Alabama, Coosa and Tallapoosa

Citizen Guide
to
Alabama Rivers
Alabama,
Coosa
and
Tallapoosa
Alabama, Coosa and Tallapoosa ❖ 1
THE W
ATER ENVIR
ONMENT
WA
ENVIRONMENT
CONTENTS
About these Guides
3
THE RIVER BASINS
4
LIFE ALONG THE RIVERS
6
SPECIAL PLANTS AND ANIMALS
8
LAND USE IN THE RIVER BASINS
10
BALANCING ECONOMY AND
ENVIR
ONMENT IN THE RIVER B
ASINS
ENVIRONMENT
BASINS
12
WATER POLICY
W AND
POLICY,, LA
LAW
CITIZEN INVOLVEMENT
14
MORE INFO
16
Citizen Guide to Alabama Rivers
Volume 1
Volume 2
Volume 3
Volume 4
Volume 5
Alabama’s rivers, streams and lakes are
priceless in terms of their ecological,
economic and social benefits.
The purpose of these guides is to provide an
introduction to the unique historical and
environmental significance of the rivers of
Alabama and the intimate link between
land use and aquatic ecosystems.
It is hoped that these guides will invite
further investigation into our abundant but
vulnerable water resources, enhance the
dialogue among citizens and key decision
makers, and help citizens move toward
strategies of how to best manage and protect
Alabama’s waters.
Black Warrior and Cahaba
Alabama, Coosa and Tallapoosa
Chattahoochee and Coastal Plain Streams
Tennessee
Escatawpa, Mobile and Tombigbee
This guide was written and produced by the
Alabama Water Watch Program at Auburn University.
Significant contributors and reviewers to the first edition
included Wendi Hartup, Allison Busby and Justin Ellis.
Funding for the production and printing
of this guide was provided, in part, by the
Alabama Department of Environmental Management, the
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Region 4,
and the Alabama Cooperative Extension System.
Biological Monitoring on a tributary of the Tallapoosa River.
Series Editors: Jayme Oates and Bill Deutsch
Contributors: Eric Reutebuch
Reviewers: Christy Bise, Norm Blakey, Scott Hughes and
Sergio Ruiz-Cordova
Cover Photo: Alabama River. Beth Maynor Young
Unlabeled Photos and Graphics: Alabama Water Watch Program
Printed: 2002
Revised and Reprinted: 2004, 2008
2 ❖ Citizen Guide to Alabama Rivers
The Water Environment
The W
orld’
ater Supply
World’
orld’ss W
Water
If all the Earth’s water fit into a one liter container,
❖ 970 mL of the one liter container would
be saltwater.
❖ 30 mL (perfume container)
would be freshwater in the
atmosphere, lakes, rivers, polar
ice caps, and groundwater.
❖ Only 2 drops of the
freshwater would be
in lakes and rivers.
9
Alabama’
ater Resour
ces
Alabama’ss Rich W
Water
Resources
Alabama contains more than 77,000 miles of streams,
3.6 million acres of wetlands and 560,000 acres of
lakes, ponds and reservoirs.
9 Alabama has more miles of navigable rivers
(1,438 miles) than any other state.
9 About 8% of the water in the continental U.S.
originates in or flows through Alabama.
9 The Mobile Basin is the fourth largest watershed in
the conterminous United States (based on annual
mean flow) and is first in number of mussels (175
species), caddisflies (342 species), and crayfish (83
species).
What is a W
atershed?
Watershed?
A watershed is the total land area that drains to a
common point, such as a river, a lake or the ocean.
Watersheds come in many sizes and small
watersheds are contained within larger ones.
Very large watersheds are also called basins. The
Coosa, Tallapoosa, Alabama, Cahaba, Black
Warrior and Tombigbee Basins are all part of the
greater Mobile Basin. We all live in a watershed,
no matter how far we are from a river or lake.
The Hydrologic Cycle, or the Water Cycle, links land,
air, and water within a watershed.
Graphic: http://www.noaa.gov/
Boundaries of
Alabama’s river
basins.
Natur
e’
ater Recycling Pr
ogram
Nature’
e’ss W
Water
Pro
When rain falls to the earth, it sinks into the ground
(infiltration), returns to the air (evaporation and
transpiration) or flows over the land surface (runoff). Surface
runoff carries dissolved and suspended substances, such as
chemicals and sediment. Land use activities in a watershed
directly affect both water quality and quantity. Water is never
created, it only recycles.
Alabama, Coosa and Tallapoosa ❖ 3
The River Basins
The Coosa River (in blue)
begins in Rome, GA,
where the Oostanaula and
Etowah rivers converge. The rivers within the Coosa Basin flow
through 37 counties (2 TN, 20 GA, and 15 AL). Its mainstem is
286 miles long and 53% of its 10,160 square-mile watershed is in
Alabama.
The Tallapoosa River (in green) begins in northwest
Georgia and flows through 16 counties (4 GA and 12 AL). Its
mainstem is 258 miles long and 85% of its 4,680 squaremile watershed is in Alabama.
The Alabama River (in red) is formed by the joining
of the Coosa and Tallapoosa rivers at Wetumpka.
It flows through 18 counties before joining
the Tombigbee River to form the Mobile
River. Its mainstem is 314 miles long
and 100% of its 6,110 square-mile
watershed is in Alabama.
2 Only a small portion of the
Chattahoochee National Forest
lies within the Coosa Basin
Basin.
The entire forest spreads across
18 counties in north Georgia,
covering about 750,000 acres.
Numbers on the map correspond
to those in box
es.
boxes.
4 ❖ Citizen Guide to Alabama Rivers
Almost the entire length of the
Coosa River is impounded
with the following nine dams:
1 Carters Dam, GA
3 Allatoona Dam, GA
5 Weiss Dam
6 H. Neely Henry Dam
8 Logan Martin Dam
10 Lay Dam
12 Mitchell Dam
13 Jordan Dam
14 Walter Bouldin Dam
There are 18
dams in the Alabama,
Coosa and Tallapoosa
basins (ACT Basin), which
form 16 major reservoirs and
create more than 170,000
surface acres of water... more
than the Basins’ urban areas
combined. These rivers changed
dramatically with construction of
dams that were begun in the late 1800s
for navigation, irrigation, flood control,
and hydroelectric power generation.
Dam construction brought electricity
to thousands of Alabamians, but also
turned hundreds of miles of rushing
water into acres of elongated reservoirs.
4 Little River, a tributary to the Coosa Riv
er
River
er,
is Alabama’s first designated Outstanding
National Resource Water. Most of the river
is in the Little River Canyon National
Preserve, which covers 14,000 acres. This
area forms one of the deepest gorges east
of the Mississippi.
5 Weiss Lake is known
by fishermen as “The
Crappie Capital of the
World,” because of its
outstanding fishery.
1 1 The Coosa Wildlife
Management Area is one of
35 refuges made available by
the
Department
of
Conservation and Natural
Resources. The 37,291 acres
are ideal for hunting, hiking,
and camping.
7 The Talladega National Forest is the
largest block of public lands within the
ACT Basin and contains Dugger
Mountain Wilderness, a newly
designated preserve harboring many
unique ecological features. Nearby,
Mt. Cheaha is Alabama’s highest peak
at 2,407 ft.
15 When Lake Martin was created in
1926, it was the world’s largest
reservoir. Today it accounts for 31%
of the water storage volume for the
entire ACT Basin. Camp ASCCA is
located on 230 acres of Lake Martin
waterfront and is the world’s largest
recreational and educational facility
for people with disabilities.
COOSA RIVER. PHOTO: BETH MAYNOR YOUNG
17 The Benjamin Fitzpatrick Bridge is one of the world’s
longest curved bridges. It spans 1,738 ft. and lies 143 ft.
er near Thurlow Dam at Tallassee.
above the Tallapoosa Riv
River
18 Tuskegee National Forest is
the smallest in the U.S., with
11,000 acres. Prior to the federal
government’s acquisition, the
area was one of the most abused,
eroded wastelands in Alabama
with 80% cut-over land.
19 William Bartram, on first seeing the confluence
of the Coosa and Tallapoosa in 1775 exclaimed,
“This is perhaps one of the most eligible situations
for a city in the world.” Montgomery was later built
just a few miles south and became a true river town,
er
resting on a great bend of the Alabama Riv
River
er.
TALLAPOOSA RIVER. PHOTO: BETH MAYNOR YOUNG
Falling water, unlike any of the other generous
gifts of nature, has a quality peculiar to itself,
in that, when it is not being used it is wasted.
W. P. Lay, Founder, Alabama Power Co.
River Problems of Alabama, May 1915
20 Prattville is known
as “The Fountain
City” because of its
many overflowing
artesian wells.
The Alabama River has
three U.S. Army Corps of
Engineers dams:
21 Robert F. Henry Dam
22 Millers Ferry Dam
24 Claiborne Dam
ALAB
AMA RIVER
ALABAMA
RIVER.. PHOTO: BETH MAYNOR YOUNG
River
The Tallapoosa Riv
er
has four dams:
9 R. L. Harris Dam
15 Martin Dam
16 Yates Dam
17 Thurlow Dam
23 The River Heritage Museum
in Franklin (Monroe County)
transports visitors to 60 million
years ago when this area was
underwater. It showcases a large
collection of world renowned
fossils, like the large turritella
shells, as well as Native American
artifacts.
Alabama, Coosa and Tallapoosa ❖ 5
Life Along the Rivers
Native Culture
Native Americans inhabited the
ACT Basin for thousands of years
prior to European colonization.
The Alabama, Coosa and
Tallapoosa rivers each have names
derived from Native American
culture. The indigenous groups of
the ACT Basin were collectively
called the Upper Creeks. In
colonial times, there were thirty
major Upper Creek towns and
scores of smaller villages.
THE EIGHT T
OWNS OF THE T
ALLAPOOSA INDIANS, 1798. The Creeks were agriculturists
TOWNS
TALLAPOOSA
and their communal cornfields stretched for miles along the banks of rivers to take
advantage of the rich alluvial soil. PHOTO: GREGORY WASELKOV AND UA PRESS
Indian life dramatically changed after contact with
white explorers and settlers. Historically, the Creek
people established a trade alliance with the British
colonies and the rivers served as the primary means of
transporting goods. The exchange of processed
deerskins for guns, cloth, ornaments and metal farming
tools brought wealth and power to the Creeks,
transforming their economy and social structure.
TALLAPOOSA RIVER. PHOTO: ALABAMA POWER ARCHIVE
6 ❖ Citizen Guide to Alabama Rivers
Eur
opean Settlement
European
In the early 1700s, French settlers to the ACT Basin
considered the confluence of the Coosa and Tallapoosa
rivers to be the “key to the country.” In 1775, the English
explorer and naturalist, William Bartram, proclaimed the
bluffs above the Coosa and Tallapoosa conjunction as an
ideal city.
The Battle at Horseshoe Bend
Conflict between settlers and Native Americans
came to a head in the Creek War of 1813-1814.
General Andrew Jackson, accompanied by a group
of Tennessee militia, other soldiers and Indians
attacked Chief Menawa and Red Stick warriors in
the “horseshoe” bend of the Tallapoosa River.
General Jackson’s forces destroyed the Creeks,
leaving an estimated 800 dead. As one American
observer noted after the battle, “the Tallapoosa
might truly be called the river of blood.”
Subsequent to the defeat of the Creeks by the U.S.
Army, the Indians relinquished nearly 20 million
acres in what is now Alabama and Georgia.
Horseshoe Bend National Military Park, created
in 1959, preserves a 2,040-acre site of the Battle at
Horseshoe Bend.
Cotton and River Commerce
As settlement began in earnest, the fertile valleys of
these river basins set the stage for Alabama’s economic
boom. Cotton was the lifeblood of early Alabama
and the Alabama River was its major artery.
Originally goods primarily traveled in one direction,
downstream. But with the arrival of the steamboat
in 1821, commerce flourished upstream and down.
Virtually all of Alabama’s major towns were located
along rivers where logs were floated and steamboats
were loaded with both cotton and passengers. The
early cotton mills were located near waterfalls and
rapids which served as the power source for water
wheels. Mills were especially concentrated along the
Fall Line (prehistoric seashore) of the lower Coosa
and Tallapoosa rivers.
This Coosa River
steamboat became part of the inspiration for cartoonist Tom Sim’s
drawings in the comic strip, “Popeye the Sailorman.”
THE ANNIE M., LA
TER RENAMED THE LEO
TA.
LATER
LEOT
STEAMBOAT PHOTO: ALABAMA POWER ARCHIVE
At the height of the steamboat era, there were more than 200 landings along the Alabama River. The landings served
as social centers and places to load cotton, fat pine fuel, and river travelers. The Tallapoosa River was too shallow and
narrow for steamboats, so upriver trade was relegated to flatboats. Historians often refer to this period as the Golden
Age of Alabama, and to the recreational steamboats as “Floating Palaces.” This era ended with the proliferation of
railroads, a decade after the Civil War, and life along the rivers has never returned to its former splendor.
William and Cummins Lay
William Patrick Lay, the founder of Alabama Power
Company, grew up on the Coosa and envisioned a
river harnessed for the benefits of power production
and barge transport. During the Civil War his father,
Cummins Lay, was the only steamboat captain to
successfully run a steamboat down, then back up the
Devil’s Staircase rapids, saving his boat from the Union
troops. The Devil’s Staircase, now flooded under the
waters of Lake Jordan, was never photographed.
LO
ADING CO
TT
ON ON THE ALAB
AMA RIVER,1857.
LOADING
COTT
TTON
ALABAMA
GRAPHIC: W.S. HOOLE SPECIAL COLLECTIONS LIBRARY, UNIVERSITY OF ALABAMA
Native Sons and Daughters
Famous folks from the Alabama, Coosa, and Tallapoosa Basins include:
❖ Alabama (Ft. Payne) - nationally known country band, Mountain Music
❖ Hugo L. Black (Ashland) - Associate Supreme Court Justice
❖ Nat “King” Cole (Montgomery) - entertainer, 1985 Lifework Award for Performing Achievement
❖ Freddie Hart (Loachapoka) - songwriter, two Grammy Awards for Easy Loving
❖ Dr. Percy LaVon Julian (Montgomery) - world renowned chemist, synthesized cortisone
❖ Nelle Harper Lee (Monroeville) - Pulitzer prize author, To Kill a Mockingbird
❖ Jim Nabors (Sylacauga) - singer, actor, “Gomer Pyle”
❖ Rosa Louise Parks (Tuskegee) - Civil Rights activist, 1996 Medal of Freedom
❖ Lionel Ritchie and the Commodores (Tuskegee) - Internationally known pop group, Brick House
Alabama, Coosa and Tallapoosa ❖ 7
Special Plants a
Alabama ranks in the top ten in the nation for the most types of na
Nature Conservancy of Alabama, there are over 4,000 species of pla
350 species of freshwater mollusks (snails and mussels) in Alabama.
more threatened or endangered species than any state except Hawai
The ACT Basin is acknowledged as one of the most
biologically diverse and threatened river basins in
the nation. It harbors a high number of federally
protected species including 10 fishes, 10 mussels
and 3 snails. There are dozens of other species that
are considered at-risk.
ALABAMA CANEBRAKE
PITCHER PLANT
PLANT,, Sarracenia rubra
(above). Found only in the Alabama
Basin
eophila (right).
Basin. GREEN PITCHER PLANT
PLANT,, Sarracenia or
oreophila
Basin.. PHOTOS: MALCOLM PIERSON
Found only in the Coosa Basin
Two of Alabama’s endangered plants, the Alabama Canebrake
pitcher plant (in Autauga, Chilton and Elmore counties) and
the Green pitcher plant (in Cherokee, DeKalb, Etowah,
Jackson and Marshall counties) grow on the moist soil of boggy
areas, streambanks and seeps. To survive and grow, pitcher plants
need periodic fire to maintain an open, sunny habitat.
The
Coosa River harbors 45 species of mussels,
making it one of the richest mussel habitats in
the world. PHOTO: MALCOLM PIERSON
COOSA RIVER ASSORTED MUSSELS.
For eons, Striped bass (Morone saxatilis) and Gulf
sturgeon (Acipenser oxyrinchus desotoi) made spring
migrations from the Gulf of Mexico to the falls at
Tallassee (Tallapoosa River, Elmore County). Called
anadromous fish, they inhabit coastal waters during
most of the year but return to freshwater to spawn.
The dams on the Alabama River now block
migrations of these and other fishes.
PYGMY SCULPIN, Cottus paulus.
A small (up to
“Bubba,” was locat
from 1999 until 200
Fortunately, in 2007
Alabama River
(Alabama
River, Cla
the Geological Survey
4.5 cm), bottom-dwelling fish.
PHOTO: CAROL JOHNSTON
The threatened Pygmy sculpin only occurs in
Coldwater Spring (Calhoun County) in the Coosa
Basin. The fish’s colors blend perfectly with the gravel
on the spring bottom. The spring is protected to
conserve this special fish and because it is the primary
drinking water supply for the city of Anniston.
PHOTO: CATHERINE NORDF
TALLAPOOSA D
AR
TER, Etheostoma tallapoosae.
DAR
ARTER,
A rare fish found only in the Tallapoosa Basin
Basin.
PHOTO: MALCOLM PIERSON
8 ❖ Citizen Guide to Alabama Rivers
ALABAMA STURGEO
nts and Animals
ALLIGA
TO R S N A P P I N G
AT
Macrochelys
TURTLE,
temminckii. Can reach up to
e most types of native plants and animals. According to The
000 species of plants, 850 species of vertebrates and nearly
ssels) in Alabama. In spite of high biodiversity, Alabama has
state except Hawaii.
200 lbs (largest freshwater
turtle) and has a unique, lurelike structure on its tongue.
PHOTO: GARY STOLZ
TULO
TO M A
SNAIL,
OT
Tulotoma magnifica . An
BLA
CK-KNOBBED SA
WB
AC K ,
AC
AW
BA
Graptemys nigrinoda. Found below
endangered snail known to
occur only in a small portion
of the Coosa Basin
Basin.
the Fall Line in Alabama and
northeastern Mississippi.
PHOTO: MALCOLM PIERSON
The fact that these rivers now are ‘elongated
lakes’ with little if any of a once-abundant biota
should be a constant reminder to us all of the
price paid for ‘civilization.’
Douglas E. Jones
Former Director, Alabama Museum of Natural History
PHOTO: MALCOLM PIERSON
ABAMA STURGEON, Scaphirhynchus suttkusi. The last Alabama sturgeon in captivity,
A
perennial herb that grows near forest edges, creeks and
ditches and is found only in the Coosa Basin
(Cherokee and St. Clair Counties).
ALAB
AMA LEA
THER FLOWER, Clematis socialis.
ALABAMA
LEATHER
PHOTO: MALCOLM PIERSON
ubba,” was located at the Marion Fish Hatchery (Alabama
River, Perry County)
Alabama River
m 1999 until 2003. Unfortunately, a mate could not be found before he died.
The T
rav
els of William Bartram
Trav
ravels
rtunately, in 2007 another male sturgeon was found near Claiborne Lock and Dam In the 1770s, the King of England commissioned the
abama River
River, Clarke County), tagged with a sonic locator, and has been tracked by naturalist and explorer, William Bartram, to study local
Geological Survey of Alabama ever since.
culture and collect plants and animals in the Southeast
TO: CATHERINE NORDFELT
U.S. His journal, Travels, documents a wild and pristine
land, including a “magnificent forest” and a litter of red
Only four Alabama sturgeon have been captured since
wolves, now eliminated from Alabama. An 8.5 mile
1993, all from the Alabama River. They are nearly
trail in the Tuskegee National Forest (Tallapoosa Basin)
extinct because of past overfishing, dam construction
marks part of Bartram’s travels.
and ongoing, human-caused habitat loss.
Alabama, Coosa and Tallapoosa ❖ 9
Land Use in the River Basins
The water quality and quantity of the ACT
Basin are influenced by a variety of urban and
rural land uses. The landuse maps on these pages
were generated from 1992-93 satellite images.
River basins are outlined in white. The orange
line represents the Fall Line, which is the border
between the Piedmont (foothills) and Coastal
Plain of Alabama. Virtually all of the Alabama
Basin is in the Coastal Plain, whereas much of
the Coosa Basin flows through the Valley and
Ridge Province and the Tallapoosa Basin is in
the Piedmont.
FORESTS cover three quarters of the ACT
Basin (15,400 sq. miles), which filter and purify
water, conserve soil, and enhance wildlife. The
most abundant native vegetative community in
the ACT Basin is the oak-hickory-pine forest.
Land Use Percentages
Alabama Coosa Tallapoosa
Forest
63
79
76
Agriculture
21
15
15
Urban/Suburban
1
2
1
Clearcut/Barren
2
2
1
Wetland
11
1
4
Water/Lakes
1
2
2
Quarry/Mining
<1
<1
<1
In the early 1920s, thousands of acres of virgin long leaf pine trees were harvested along the proposed shoreline of the
Lake Martin reservoir. Timber not used to build a camp at Cherokee Bluffs was lashed together and piled on cleared
land below the proposed waterline. Hundreds of these trees lay perfectly preserved in the lake today.
Alabama Basin
AGRICULTURE is still an important factor in the economy
of the basins, making up about 17% (3,500 sq. miles) of
the land use. In the Alabama Basin corn, hay, peanuts,
potatoes, and soybeans are the principal crops, and
livestock, poultry production and dairying are
increasing in importance. In the Tallapoosa
Basin, agriculture is primarily restricted to
poultry and livestock operations. Carroll
County, GA, ranks in the top ten counties
nationally for cattle and broiler chicken
production.
URBAN/SUBURBAN areas make up a small percentage in the
ACT Basin, however, nearly three million people live in its cities and suburbs.
Urban centers impact water quality by such things as stormwater runoff and soil
erosion from construction sites. By decreasing tree cover to make room for homes
and paved roads (impermeable surfaces), flooding often increases.
10 ❖ Citizen Guide to Alabama Rivers
Urban centers also have demanding water needs. For example,
the Atlanta metropolitan area is one of the fastest growing urban
areas in America and greatly affects the upper Coosa and
Tallapoosa basins. For almost a decade, Alabama, Georgia, and
Florida have been negotiating a water resource allocation plan,
because of Atlanta’s increasing demand for additional water
sources. Future flows within the ACT Basin will be vital to the
health and prosperity of residents within these states. Water
quantity and allocation has become a critical and contentious
issue.
GULF STURGEON WEIGHING HUNDREDS OF POUNDS
WERE FISHED FR
OM THE A
CT B
ASIN.
FROM
ACT
BASIN.
PHOTO: ALABAMA POWER ARCHIVE
TN
AL GA
Coosa Basin
WETLANDS cover a significant portion of the southeastern
United States and support a diverse population
of plants and animals. They receive
stream overflow from floodwaters,
which helps to reduce erosion
and creates habitat for fishes,
amphibians and other
animals. They are
also valued as
sources of carbon
for the stream
environment, for
filtering runoff
that enters the
groundwater, and
for recycling nutrients.
Wetlands are abundant in
the ACT Basin below the Fall
Line, where the rivers widen and
meander. These wetlands consist primarily of
bottomland hardwood forests with many types
of vegetation such as oak,
gum, and cypress trees.
Tallapoosa Basin
QUARRY/MINING occur in less than 1% of the
Basin, however, their potential impacts on streams and
groundwater could be significant. Impacts may include
acid drainage, sink holes, metal contamination, increased
turbidity and low dissolved oxygen. There are many raw
materials sought after in the Basin including gravel,
limestone, platinum, gold, granite, coalbed methane, and
oil. For example, a large marble formation extends northeast
from the bank of the Coosa River in Talladega County for
about 60 miles, creating the Marble Valley.
Alabama, Coosa and Tallapoosa ❖ 11
Balancing Economy and Environment
in the River Basins
Abundant water, timber, rich soils, minerals, and other natural resources have been important for boosting Alabama’s
economy, creating jobs and providing necessary products for all of us. The way these natural resources are extracted,
managed and used can cause environmental problems that negatively affect human health and our quality of life. More
than half of these problems come from nonpoint source pollution that enters streams from broad areas of both urban and
rural portions of a watershed. Possible problems may include...
Agriculture
❖ Excess nutrients and bacteria from animal wastes, including wastes
from CAFOs (Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations)
❖ Runoff of pesticides, fertilizers, and other chemicals from cropland
and pastures
Nitrogen and phosphorus are essential
nutrients for plant and animal growth,
but excessive amounts in waterbodies
can stimulate algal blooms and aquatic
weeds. These blooms and subsequent
die-offs of plants can impair water
suitability for uses including drinking,
swimming and fishing.
Over the last few
decades in Alabama, conversion of rowcrop
agriculture to pasture has reduced soil erosion
and pesticide runoff to streams. PHOTO: www.aces.edu
ALAB
AMA PPASTURE.
ASTURE.
ALABAMA
POUL
TRY CAFO. PHOTO: LARRY RANA
POULTRY
9
Dams
❖ Changes to natural river flow patterns and levels
❖ Drastic changes in water temperature and oxygen in streams
from dam releases
❖ Alteration to wetland habitats
❖ Extinction of animals dependent on flowing water
Many dams in Alabama are under consideration for relicensing, which
could modify how they are managed for power generation and
environmental protection.
3
TALLASSEE D
AM CREA
TES YYA
ATES RESERV
OIR
DAM
CREATES
RESERVOIR
ON THE TALLAPOOSA RIVER
RIVER..
Forestry Practices
❖ Erosion from improper logging practices
❖ Damage to vulnerable headwater
stream ecosystems
Erosion and sedimentation have been a problem in Alabama
as far back as colonial settlement. In the 1930s, the Soil
Conservation Service, now called the Natural Resources
Conservation Service (NRCS), was formed to address
erosion problems and other land use issues.
12 ❖ Citizen Guide to Alabama Rivers
SOIL ER
OSION AND STREAM SEDIMENT
ATION FOLLOWING
EROSION
SEDIMENTA
A FOREST CLEARCUT
CLEARCUT.. PHOTOS: RUSSELL WRIGHT
Industrial Dischar
Dischargge
❖ Toxic chemicals
❖ Heavy metals
❖ Thermal pollution
Fish consumption advisories exist for
considerable portions of the Coosa River
and tributaries due to PCBs
(polychlorinated biphenyls) that polluted
the streams 20-50 years ago.
As paved and hard surfaces sprawl
across the watersheds, less open space
is left for water to soak down and
filter through to the groundwater or
springs that feed the river.
Randy Chafin
Birmingham Water Works
Quarry/Mining
❖ Soil erosion and stream
turbidity
❖ Toxic metal and acid
runoff
❖ Altered water tables and
spring flows
AN INDUSTRY PIPE IS A
POINT SOURCE DISCHARGE.
The increase in quarries
and mines within the
ACT
Basin
have
prompted citizens to call
for policy reforms to
protect the environment
and their quality of life.
A Q
UARRY ALONG CHEW
ACLA CREEK IN THE
QUARRY
CHEWA
TALLAPOOSA B
ASIN
BASIN
ASIN.. PHOTO: MARY LOU SMITH
%
Urban/Suburban/ Rural Development
❖ Reduced infiltration of water to soil, inhibiting groundwater recharge
because of impervious surfaces
❖ Untreated runoff from paved areas and lawns, including pet wastes,
entering storm drains that flow directly to streams
❖ Pathogen contamination from inadequate and
failing septic systems
BMPs CAN DRAMA
TICALL
Y
DRAMATICALL
TICALLY
REDUCE ER
OSION AND
EROSION
STREAM SEDIMENT
ATION.
SEDIMENTA
INADEQ
UA
TE BMPs CONTRIB
UTE
INADEQUA
UATE
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PHOTO: MICHAEL MULLEN
Solutions to many environmental problems are achieved through Best
Management Practices (BMPs), education, good planning, and
enforcement. Specific BMPs for each land use activity may be obtained
from the NRCS, Office of Surface Mining, Alabama Forestry Commision,
Alabama Cooperative Extension System or ADEM.
Alabama, Coosa and Tallapoosa ❖ 13
Water Policy, Law and Citizen
Involvement
Many federal, state and local agencies implement rules and regulations designed to protect,restore, and maintain water
quality. Virtually all water quality protection laws in Alabama stem from the federal Clean Water Act, passed by the U.S.
Congress in 1972. Since that time, the quality of our nation’s waters has improved dramatically with cooperative efforts of
federal, state, tribal and local governments and the general public. Much cleanup work remains to be done, however.
The Clean Water Act is subdivided into many sections that
influence Alabama’s water. Three of the main sections are:
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14 ❖ Citizen Guide to Alabama Rivers
Partnerships of local citizens, landowners, business, industry and governmental agencies have a high potential
for restoring degraded habitats and protecting water quality.
Citizens can do much to protect their watershed by:
❖
❖
❖
❖
Becoming aware of key water issues
Becoming part of a citizen group
Engaging in public outreach and education
Being the “eyes and ears” for environmental
changes and pollution
❖ Advocating policy changes and enforcement
Many water-related citizen groups have formed within the Alabama
Alabama,
Coosa, and Tallapoosa Basins. Several monitor water quality as
Coosa
Alabama Water Watch volunteers (marked with* ). Although citizen
groups come and go, most groups listed here have existed for
several years and have significantly improved environmental
education and protection.
ALABAMA
Bridge Creek Scouts*
Camp Creek Water Watcher*
Tri-River Region Water Watch*
Rambranch Creek Organization
COOSA
Alabama Rivers Alliance
Coalition for the Preservation of Hatchet Creek
Concerned Citizens for a Better Environment
Coosa River Basin Initiative*
Fort Payne High School Junior Team*
Friends of Big Canoe Creek
Friends of Choccolocco Creek*
Friends of Kelly Creek
Friends of Little River
Friends of Terrapin Creek
❖ Practicing neighbor-to-neighbor persuasion
to reduce pollution
❖ Participating in watershed-based protection
plans, including the TMDL process
The Alabama Clean Water Partnership was created in 2000
to coordinate stakeholders for the restoration and
protection of river basins in accordance with the Clean
Water Act. Resulting Watershed Management Plans will
represent the diverse interests of all stakeholders. Citizens
may contact ACWP or ADEM to get involved in the:
Alabama Riv
er Basin Clean W
ater Partnership
River
Water
Coosa Riv
er Basin Clean W
ater Partnership
River
Water
Tallapoosa Riv
er Basin Clean W
ater Partnership
River
Water
Gadsden Area Water Watch*
Gadsden Water Works*
Georgia Adopt-A-Stream
Hatchet Creek Watershed Association
H Neely Henry Lake Association*
Ida Station Peckerwood Creek Association
Lake Jordan HOBO*
Lake Mitchell HOBO*
Lay Lake HOBO*
Logan Martin Lake Protection Association*
Plainview Sixth Grade*
SOULS Water Watch*
Spring Creek Conservation Association
Tri-River Region*
Valley Head School*
Weiss Lake Improvement Association
TALLAPOOSA
Auburn Outing Club*
Chewacla Water Watch*
Coast Guard Auxiliary/Montgomery*
East Central Alabama Alliance for
Quality Living
Environmental Awareness Organization*
Friends of Chewacla-Uphapee
Watershed*
Friends of Hodnett Creek*
Gran-Knights of the Waterhole*
Jake & Donny Water Watch*
Lake Watch of Lake Martin*
Lake Wedowee Property Owners Assoc.*
Save Our Saugahatchee*
Tallapoosa River Watch
Tri-River Region Water Watch*
Upper Tallapoosa Watershed Group
Perhaps the most important ingredient in
the recipe for a cleaner, healthier,
economically viable body of water is an
aware, active organization of citizens.
Jerry Brown
founding President, Coosa River Basin Initiative
TALLAPOOSA RIVER
RIVER.. PHOTO: BETH MAYNOR YOUNG
Alabama, Coosa and Tallapoosa ❖ 15
More Info
For further information about Alabama’
aterw
ays or how
Alabama’ss w
waterw
aterways
to gget
et inv
olv
ed in pr
otecting your w
atershed, contact:
involv
olved
protecting
watershed,
Alabama Clean Water Partnership
www.cleanwaterpartnership.org
205-266-6285
Alabama Department of Environmental Management
334-271-7700
adem.alabama.gov
Alabama Cooperative Extension System
334-844-4444
www.aces.edu
Alabama Department of Agriculture and Industries
334-240-7100
www.agi.alabama.gov
Alabama Department of Conservation and
Natural Resources
www.outdooralabama.com
334-242-3486
Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs
334-242-5591
www.adeca.alabama.gov
Alabama Department of Industrial Relations
334-242-8990
www.dir.alabama.gov
Alabama Forestry Association
334-265-8733
www.alaforestry.org
Alabama Soil and Water Conservation Committee
334-242-2622
www.swcc.alabama.gov
Alabama Surface Mining Commission
205-221-4130
www.surface-mining.alabama.gov
Alabama Water Watch
888-844-4785
www.alabamawaterwatch.org
Ala-Tom Resource Conservation and Development Council
334-275-3186
Coosa Valley Resource Conservation and Development Council
256-835-0685
Geological Survey of Alabama
205-349-2852
www.gsa.alabama.gov
Legacy, Inc.
800-240-5115
www.legacyenved.org
Mid South Resource Conservation and Development Council
334-244-6903
16 ❖ Citizen Guide to Alabama Rivers
In 1819, when Alabama entered the Union, its
leaders designed a great seal that featured the
state’s waterways. In adopting this symbol they
affirmed their belief that the future of Alabama
lay with its rivers. It did, and it still does.
Harvey Jackson, III
Rivers of History
National Agricultural Library Water Quality Information Center
www.nal.usda.gov/wqic
301-504-5755
The Natural Heritage Program
334-834-4519
www.natureserve.org/nhp/us/al
Natural Resources Conservation Service
334-887-4552
www.al.nrcs.usda.gov
The Nature Conservancy of Alabama
205-251-1155
http://nature.org
Office of Surface Mining
205-290-7282
www.osmre.gov/osm.htm
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers - Mobile District
251-690-2505
www.sam.usace.army.mil
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (Region 4)
202-272-0167
www.epa.gov
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
251-441-5181
http://daphne.fws.gov
U.S. Geological Survey
888-275-8747
www.usgs.gov
The Water Course (Alabama Power Company)
800-280-4442