Document Actions
e-River Ties, June 2008
Welcome to the June edition of e-River Ties!
In this issue:
- What's new at the Rivers Alliance?
- Being kind to Mother Earth: Eco-friendly tips for June
- Alabama's rivers in the news for June
- Upcoming Events
- Support the Alabama Rivers Alliance
What's new at the Rivers Alliance?
Rivers Alliance staff assist in species sampling on the Cahaba River
Alabama's first dam removal to save aquatic life was in 2004, when a coalition of conservation groups, landowners, and government agencies removed Marvel Slab, a solid, concrete bridge that acted as a low-head dam, from a section of the Cahaba near the Bibb/Shelby county line. Since the dam removal, a huge population of mussels and snails has begun to thrive downstream. Each year since the removal, biologists and volunteers have come to the site to track the progress of the species' recovery, and the results have been better than anyone expected.
Earlier this month, Paul Freeman of the Nature Conservancy organized a species monitoring at the site. Twenty-seven folks from four states and thirteen different organizations, agencies and universities pitched in to collect, ID and release 41,794 snails and 63 mussels from the site. Among them were Rivers Alliance Watershed Organizer Elizabeth Salter, Development Assistant Katie Shaddix, and Program Intern Mark Adams.
Read the article in the Birmingham News
Rivers Alliance gets intern through Birmingham Southern College's Environmental Studies Department
Mark Adams, a junior at Birmingham Southern College and a biology major, is interning this summer with the Alabama Rivers Alliance as part of a program made possible by Birmingham Southern's Environmental Studies Department.
During his internship with the Rivers Alliance, Mark will be studying nationwide environmental justice policy, assisting in the design of the next pamphlet in the River Protection Essentials series, and creating a historical database of Watershed Support Network correspondence. Mark is an Eagle Scout and is an avid rock climber and backpacker.
Rivers Alliance staff member invited to participate in Al.com's "Green Scene" blog
Being Kind to Mother Earth: Eco Tips for June
10 Ways to save water (and money!) this summer
Even though we've been getting some rain lately, it's important to remember that water is a finite resource, and 80% of Alabama is still in some form of a drought. (You can see which areas are effected at the US Drought Monitor website.) Alabama, Georgia, and Florida are still locked in the Tri-State Water Wars over who gets to use the water in the rivers that flow through all three states, and the exploding populations around Atlanta and Birmingham are only increasing the demands placed on our rivers.
It's as important now as ever to find ways to conserve water, and there are a lot of simple things that you can do around your house and yard that will keep more water in our rivers and more money in your bank account. I've compiled a list of ten of my favorites here and also added a few links to other water and money-saving tips. I hope that you will chime in and share some of your own!
- Grab a wrench and fix that leaky faucet. It’s simple, inexpensive, and can save 140 gallons a week.
- Put food coloring in your toilet tank. If it seeps into the toilet bowl, you have a leak. It’s easy to fix, and you can save more than 600 gallons a month.
- Reduce the amount of grass in your yard by planting drought resistant shrubs, and use rock and granite mulching for ground cover. This attractive method of landscaping, called xeriscaping, also saves you from having to mow!
- Use a rain bucket to irrigate your yard. Make one yourself or purchase one of the variety of styles available from stores like Red Rain (www.RedRainStore.com).
- Turn off the water while you brush your teeth and save 4 gallons a minute. That’s 200 gallons a week for a family of four.
- Install low-flow shower heads and make sure there are aerators on all faucets.
- Use your dishwasher and clothes washer only for full loads.
- When washing dishes by hand, turn water off while rinsing.
- Install low-flow toilets, which use less than half the water of their older counterparts.
- Teach children about the need to conserve water and about ways that they can help. Make it a mission for the whole family!
More water-saving tips are available online at:
www.WaterUseItWisely.com
www.AmericanWater.com
www.EarthEasy.com
Alabama's Rivers in the news for June
Just another wild (cat)fish story
Scuba divers inspecting a nearby dam emerge from the water terrified. In the dark waters below, they had spotted catfish as large as a Volkswagen. They refused to go back into the water for fear they might get swallowed whole. That urban legend dates back to the 1950s. More than half-a-century later, fishery biologists in Alabama say they still hear the giant-catfish-below-a-dam story dozens of times a year. It's not just an Alabama story. A search on the Internet finds the same story told about dams all across the United States. The question, though, is could there really be a catfish in Alabama big enough to eat a human?
What are the biggest threats to Alabama's rivers?
A list of the six biggest threats to Alabama's rivers and what you can do to help.
Aquatic life flourishes in Cahaba with dam gone
Alabama's first dam removal to save aquatic life has succeeded at restoring populations of various species, scientists say. Once a year, biologists sit on the shoals of the Cahaba River 40 miles south of Birmingham, peering through masks or plastic-bottomed buckets to count every snail or mussel within an assigned plot. A concrete dam once used as a bridge by trucks was removed in October 2004. Scientists saw changes immediately, but this year's survey, which will conclude Thursday, has been especially eventful.
Public Views New Plans For Prichard Racetrack
People had a chance Thursday night to look at revised plans for the construction of the Alabama Motorsports Park in Prichard. The park is set to be built on 2400 acres of land off Interstate 65 near Industrial Parkway and Kali-Oka Road. Developers submitted a new plan after the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers found the original one would have changed three miles of Chickasabogue Creek and affected over 170 acres of wetlands. The Corps must issue a permit before the park is built. Former Mobile Mayor Mike Dow is president of the park. He says developers have made a number of changes, including working to stay off wetland areas and reducing the size of the oval track by 30 percent.
Legislative panel working on water policy
A group of Alabama legislators on Monday began preparing to draft a plan to manage and conserve the state's water resources. The Permanent Joint Legislative Committee on Water Policy and Management met at Auburn University in its first meeting since being formed this spring. The committee is made up of seven members each from the House and Senate. Its members at the meeting chose State Sen. Kim Benefield, D-Woodland, chairman and Rep. Greg Canfield, R-Vestavia Hills vice chairman. The pair sponsored the legislation that created the committee. "The drought of the last two years has just really affected our state and I think emphasized the need for a statewide water management plan," Benefield said.
Solution to water woes isn't close
MONTGOMERY — A panel of lawmakers is gathering for the first time today to discuss water issues, but Alabama remains years away from putting in place a comprehensive water management plan, despite nearly three years of drought-like conditions and an ongoing fight with other Southern states over water supplies.
Events
River Revival Bluegrass Festival, September 21, 1-3pm
This year's River Revival Bluegrass Festival promises to be a fun time for the whole family. We will once again return to King's Bend in Cleveland, AL to enjoy wonderful music from Glenn Tolbert, Jennie Leigh Obert, The Oxy Morons, and more!
Wild & Scenic Film Festival, October, day TBA
Stay tuned for more information about the Wild & Scenic Film Festival that will be coming to Birmingham this fall!
Support the Alabama Rivers Alliance
Three different styles of Alabama Rivers Alliance t-shirts now available online!
Click here to check out the designs and order yours today!
Shop to support the Rivers Alliance
We are proud to announce our guide to Eco-friendly, Socially-Conscious retailers. Do you know of a business that you'd like to see included on the list? Email us and let us know.
Did you know that you can support the Rivers Alliance just by purchasing Higher Ground Roaster's delicious River Blend Coffee? Or that 25% of purchases from www.LetsGoGreen.biz will benefit the Rivers Alliance when you travel to the store through the links on our website?
To shop with our fundraising partners and other Eco-friendly, fair trade retailers, click here.
Donate to the Alabama Rivers Alliance
None of the Rivers Alliance's good work would be possible without the support of our members and donors. The Rivers Alliance is now accepting donations online through Paypal for those of you with Paypal accounts and also through www.Groundspring.org. Visit our Donate page to contribute or to renew your membership today!
For more information about current happenings with the Alabama Rivers Alliance, read our print newsletter online in a pdf format by clicking here.
To make a donation in support of Alabama's rivers, click here.
To subscribe to our e-newsletter mailing list, Email Katie Shaddix.
ACTION ALERT: Meeting of Joint Legislative Committee for Water Policy and Management