Photo By Charles Walker | James Hathorn, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Mobile District Chief of Water Management...... read more read more
MOBILE, Ala. – The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Mobile District, Water Management Division hosted stakeholders from the Apalachicola-Chattahoochee-Flint (ACF) River Basin for a Water Manager for a Day course on June 25th, at the District Office in Mobile, Alabama.
Stakeholders learned about the water management mission including reservoir operations and also received the opportunity to sit and work alongside a reservoir basin manager as they worked through their forecast.
James Hathorn, Water Management Chief, said he hoped the day provided the stakeholders insight into how water management makes their decisions and that they understand all the issues water management has to deal with within its choices.
“Our goal is for each visitor to gain insight and understand the complicated process to operate the numerous reservoirs within the Mobile District,” Hathorn said. “We don’t expect them to agree with all of our decisions, but if they understand the process it evolves into a mutual respect.”
Stakeholders started their day with a briefing from Hathorn and an introduction to the District by Kris Mullins, Mobile District Chief of Staff.
They also had the opportunity to ask questions about their local issues in the ACF River Basin as well as work alongside staff members, as they showed them the process they work through in forecasting and making decisions concerning the reservoirs.
Hathorn said the Water Manager for a Day program is open to anyone and is the perfect way he has found to inform the public of Water Management’s mission.
“Water Manager for a Day is our open invitation to the public to learn more about our water management mission including reservoir operations,” Hathorn said. “We look forward to the opportunity to host any group. We typically host the event on Tuesday to coincide with our weekly Water Management meeting. Visitors can sit and work with our river basin managers. They will discuss the parameters that are considered and utilized to make operational decisions on how much water to release.”
The ACF is one of the more complex River Basins in the Mobile District as it stretches from Buford Dam in Georgia in the North, through parts of Alabama and into Florida itself.
Each of the stakeholders in this basin have differing views on what should be done with the water, with those concerned about flooding, to those concerned about recreation and fishing.
It can often lead to a contentious relationship between the stakeholders and the District, which is why the Water Manager for a Day is so important. It gives both the stakeholders and Water Management personnel the chance to meet each and see each other’s point of view.
“We want the stakeholders to walk away with the understanding that we are public servants making decisions for the totality of the watershed, not just local issues,” Hathorn said. “A short walk in our shoes can be an altering experience to benefit the stakeholder and USACE.”
| Date Taken: | 06.27.2024 |
| Date Posted: | 06.27.2024 14:56 |
| Story ID: | 475052 |
| Location: | MOBILE, ALABAMA, US |
| Web Views: | 37 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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