As Tennessee heads into its third year of drought, water quality continues to be a most visible and important issue. Dr. Mack T. Finley and Dr. Steven W. Hamilton are coordinating this research and Ms. Laurina Lyle is managing the issue of water quality and environmental education. Research activities involve dete ction and monitoring of pollutants that reduce water quality, design and installation of conservation practices that correct the sources of pollution, and the development of demonstration projects and educational forums that address the importance of water quality as a regional resource.
Research projects involve several local, state, and federal agencies throughout the watershed.
Numerous undergraduate and graduate students and faculty members participate in these projects and receive training and education regarding conservatio n and resource management. Research efforts have identified streambank erosion and high levels of bacteria, sediment, and organic particulates as some of the major causes of water quality damage. The teams are demonstrating and installing conservation practices that protect water quality and reduce soil erosion in the watershed. A new treatment model developed by an East Tennessee State University researcher is dramatically reducing the amount of time children with speech disorders typically spend in therapy. The approach is called multiple oppositions and was created by ETSU speech-language pathologist Dr. Lynn Williams.