Select photograph to view images of Georgia's Coastal Adopt-A-Wetland program.

The Georgia Environmental Protection Division coordinates a citizen volunteer water quality monitoring and stewardship program in Georgia. The program is called Georgia Adopt-A-Stream and is a network of volunteers, local governments, and other partners who are committed to studying and protecting the streams, rivers, lakes and wetlands of the State. Georgia Adopt-A-Stream (AAS) is funded in part by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

The title "Adopt-A-Stream" is a little misleading since the program also provides manuals and training for wetland and lake monitoring. The Wetland Monitoring manual and workshops highlight freshwater wetland values and functions, which guides volunteers through the monitoring of soils, vegetation and hydrology. A separate Coastal Adopt-A-Wetland Monitoring manual created by University of Georgia (UGA) Marine Extension Service provides guidance for volunteers interested in monitoring coastal habitats and the biological and chemical parameters specific to marine conditions. The Georgia Lakes Society provides training workshops and technical advice throughout the State for volunteers interested in monitoring lake conditions.

Georgia AAS and Adopt-A-Wetland are programs coordinated within the NonPoint Source Program of the Watershed Protection Branch of Georgia Environmental Protection Division. The Coastal Georgia Adopt-A-Wetland program is a collaborative effort between Georgia AAS and the UGA Marine Extension Service. The Adopt-A-Lake program is a collaborative effort between Georgia AAS and the Georgia Lakes Society. There are more than 50 established Community Coordinators consisting of city and county employees and local watershed groups, nonprofits and individuals.