Dirt released from poor construction practices, dredging, and urbanization chokes our vital seagrasses and destroys marine life habitat.
What we do to resolve this issue:
(pulled from Impact 100 Oyster Grant)
As the reefs grow and age, they lock down sediment and soil around them, creating a continuously expanding, bunker-like feature that deflects destructive storm wave energy. As bulkheads and seawalls have been shown to expensively degrade over time and cannot adapt to change like a living reef, oysters provide a cheaper, more durable, natural alternative with stronger resistance to wave energy and better soil retention than their artificial counterparts. With an increase in the area protected by oyster reefs in the Bay, coastal communities in Baldwin County will benefit from enhanced protection against erosion, storm damage, and rising water levels. This will safeguard waterfront homes, infrastructure, and public spaces, creating a sense of security and peace of mind for the residents as storm season returns each year.
We identify issues with construction stormwater practices by reviewing permits and monitoring sites. When we observe documented issues or note problems with sites through our inspections, we first reach out to the contractor. It is always our goal to collaborate for solutions. If developers respond to our reports, we support them in resolving the problem.
If the contractor ignores the problem, we reach out to the Alabama Department of Environmental Management to ensure the polluter is held accountable.
On the policy level we work to ensure strong support for stormwater infrastructure improvements. We advocate to have codes and ordinances developed or amended to require these infrastructure improvements and improve water quality through the use of Low Impact Development (LID), green infrastructure techniques, and other relevant means.
In June 2014, the Alabama State Port Authority (the Port) submitted a request to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (the Corps) to consider dredging the Mobile Harbor Ship Channel. This project would deepen and widen the Channel to allow larger ships to pass through more quickly.
The Corps and and the Port have published a Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (SEIS) to understand the environmental impact of the project. The SEIS determines the current status of the environment and compares it with the environmental impacts that the project would cause, along with possible alternatives. Its purpose is to help the Corps and the Port determine how to mitigate any damages caused by the dredging.
Unfortunately, the study concludes there will be “no impacts” from this immense development.
After speaking with local experts and community members, and doing our own research, we at Mobile Baykeeper believe the Corps and the Port are underestimating the project’s impacts to our natural resources. The dredging will in fact significantly affect Mobile Bay, surrounding communities, property values, and economies that depend on clean water, such as fishing and tourism.
Deepening and widening the ship channel would impact our water quality, shorelines, wetlands, seagrasses, air quality, and commercial and recreational fish and shellfish. Changing the hydrology of the bay would extend saltwater boundaries, which means freshwater wetlands could die. The increased salinity would impact oysters, fish, and more. With larger ships comes a deeper draft, which increases shoreline erosion. It also sucks oyster larvae into the system and flushes them out. Larger and more frequent passing ships would decrease our air quality, particularly in low-income communities, due to truck traffic. Dredging itself negatively affects water quality, resulting in fish kills and muddier water, which kills seagrasses and the marine life that depends on them. The disposal of dredge material can also damage locations where it is dumped.
We understand the economic value of the Port to Alabama. Performing comprehensive studies and developing a plan for port expansion that also considers the value of the tourism industry, fisheries, and our quality of life will ensure we grow responsibly.
Mobile Baykeeper has been providing recommendations and expressing concerns from our research and conversations with our members and experts.
A developer wants to fill 86.9 acres of wetlands next to Rabbit Creek in the Dog River Watershed. This would be devastating for Rabbit Creek, and the Dog River watershed as a whole. This wetland swath is one of the largest intact wetlands remaining in the Dog River watershed and is important to the health of the watershed.
