Archive Record
Images
Metadata
Title |
An Interview with John Currier, Wildland Hydrologist |
Catalog Number |
2021.074.022 |
Object Name |
Recording, Video |
Scope & Content |
An Interview with John Currier, Wildland Hydrologist, USFS (ret'd) >>Oral history interview with John Currier, May 24, 2022, in Denver, CO. Significant Topics: >>Monongahela National Forest The Monongahela NF was experiencing fish kills in the headwater trout streams in the summer. Environmental groups were blaming forest management [timber harvesting, road construction and/or coal mining] for the kills. After 2-years of study, Currier determined that the kills were not caused by forest management but were caused by air pollutants from the Ohio River valley being carried over the forest and then washing out as acid precipitation during intense thunder storms lowering pH in the streams by 2 or more units. Currier established water quality monitoring sites throughout the forest to measure baseline water quality. Data was input to EPA's StoRet system. The data was intended to be used to evaluate changes in quality over time and the impact, if any, of forest management. >>Watershed Systems Development Group EPA contracted with the Forest Service to develop standards for non-point source pollution associated with forest management activities. Rather than provide maximum concentrations for non-point sources, the FS developed Best Management Practices for these sources. Currier authored or co-authored five chapters of the WRENS [Water Resources Evaluation of Non-Point Sources] document and served as the unofficial technical editor of the entire document. Francis Marion and Sumter National Forests: The Francis Marion included played out farmlands that the FS acquired to create the forest. Many of these lands had gullies and galls that generated large amounts of sediment and were not productive forest lands. Currier established a restoration program that reshaped and terraced these areas using heavy earthmoving equipment. Land was then seeded with native grasses creating wildlife openings and later planted with trees. The Forest received the first "National Stewardship Award" for this work. >>Legislative Affairs: Applications for the Legislative Affairs positions were limited to Foresters. He lateraled into the position as a Forester. When the next opening occurred, Currier convinced the Director and Deputy Chief that the positions should be advertised as inter-disciplinary thereby broadening career paths in the WO and ROs for Hydrologists. PASTE LINK BELOW INTO BROWSER TO WATCH INTERVIEW https://drive.google.com/file/d/1IiUIHzwqbnPGdMWXsHeYl0aF_hzFOk0M/view?usp=sharing |
Additional File |
Click Here to View Transcript. |
Year Range from |
2022 |
Year Range to |
2022 |
People |
Currier, John |
Subjects |
Monongahela NF Legislative Affairs |
Search Terms |
Congress Oral History Private Forestry State-Private Forestry State Forestry Department Water Wild & Scenic Rivers Water Rights |
Catalog date |
2022-10-20 |
Collection |
Oral History |