Fay Augustyn
Conservation Associate
Department: Conservation
Area of Focus: Fay provides support to conservation staff, specifically working on coordinating our climate change work to protect and restore America's rivers. Healthy rivers boost community safety and security and build resilience in the face of a changing climate.
Background: Fay joined American Rivers in 2010. Prior to that she interned with Wisconsin State Representative Cory Mason, and was the Economic Research Assistant for Clean Wisconsin's water program.
Education: B.S. in Agriculture and Applied Economics and Environmental Studies from University of Wisconsin-Madison.
Favorite River: Kickapoo River
Blog Posts By This Author
April Showers Bring May...
May 10, 2013 | Climate Change, Floods & Floodplains, Water Supply
Who doesn’t remember the little saying from our childhood, “April showers bring May flowers?” I sure do, but I’m not so sure that the next generation will. My spring memories are full of raincoats and galoshes followed by walking barefoot through flowerbeds full of blooming peonies, irises and roses. This spring however, had a less traditional weather path, with April and May chalk full of blizzards, floods, wildfires, and drought.
Read more »Growing Algal Blooms Pose Public Health Risks
May 9, 2013 | Climate Change, Water Supply
As we all learned in school, the Great Lakes are an immense source of freshwater. In fact, they are the largest system of freshwater lakes in the entire world and contain nearly one-fifth of the fresh surface water found on earth. They provide drinking water to more than 40 million people, cover an area nearly the size of Oregon, and contain a wide variety of habitats, including wetlands, dunes, and forests, which are home to thousands of plant and animal species.
Read more »Cities and States Are Staying Afloat by Preparing for Rising Seas
May 2, 2013 | Climate Change, Floods & Floodplains
After what seems like a never-ending winter, there are many things that I’m looking forward to about the approach of summer: sunshine, warm weather, outdoor patio dining, and beach vacations. But for the millions of people who live along the Gulf and Atlantic coasts, summer also marks the beginning of hurricane season. Last year, Superstorm Sandy slammed into the northeastern seaboard, destroying lives, homes, and businesses and in the process racking up $50 billion in damage.
Read more »Floods, Droughts and Agriculture
April 29, 2013 | Climate Change, Water Supply
Agriculture is part of the bedrock of American life. It provides food for our tables, jobs for our citizens, and it supports a significant chunk of our economy. U.S. agricultural exports alone generate more than $100 billion annually in business activity in the U.S., and provide jobs for nearly one million workers.
Read more »As Flooding Risks Rise, Communities Can Take Steps to Prepare
April 24, 2013 | Floods & Floodplains, Climate Change
Across much of the Midwest, rising waters and flash flooding are threatening public safety, homes and businesses, farmland, and commerce and transportation. Torrential rains late last week sent many rivers over the tops of their banks in Michigan, Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, and Missouri. In Illinois alone, 44 counties have been declared state disaster areas. As towns begin to clean up the debris and damage, the threat of more rain could pose additional flooding risks and as floodwaters make their way downstream, other communities could be in jeopardy.
Read more »