I took this picture at the area where Lilly Branch comes out from underground to daylight near Joe Frank Harris. The main thing that struck me with this picture was the amount of erosion along the bank. The fact that Lilly Branch has been kept out of sight in most areas kept me from knowing it existed for the past year at UGA, even though it is easily visible on my morning walk to class, as I first noticed the next day. The sheer notion astonishes me that the water from our community, that has been hidden from mine and others’ sight for so long, has also made such an impact on the environment over the years to create the erosion we see in the image.
This image prompted me to have more awareness and start to take action in the community. The fact that our campus was built over the stream makes me realize that our community has a lack of awareness, and even care, about where our water goes, and more importantly, where our pollutants end up. Thus, I am excited to learn more about the specifics of such pollution in Athens and make a difference through our semester projects.
