Latest news with #MobileBayNationalEstuaryProgram
Yahoo
23-05-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Baldwin County Commission joins Mobile Bay NEP and Dauphin Island Sea Lab to monitor streams and rivers
BALDWIN COUNTY, Ala. (WKRG) — The Baldwin County Commission has partnered with the Mobile Bay National Estuary Program and Dauphin Island Sea Lab to improve monitoring of local streams and rivers, and to develop a tool to review stormwater management. Massive bull shark caught outside mouth of Mobile Bay The commission entered an agreement with the two entities that will run from May 20, 2025, to April 30, 2026, a news release said. 'The agreement … marks a continued investment in Baldwin County's long-term water resource management strategy,' the release said. MBNEP, in partnership with the county, installed several stream and rain gauges across local watersheds last year, as part of the county's hydrologic modeling initiative — a specific approach to water management that helps officials understand and predict the behavior of water systems. With this new agreement, four additional gauges will be installed, three at critical locations along Styx River and one in the Magnolia River. The information from these gauges is instrumental in managing stormwater and runoff, as well as protecting the watersheds, the release said. UPDATE: No foul play suspected in death of woman at Pensacola Publix The project is funded through a financial partnership with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's National Estuary Program, according to the release. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
22-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Natural storm water infrastructure protects people and local ecosystems
BALDWIN COUNTY, Ala. (WKRG) — When it rains, we often have to deal with flooding concerns here on the Gulf Coast. Storm water infrastructure is vital to guiding the flow of water away people and property. Morgan Wallen's 'Sand In My Boots' music festival: crime drops, travel breaks records The Mobile Bay National Estuary Program has been working with homeowners, local government, and other organizations to help create natural storm water infrastructure within the D'Olive Watershed in Baldwin county. 'When you're dealing with storm water, you can do gray infrastructure, which is your traditional pipe infrastructure, or you can do green infrastructure where we're working and trying to mimic with nature,' said Jason Kudulis, the deputy director of the Mobile Bay National Estuary Program. Green, like this D'Olive Watershed project. Engineers purposefully place each stone or other piece of natural infrastructure in order to steer the water. Kudulis said, 'We use all native vegetation; we plant pollinator blends. So, all the insects and the critters they're all using these avenues, including the fish and wildlife.' This watershed has been tested by several flooding events. 'Over the last 15 years, we've been able to do over three miles of stream work, and that includes handling events like the 2014 flood, Hurricane Sally and most recently this April 2025 event,' said Kudulis. Land and homeowners along the watershed help by allowing the MBNEP to access their property to improve the infrastructure. 'These landowners who we partner with, this protects their property and gives them improved the esthetics and a nice what is a liability, an actual amenity,' said Kudulis. By reducing sedimentation, water quality improves throughout the watershed and downstream. 'Locally into the bay that's going to allow for submerged aquatic grass, all the seafood and fish that we like to catch and eat. So, this is something that's bigger than just the area we're working in,' said Kudulis. Baptist Hospital now offers latest heart valve treatment The MBNEP is helping to protect people, preserve ecosystems, and is Growing the Gulf Coast. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
14-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Fishermen raise concerns over dredging in Mobile Bay, claim it is destroying sea life
BAYOU LA BATRE, Ala. (WKRG) — Fishermen are sounding the alarm on the dredging methods used in Mobile Bay. Bears visit a Mobile County yard Several fishermen said they can already feel the negative effects of it. And with these setbacks, it is directly impacting their livelihood. Video captured from an ALEA chopper showed continued dredging methods in Mobile Bay. The black sludge in the video from the boat is going back into the water, which is what many fishermen said makes it extremely difficult to catch seafood. Bayou La Batre Mayor Henry Barnes has been very vocal about this issue as he agreed it harms local fishermen. 'This is going to hurt crabbers, commercial net fishermen,' Barnes said. 'This is just a bad thing, and I can't believe our government is allowing this to happen.' This is part of the U.S. Corps of Engineers' plan to deepen and widen the Mobile Harbor Channel. Barnes believes the issue isn't necessarily the dredging, but the method the Corps is using. 'Well, they're widening the channel and deepening it for the container ships, for the Port of Mobile,' he explained. 'And we're not against, you know, economic development, but there's a right way and a wrong way to do things.' Fisherman Patric Garmeson of Ugly Fishing, LLC, said that after seeing how the dredging is done, the condition of the water is only going to worsen. 'What we're concerned about is taking the dredge material, taking it out of the bottom of the channel, and then spraying it and blowing it back out into the bay,' Garmeson explained. 'It's not healthy for Mobile Bay, so it's time to do something different.' Alabama State Senator Chris Elliott captured video from an ALEA chopper Tuesday morning after receiving several complaints from his constituents, so he took a look for himself. 'I mean, there is no way you look at those videos and say, okay, for the environment,' Elliott explained. 'I mean, I'm a big fan of the port. I'm a big fan of the economic development machine that the port is, and I am very supportive of them, but there's a better way to do this, and this isn't it.' reached out to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. A Corps spokesperson provided a statement explaining that their method of in-bay placement is backed by research and helps restore the bay's natural sediment balance, and without it, the ecosystem suffers from shoreline erosion and habitat loss: We are aware that outside groups have put out misinformation about the harm of thin-layer placement and the effects it has on the Mobile system. The Mobile Bay National Estuary Program developed a sediment budget for Mobile Bay the same time, we conducted a year-long study on the Bay. The Sediment Dynamics in Mobile Bay, Alabama: Development of an Operation Sediment Budget documented the Mobile Bay system did not have a balanced sediment budget. More material was being removed from the Bay by dredging operations than what was being put into the Bay by the natural system. This study recommended that in-Bay placement of dredged material would be the most natural solution to the un-balanced sediment budget. Thin layer placement is a widely accepted best practice by the environmental and dredging industries. It re-introduces sediment to the natural sediment transport system instead of removing it. Thin layer placement in Mobile Bay was specifically studied by collecting data during and after an emergency placement operation. This data was used to develop and calibrate models that predict how the sediment behaves in Mobile Bay. These model results were shared with environmental and resource agencies for review and consultation as part of the NEPA process. The study along with the complete project details can be found at Additionally, we are excited to announce the upcoming completion of the Mobile channel widening and deepening in June. This decade-long project will have provided the port and the State of Alabama a lasting economic impact for the region as well as many beneficial uses, such as strengthening the Dauphin Island Causeway and the Deer River Coastal Marsh. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Barnes said he isn't buying it. 'What they're doing is devastating to our oyster industry, our crab industry, our commercial fishermen. I mean, all around us, it's hurting things,' Barnes explained. 'It's not helping at all.' UPDATE: Mobile County Sheriff's Office crossing guard accused of housing murder suspect Mobile Baykeeper is holding a community meeting on Thursday at 6 p.m. to discuss concerns about the dredging project at St. Philip Neri Catholic Church on 9101 Dauphin Island Parkway in Theodore. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
22-04-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Officials enlist surprising helpers in effort to protect critical waterways — here's what's happening
Meet the newest team members working to protect Alabama's waterways: specially trained dogs with an incredible sense of smell. These canine detectives are part of an innovative program that turns man's best friend into environmental champions, NBC 15 reported. The Mobile Bay National Estuary Program launched an initiative to train dogs to detect human wastewater in local waters. These talented pups employ their superior noses — which contain 60 times more scent receptors than human noses — to solve a pressing environmental problem. The program recruits unexpected allies: combat veterans employed by the estuary program who once trained dogs to find dangerous explosives overseas. They're redirecting those skills toward keeping local waters clean and safe. Traditional methods for tracking wastewater contamination cost a lot of money and take too much time. These barriers often slow cleanup efforts in places such as the West Fowl River, Fly Creek, and Peterson Branch — all areas where high bacteria levels affect water quality and, in some cases, impact shellfish harvesting. The dogs are a faster, cheaper solution. Trainers create scent profiles using special polymer tubes called Getxent to help dogs learn to detect untreated wastewater. This technology makes training more effective and long-lasting. For residents and visitors who enjoy Mobile Bay for swimming or fishing, cleaner water leads to healthier communities and ecosystems. Shellfish harvesters also benefit from reduced bacterial contamination, which protects their livelihoods and consumers' safety. The program doesn't just help the environment — it saves money, too. As NBC 15 reporter Keith Lane notes, "The operating costs for canine tracking are estimated to be at least one order of magnitude lower than those for lab-based microbial source tracking initiatives." The dogs also find problems much faster, creating substantial savings in all areas of source tracking. Community education is another key component of this endeavor. Residents can learn about water health issues through public demonstrations and educational meetings while watching these impressive animals in action. Do you worry about the quality of the air inside your home? Yes — often Yes — but only sometimes Only when it's bad outside No — I never do Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. If successful, this pilot project could expand to other watersheds, offering a model for communities nationwide facing similar challenges. By turning furry friends into environmental protectors, this project shows how innovative thinking can create practical solutions that benefit both people and the planet without breaking the bank. Join our free newsletter for good news and useful tips, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
