SARP: Southeast Aquatic Resources Partnership

Rivers and streams of the Southeastern US are home to a globally significant array of fish, mussels, crayfish, and other life. The natural seasonal and inter-annual variations of water levels in rivers and streams are critical to maintenance of these rich aquatic ecosystems. As a consequence of the widespread impacts of increased water withdrawals and usage in the region, the Southeast Aquatic Resources Partnership (SARP), a recognized partner of the National Fish Habitat Action Plan, identified implementation of protective instream flow policies as a priority strategy in the Southeast Aquatic Habitat Plan. The Southern Instream Flow Network (SIFN) was developed to address impacts to natural flow regimes in the region’s aquatic ecosystems.
 
Because instream flow policies are administered at the state level and lack national standards to protect national systems, SARP envisioned SIFN to leverage policy and technical experience with science-based resources among state-based partnerships in the 15 Southeastern Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies (SEAFWA) states – AL, AR, FL, GA, KY, LA, MO, MS, NC, OK, SC, TN, TX, VA, WV. The SIFN goal is to develop and improve protective instream flow policies by providing science-based resources and opening lines of communication. With funding from the Multi-State Conservation Grant Program of the US Fish and Wildlife Service, work follows these objectives:

• Educate participants on the scientific basis of instream flow policy
• Facilitate communication within and among states to support and build on experiences
• Produce and share instream flow policy-related tools & resources specific to state needs
• Communicate among states to support and build on past experiences
• Provide training for use of assessment tools to determine environmental impacts of altered hydrologic regimes and develop instream flow standards

To learn about SIFN's accomplishments and Instream Flow in the Southeast, click on the links below or contact SIFN coordinators, Scott Robinson (scottr@southeastaquatics.net), Marilyn Barrett-O'Leary (marilyno@southeastaquatics.net) or technical advisor Mary Davis (mdavis@tnc.org).

Please use the following links for information about state instream flow protection, points of contact, and SIFN updates for a particular state:

• Alabama
• Arkansas
• Florida
• Georgia
• Kentucky
• Louisiana
• Mississippi
• Missouri
• North Carolina
• Oklahoma
• South Carolina
• Tennessee
• Texas
• Virginia
• West Virginia

SIFN Documents:

Click here to view SIFN Documents