Season's Greetings from your Stones River Watershed Association.

December 2006. The last newsletter of another year. It's been an active and productive time for SRWA and we start 2007 with plenty of opportunities ahead.

Only a few coming events to report this month:

Tuesday, Dec. 12., 7 p.m. The Rutherford Neighborhood Alliance is hosting our new County Mayor, Ernest Burgess, at Patterson Park community Center in Murfreesboro. (521 Mercury Blvd). This isn't an SRWA event but it is a good opportunity to meet the Mayor and learn about his priorities for Rutherford County.

Thursday, January 14, Meeting of regional MS4 (Municipal Separate Storm water Sewer System-PhaseII) programs, beginning at 8:00 a.m, Smyrna Town Hall. Program will include discussion of TMDL (Total Maximum Daily Load) regulations. If you're interested in attending call Mayo for more complete program information at 898-5605, or email Smyrna stormwater manager Greg Upham at greg.upham@townofsmyrna.org.

Thursday, January 18, 6:30 p.m., SRWA Board and Membership Meeting, Carriage Lane Reception House, 337 E. Burton St., Murfreesboro. Everyone is welcome.

Report on our November 16 membership meeting in Woodbury. It was great!

Despite rainy weather we had about 35 people turn out to the Senior Center to hear from an excellent line up of speakers about water-related programs in the Cannon County area. The focus was on the importance of Cannon county as the headwaters for the East Fork Stones River. We have also been working with people interested in land conservation on Short Mountain, which is at the headwaters of three systems: the Stones, Caney Fork and Collins.

Our speakers included Pam Hoskins of the Natural Resources Conservation Service, Fount Bertram of Tennessee Trails, Andy Jacobs of the Woodbury Water Department, Thea Prince, representing PARQ (Preserve the Area's Rural Qualities) as well as her diverse solid waste interests, and our own Randle Branch, who described SRWA's programs. We were also pleased to have Tennessee State Naturalist, Mack Prichard, on hand.

Many thanks to Neal Appelbaum for his work in organizing and to Judy Shook and others for the great eats. It was a fine time.

Congratulations. John McFadden of the Harpeth River Watershed Association was named director of the Tennessee Environmental Council. John has been a great support to SRWA and we wish him well as he takes on the job of building and revitalizing TEC. He will continue his river work in addition to and as part of his TEC responsibilities.

As always, send suggestions and comments to srwa@stoneswatershed.org. Watch our website for news and developments: http://stoneswatershed.org.

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