steering committee meeting...about watershed planning (video and presentation) 2. about the project...

Steering Committee Meeting March 17, 2015 | 5:30-7 pm

FOWL RIVER FOREVER www.fowlriverforever.org

Welcome Jamie Greene planning NEXT

Agenda 1.  Welcome 2.  Review of Workshop Results 3.  Organization of Scientific Research 4.  Coastal Research: Preliminary Findings 5.  Open Discussion 6.  Adjourn


Workshop Results

Jamie Greene and Sarah Kelly planning NEXT

To create a shared understanding about the condition of the Fowl River watershed and share ideas about what will make it better than it is today.

Workshop components: 1.  About watershed planning (video and presentation) 2.  About the project (presentation) 3.  Tell us what you think (interactive)

a.  Small group discussion

b.  Mapping exercise

Purpose

•  Business cards •  Rack cards •  Website •  Video Commercial •  Water bills •  Billboard •  Digital Billboard (Fire

Dept.) •  Banners at marinas

Outreach / Publicity

•  Social Media / Emails (FRACA, Mobile Baykeeper, Bellingrath Gardens, etc.)

•  Schools – robocalls •  Church bulletins •  Online Media (AL.com,

Next Door.com) •  TV (WKRG TV5 and

Fox10)

Approximately 140 people attended the workshops (about 120 members of the public and 20 steering committee/staff)

71 answered the exit survey

Who we heard from

1.  Word of Mouth (36%)

2.  Other (22%)

3.  Email Blast (18%)

How did people know?

Where they live 7% live in watershed Area 1 1% live in watershed Area 2 68% live in watershed Area 3 24% live outside the watershed

Where they work 7% work in watershed Area 1 1% work in watershed Area 2 9% work in watershed Area 3 37% work outside the watershed 44% retired/don’t work

Demographics

Gender Age

Demographics

15-24: 1%

25-34: 4% 35-44

4%

45-54: 13%

55-64: 36%

65+: 42%

Male 60%

Female 40%

Ethnicity 96% White / Caucasian

Income 46% earn $75,000 or more annually 76% earn $50,000 or more annually

Demographics

97% said the format allowed them to fully share their comments

97% said they would continue to participate in the process

Satisfaction

•  Upper Watershed •  Young Adults •  Non-white •  Moderate Income

Participation Gaps

What did they tell us?

171 ideas were shared (does not include comments on mapping exercise)

Categories of issues raised Culture / history

1%

Development policy 22%

Development practices 5%

Economic development 2%

Envforcement / policing / monitoring

8%

Environmental protection / policy 19%

Infrastructure 3%

Litter 11%

Public education / engagement

23%

Safety 1%

Sediment / erosion / dredging

5%

Geographic Ideas

•  Have handed these over to those conducting the scientific research

•  Generally take some of the broad comments and pinpoint specific locations where they are issues

What did you think? •  Reactions from the steering committee

Draft Guiding Principles To make the Fowl River watershed better than it is today we need….

1.  to raise awareness about what actions and activities will help keep the river clean;

2.  to improve development practices to minimize adverse impacts on the river’s water quality;

3.  to protect fragile natural habitats and sensitive environments through promotion of incentives, solicitation of resources and pursuit of other measures;

4.  to reduce litter throughout the watershed;

5.  to monitor activities that harm the river and to enforce existing regulations designed to protect it;

Draft Principles To make the Fowl River watershed better than it is today we need….

6.  to prevent the damaging effects of sediment and erosion;

7.  to influence water and sewer infrastructure improvements in a way that works with the natural environment;

8.  to strengthen the relationship between the health of the river and the area’s economy;

9.  to ensure that the public can safely enjoy the river without risk of physical harm;

10.  To celebrate its rich history and culture.


Organization of Scientific Research

James Robinson Goodwyn, Mills and Cawood


Research Elements

Water Land Sediment Coastal Quality Use Study Research

Status of Watershed

Project/Restoration Opportunities


Sampling Parameters Include:

Alkalinity CO2-Free Ammonia as N Flow Anionic surfactants as MBAS Land Use Bacteria Genetic Mapping Dissolved Oxygen Carbonaceous biochemical oxygen demand Depth Chloride Chlorophyll – a Dissolved Reactive Phosphotous


Fluoride Total nitrate-nitrite as N Salinity Total Phosphorous as P Total residual chlorine Light Attenuation Specific Conductance Sulfate Nitrate as NO2 Temperature Nitrite as NO2 Particulate Organic Matter Total Kjeldahl Nitrogen Total nitrate-nitrite as NO3 Nitrate as N



Iron Potassium Recoverable Phenolys Total Petroleum Hydrocarbons Selenium Total residual chlorine Silica Total suspended solids Magnesium Sodium Molybdenum Vanadium Nickel Strontium Zinc Total Dissolved Solids Lead Turbidity Lithium Thallium Manganese Sodium


WATERSHED INFORMATION HAS BEEN DIGITIZED

•  Data inventory and creation of GIS database

•  Delineation of eight subwatersheds

•  Analysis of land use/land cover

•  Population trend analysis (planning for future conditions)


SAMPLE NETWORK

•  A sampling network has been established

•  Samples are being collected during representative flow conditions

•  Sample locations represent specific parts of the basin

•  Sample analyses should correlate to land use/land cover effects


LANDUSE PERCENTAGES


UPDATED LANDUSE/SAMPLE LOCATIONS

LAND USE PERCENTAGES BY SUBWATERSHED

GOAL IS TO CORRELATE WATER-QUALITY TO LAND USE/LAND COVER

(1)   determine cause and effect

(2) identify restoration/preservation opportunities

(3) prioritize projects

(4) implement projects

(5) monitor results and modify if necessary

PRELIMINARY ANALYSIS OF LAND USE/LAND COVER

Subwatersheds 1 - 5 Infrastructure/offline retention of flows, development policies and practices, and wetland creation should be stressed

Subwatersheds 6-8 Preservation, protection, development practices/policy, and restoration projects should be stressed

Presentation of Research Results

NEXT Presentation of Coastal Research Dr. Bret Webb South Coast Engineers, LLC Coastal Research Findings

IN THE FUTURE Sedimentation Study Findings Marlon Cook Geological Survey of Alabama


Coastal Research: Preliminary Findings

Dr. Bret Webb South Coast Engineers, LLC

1.  Flow Volume and Speed

•  Breaching and Erosion of Spits & Islands 2.  Boat Wakes

•  Shoreline & Marsh Erosion •  Wave Reflection

3.  Sea Level Rise

•  Conversion to Open Water

Problem Identification

Fowl River Shorelines

1.  Problem Identification

2.  Shoreline Assessments

3.  Conceptual Strategies

4.  Long-Term Planning

1.  Types

•  Marsh (60%) & Veg. Banks (37%) 2.  Armoring Extent

•  About 25% (Bulkhead, Riprap) 3.  Zone Classification

•  Marine, Transition, Fresh

Shoreline Assessments 47 Miles of Tidal

Shoreline

1.  Watershed Strategies

•  Off-line detention (land acquisition) •  Attenuation of peak flows

2.  Spits & Islands

•  Armoring – riprap, sand, vegetation 3.  Marshes

•  Low sills with gaps •  Sand and vegetation

Conceptual Strategies

Long-Term Planning

1.  Existing Armoring

•  Compensatory programs 2.  Adaptive Management

•  Wake zones or buffers 3.  Holding the Line

4.  Periodic Reassessment


Questions?

Next steps / adjourn

www.fowlriverforever.org


THANK YOU

steering committee meeting...about watershed planning (video and presentation) 2. about the project...

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