing safety training. VA has boat safety training. LA has a formal safety training programs that Bobby Reed will send to Chris. In LA there is a Safety Assessment Coordinator for every office in the state who performs Annual Safety Audits. This was initiated by the governor's office to reduce the amount of liability claims.

Steve Filipek (AR) expressed the desire to have a safety discussion at our midyear meeting. He is beginning to do some canoeing and chain saw safety training for the Stream Team Project. He thought that if the state fisheries chiefs heard tales of accidents and litigation, they might increase their commitment for safety programs.

Chris said the TVA and power companies seem to have the best safety programs. These programs and Louisiana's include consequences for failure to comply. Chris is debating the most effective means to distribute the information given the volume of it.

Filipek suggested a panel discussion with an question and answer period coupled with a letter to the fisheries chiefs. Chris suggested a talk by a litigating attorney.

Bobby Reed (LA) related that the new governor had his administration examine the costs of lawsuits. He then established a Statewide Project Administrator through the Office of Risk Management. There is a safety officer assigned to all state agencies. District safety officers must have quarterly safety meetings and training sessions. Boating and driving safety courses are held every 3 years.

Filipek suggested that we try to get safety on the AFS Fisheries Administrators Section meeting agenda.

E7. Committee membership and recruitment - Chris informed everyone that the committee has about 30 members and that we wanted to expand our membership to include all relevant government agencies and private companies. Chris detailed the educational aspect of our summer meetings and the workshops we sponsor. Attendees were encouraged to submit names to the chair or secretary-treasurer. Each agency in the Southern Division will receive request from Mike Meador (SDAFS President) for state agency membership appointments in the next month. We need USFS, USGS, and USFWS, employees to be committee members.

E8. Committee update for State Fishery Chiefs - Chris will review the participation level of members from each state. Chris will work with Mike Meador to provide the fisheries chiefs with a list of committee accomplishments and products. Chris urged all attendees to speak with their fish chiefs about encouraging staff participation.

E9. Technical committee review - Chris reviewed the SDAFS effort to examine committee activities and effectiveness. Are there too many committees? Are there committees that are not effective? The reservoir, trout and warmwater streams committees are always active and busy doing projects. There will be a SDAFS Bylaw change proposed to eliminate the listing of specific technical committees and replace that section with wording that merely states that the SDAFS will have technical committees. Some committees were abolished several years ago. Several attendees complimented the WWSC on our success. If anyone has questions about the committee review, talk to Mike Meador and attended the SDAFS Business Meeting on Tuesday, 3:00 - 5:00 p.m.

F. New Business

F1. Work Plan - Chris briefly mentioned this.

F2. Outstanding Student Achievement Award - Information is on the web page. Chris sent 15- 30 applications to universities in the Southeast. Previously, we have had problems obtaining applicants. Information will be sent out around Thanksgiving and they have to apply by mid-January. Filipek responded that the Reservoir committee has the same problem with the Robert Jenkins scholarship. Chris asked everyone to nominate worthy students. Download the information from the web page. Last year we had 3 applicants. The award consists of $200.00, paid AFS student membership and a plaque.

F3. Fisher's Report on State Stream Management Survey - Not much was known by Chris and Dennis to relate to attendees except that an article was published in Fisheries. Filipek mentioned that in Arkansas, 36-40% of anglers fish on streams but not 40% of the budget is devoted to stream programs. At the 1998 WWSC meeting in Auburn, we had several presentations on state stream programs.

F4. Midyear 2001 Meeting in Jacksonville, FL - Chris encouraged everyone to attend and mentioned the workshop on conflict resolution. Chris asked for ideas for future workshops. Dennis suggested a workshop on sampling techniques. VA, AR, LA, OK have standard sampling protocols for warmwater streams. Chris asked for workshop interest on this topic. Discussed statistical validity. Kelly Russell (USFS) said the USFS is about to embark on a standard stream sampling symposium. Previously, the committee had discussed doing some field sampling and gear demonstrations at our summer meeting. Steve Filipek commented that it is beneficial to get exposure to gear and methods and let each state evaluate programs to decide what is the best approach for each type of stream. We decided to discuss this in Jacksonville and perhaps have a session at the WWSC symposium we plan to hold.

F5. Roundtable discussion - Minutes are provided in a separate handout. Meeting adjourned after this discussion at about 3:30 p.m.

Attendance List for WWSC Meeting - October 29, 2000