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Welcome to the Southwest Section of the Alabama Geological Society's Newspage The
Southwest Section of the Alabama Geological Society (SWAGS) formed in
February of 2001 to foster a network of geologists in the coastal areas
of Mississippi, Alabama and Florida. Membership is open to all
active members of the Alabama Geolocial Society and others who wish to
become active memebers. Membership information on the AGS can be
found at http:homepage.mac.com/jpashi/AGS.htm. Membership in SWAGS requires $5 dues to SWAGS in addition to that required for membership in the AGS.
SWAGS meetings, as a professional organization, are recognized for continueing education credits by the Alabama Board of Licensure of Professional Geologists. Meetings begin with a short business meeting followed by a speaker. If you have an interest in giving a talk on a geology related project you have been or are involved with, please email Jim Connors (jconnors@usouthal.edu) with details. January 19, 2010 At our January meeting, we will elect officers, discuss dues for the 2010 year and have a presentation by Lee Beasley. Lee's presentation begins at 7PM in the life Science building on the campus of the University of South Alabama. His topic is "Hydrology and water chemistry controls on mercury bioaccumulation in coastal Alabama watersheds". The business meeting begins at 6:30 PM. Bring a fellow geologist and obtain one pdh credit. November 17, 2009 SWAGS met at 7PM in Room 337 of the Life Sciences Building at the University of South Alabama. The future of SWAGS was dicussed among those present. It was decided that a recruitment campaign would be initiated with PGs in the Gulf Coast area contacted and encouraged to attend the January 19, 2010 meeting. Officers will be elected at that meeting to guide the group for the coming two years. If you are interested in keeping a professional geologic society alive and well in the Mobile area, please plan on attending the January meeting. If you are not on our e-mail contact list, please send you e-mail to groundwater@oaiwater.com with SWAGS in the subject box. Following the business meeting, Dan O'Donnell, O'Donnell & Associates, Inc, gave a presentation on the effect of Tropical Storm Ida on groundwater in a shallow aquifer. Dan also introduced COCORAHS (cocorahs.org) the voluntary program to monitor precititation across the USA and how this information can be used in groundwater projects. July 14, 2009 On July 14th, six members of SWAGS attended a field trip to tour PowerSouth's compressed air storage facility in McIntosh, Alabama, see photo below. The tour was directed by Lee Davis, plant manager, and was photo-documented by Ruth Davis, a summer intern. The McIntosh facility is one of two compressed air storage facilities in the world. During off peak electric times air is pumped into a 250+ foot diameter by 1000+ foot long solution mined cavern in the McIntosh salt dome. During times of peak electric demand, the compressed air is released from the cavern turning turbines that generate electric power. SWAGS thanks Lee and Ruth for their time and the opportunity to tour this unique power generating facility.  June 16, 2009-Forensic Geology Applications: "Unearthing" Lies, Culprits and Causes!! Dr. Wayne C. Isphording, Professor Emeritus of Geology, University of South Alabama, will present the subject talk to SWAGS members and all interested visitors to the USA Library Auditorium. The evening starts at 6:30 PM on Tuesday June 16th with a reception during the evening's activities. PDH credit for attendance is available for Alabama registered geologists. November 18, 2008 The November 18th meeting featured a talk by Mr. Patrick B. Bourne entitled "Marine Sediments Collection and Analysis Laboratory". Bourne is employed at the Geotechnical Analysis Division, Naval Oceanographic Office at Stennis Space Center in Mississippi. The presentation illustrated the work of the GAD and how geologists working with other scientists analyze and evaluate sub-sea sediments for a peace and war time purposes. August 19, 2008 The August 19th meeting of SWAGS featured a short presentation by Dan O'Donnell on the work he is involved with and how his petroleum exploration background works well with the groundwater exploration, development and management services his firm OAI provides. Later, Mr. Sam Stutsman, instructor at USA's GIS Center, gave a presentation entitled "Local Availability of GIS Resources for Practing Geoscientists". After the talk, Sam gave a tour of the USA's GIS Center and showed some bebeficial applications readily available GIS data. May 20, 2008-SWAGS/OAI Field Methods Mini-camp (15 slots still available 5/16/08) OAI will host a field methods mini-camp from 5:30 to 8:30 at the Gulf Coast Groundwater Research Center (2768 Barksdale Drive North, Mobile Alabama). The program will include surveying, water level surveying, potentiometric surface map preparation, critique with discussion and a grillout (see below for last year's grill master). The Alabama and Mississippi Boards of Professional Geologist have authorized 3 PDH credits for those attending (please check with other states for their PDH credit policy). Cost for this program is $15 for SWAG/AGS members and $25 for non-SWAGS/AGS members. Registration at the door will be $40. Attendance will be limited to 25, so please complete and send in your registration form with the appropriate fee early to secure your place in this program. Make checks payable to SWAGS.  January 15, 2008-Jim Connors This was a well attended meeting to kick-off the new year. The business meeting focused on how to improve meetings and attendance. A comittee was set up to schedule speakers and it was voted on to increase meetings to every other month. We will work to have a combination of speakers, field activities and will work to coordinate USA Geology field trips with SWAGS piggy backing. With the business handled, Jim went on and gave an informative presentation on the Small Business Innovative Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer grant programs. These two programs work to advance opportunities for small business by working with a research group like that at USA. For additional information, check out www.sbir.gov October 16, 2007-Elections On October 16, 2007 a new slate of officers was elected to govern SWAGS for the coming year. Newly elected officers include: Jim Connors, President, Patrick Hallet, Vice President, Tom Powers, Secretary and Doug Haywick, Treasurer. Please support these new officers by becoming involved in this local geological society. April 17, 2007-David Allison will give a presentation at USA's Life Science Building room 119 after short business meeting begining at 7PM. Social starts at 6:30 PM. PDH/CEU are available for this and all SWAGS meetings. Presentation topic: Constraints on southern Appalachian tectonic evolution generated by recent northern Alabama Piedmont mapping and analysis. January 16, 2007 Speaker/topic: Steve Carey/Caves and Karst of the Gulf Coast Lower Coastal Plain Meeting at USA's Life Sciences Building; Social at 6:30 with meeting at 7 Mr. Steve Carey, an associate professor of biology at the University of Mobile, gave a well received presentation on caves and karst landforms in southwest Alabama. Steve walked us through a presentation that began at the mouth of several caves he has studied and ended in some of the more remote regions of these same caves. Interpersed with the wonderful photography, he relayed stories of cave flora and fauna and local cave lore. Most of the caves are formed in the Vicksburg Group with others found in the Bashi marl within a belt streching from Waynesboro, Mississippi to Marianna, Florida. Steve welcomed questions and their was plenty of "cave" stoies to go around. Steve indicated he would be able to give a presentation at a later date on volcanoes, another favor subject of his. Judging from the quality of his Caves presentation, we'll have him back. Thanks again Steve...dod October 17, 2006-Elections Mr. Ralph Hellmich of the State Oil & Gas Board was our speaker for this evening. Ralp spoke on the Little Cedar Creek Smackover play, the Devonian Tight Shale Play and other topics of interest. Officers for the coming year are: Dan O'Donnell, President; Brent Rogers, Vice President, Tom Powers, Secretary and Doug Haywick, Treasurer. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ AGS's 41st Annual Field Trip Write-up In case you missed the AGS's 2004 field trip, Scott Brande brings it to life in words. Scott's write up of the Alabama Geological Society's 41st Annual Field Trip as orignally published in the AGS's Newsletter (Volume 18, Number 1) can be found here. Special thanks to both Scott and Phillip Henderson Editor of the Newsletter for permission to post the write-up. On behalf of SWAGS, we hope you enjoy it. |