A little dirt does hurt…

A large number of our citizen complaints lately have come from concerned folks living next to areas that are being developed.

Folks tend to think, “So what? it’s just a little dirt!” At construction sites dirt is carried away by rainwater and into the nearest stormwater ditch or stream. That dirt muddies the water which harms wildlife, and eventually settles out of the water and onto the bottom of the river, which negatively impacts both wildlife and recreation. In addition to dirt, the sheer volume of water that crashes into streams from uncontrolled construction sites causes erosion and flooding, sometimes overtopping roads, filling private and public lakes, and damaging private property. 

Under mandated stormwater permit requirements, developers must utilize Best Management Practices to prevent uncontrolled volumes of dirt from being washed away and to reduce the turbidity in downstream waterways. 

Here are some examples of construction stormwater failures we’ve seen lately… please take pictures if you see something fishy and report this pollution to us!

Top Left:  dirt from a construction site flowing into a neighboring lake;

Top Right: a poorly installed silt fence that failed after a rain event; 

Bottom Left: improper maintenance of road by not sweeping street and straw wattle needs replacing.

Bottom Right: our Founding Riverkeeper collecting a turbidity sample. 

Related Posts

ARE THE FISH YOU CATCH SAFE TO EAT AND FEED TO YOUR FAMILIES? 

ARE THE FISH YOU CATCH SAFE TO EAT AND FEED TO YOUR FAMILIES? 

NEW FISH CONSUMPTION ADVISORIES ARE OUT: ARE THE FISH YOU CATCH SAFE TO EAT AND FEED TO YOUR FAMILIES?   BIRMINGHAM, ALA. – Last month, the Alabama Department of Public Health (ADPH) released its annual fish consumption advisories, which highlight the state’s...

A Year in David’s Eyes

A Year in David’s Eyes

To the Coosa River,    You have shown me how precious & vital you are to our environment but more importantly to the community members who use you. Over my year of service, I have had the pleasure to hear how important your presence is to the community. You have...

Asian American Month – How Yu Make Thai Soup

Asian American Month – How Yu Make Thai Soup

How to make Seafood Soup Tye right way! Step 1 - Call Ma (If she’s unavailable skip to Step 3) Step 2 - Half listen to her directions. Step 3 - Procure Ingredients Have Leftovers? Toss it in! Gather Mint from Garden ✓ Neighborhood Lemon Tree?  Go Fishing! Broth...

Share This