![\"Stephen](\"https:\/\/aaes.auburn.edu\/wrc\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2016\/12\/ST1-256x300.jpg\")
Stephen monitoring water chemistry at local stream near Jacksonville.<\/p><\/div>\n
Let\u2019s get to know\u00a0Stephen better:<\/span><\/p>\n 1.\u00a0Where do you call home? Some\u00a0information about our AWW group, the Jacksonville River Monitors: Jacksonville River Monitors are not only enthusiastic, but extremely dedicated to year-round monitoring!<\/p><\/div>\n 2. What stream, river, lake, bay, or bayou is your favorite water-spot? 3. What water recreation\/sports do you enjoy most? 4. What got you interested in Alabama Water Watch? Stephen and students conducting a bit more ‘seasonable’ sampling on a local stream.<\/p><\/div>\n 5. What are your biggest challenges\/issues in your favorite watershed? 6. Do you have some \u2018lessons learned\u2019 that you could pass on to the rest of us relative to watershed stewardship? Stephen, Francine Hutchinson (AWW trainer, upper right) and Hana Barres (AWW trainer, lower right) and the Jacksonville River Monitors ‘watching the water.’<\/p><\/div>\n <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Stephen Tsikalas\u00a0attended his first AWW workshops in 2014. He got certified as both a\u00a0water chemistry and bacteriological monitor, then, in 2015, advanced to become an AWW trainer. He has integrated […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":6,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"image","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[6,1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1995","post","type-post","status-publish","format-image","hentry","category-alabama-water-watch","category-uncategorized","post_format-post-format-image"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/aaes.auburn.edu\/wrc\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1995","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/aaes.auburn.edu\/wrc\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/aaes.auburn.edu\/wrc\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/aaes.auburn.edu\/wrc\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/6"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/aaes.auburn.edu\/wrc\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1995"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/aaes.auburn.edu\/wrc\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1995\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":7640,"href":"https:\/\/aaes.auburn.edu\/wrc\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1995\/revisions\/7640"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/aaes.auburn.edu\/wrc\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1995"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/aaes.auburn.edu\/wrc\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1995"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/aaes.auburn.edu\/wrc\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1995"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
\n<\/em>I <\/span>hail from Ebensburg, PA, spent several years in central Texas, and now call Jacksonville, AL my home.\u00a0 I\u2019ve been an Assistant Professor of Geography at Jacksonville State University (JSU) for nearly four years now, and I\u00a0love it!<\/p>\n
\nIn January of 2014,\u00a0Jade Patolo\u00a0and I started an AWW\u00a0group called the\u00a0Jacksonville River Monitors (JRM), based out of the Department of Physical and Earth Sciences at JSU.\u00a0\u00a0Whitney Henson (a current JSU graduate student)\u00a0has also\u00a0played a vital leadership role in the JRM since its inception.\u00a0 The JRM is mainly composed of\u00a0JSU geographers, but we also have\u00a0students from other disciplines such as biology.\u00a0\u00a0Since January 2014, the JRM has conducted monthly chemistry and bacteriological monitoring. \u00a0We also\u00a0run\u00a0at least\u00a0two AWW\u00a0chemistry and bacteriological trainings a year.\u00a0 We welcome anyone to attend our trainings! \u00a0Here is a link to the JRM Facebook site:\u00a0https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/JacksonvilleRiverMonitors\/?fref=ts<\/u><\/a>.<\/p>\n![\"Jacksonville](\"https:\/\/aaes.auburn.edu\/wrc\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2016\/12\/JSU1-300x256.jpg\")
\n<\/em>\u00a0The Chief Ladiga Trail runs through Jacksonville.\u00a0 I often find myself on the trail, especially around dawn or dusk.\u00a0 My favorite spot along the trail is where it runs over a small tributary of the Tallaseehatchee.\u00a0 I enjoy standing on the little wooden\u00a0bridge and listening to\u00a0the stream. \u00a0This spot also happens to be one of our AWW sampling locations!
\n<\/em><\/p>\n
\n<\/em>I\u00a0enjoy sitting near or walking along a\u00a0stream and taking in the sounds and smells. \u00a0I find a babbling brook\u00a0to be very comforting and\u00a0one of the best ways to clear my cluttered mind!<\/p>\n
\n<\/em>My wife, Jade Patolo, got me interested in AWW.\u00a0 Also, Francine Hutchinson played a vital role in getting both of us trained and certified.\u00a0 Thanks, Jade and Francine!<\/p>\n![\"Stephen](\"https:\/\/aaes.auburn.edu\/wrc\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2016\/12\/JSU2-300x222.jpg\")
\n<\/em>Lately, it\u2019s been lack of rain!\u00a0 Overall, though, the challenge is trying to get others to appreciate water as our most precious resource in Alabama.\u00a0 Seeing litter in and along our streams really bothers me.\u00a0 Like other AWW sampling locations across the state, we also struggle with non-point source pollution.\u00a0\u00a0
\n<\/em><\/p>\n
\n<\/em>When I first became a monitor, I thought the volunteer work would be more of a giving than a receiving activity. \u00a0I\u00a0quickly discovered though, that I gain more from the experience than I think I am giving. \u00a0Establishing the Jacksonville River Monitors with the students at JSU has been such a rewarding experience. \u00a0We have a great time volunteering together and look forward to\u00a0it\u00a0each month. \u00a0Water quality monitoring has become\u00a0my favorite way to spend a Saturday morning, and I recommend it to anyone!\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n![\"Stephen,](\"https:\/\/aaes.auburn.edu\/wrc\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2016\/12\/JSU3.jpg\")