Weeks Bay Watershed Project Management Plan - Mobile Bay ...

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Progress: For lots that require septic systems, the amended Baldwin
County Subdivision regulations now require a minimum lot size of
20,000 square feet with public water supply and 40,000 square feet
without public water supply management. This exceeds current
ADPH requirements. Current ADPH regulations are under review.
2. Promote planning and zoning that will protect
environmentally sensitive areas.
Strategy:
a. Identify areas that contain sensitive or rare habitats and sites that, due to soil
characteristics, are unsuitable for certain types of development. Continue to track
land use changes in the Watershed. Support the environmental protection
measures incorporated into the Baldwin County Planning and Zoning Master
Plan and make recommendations.
Discussion: Identify habitats at risk and make maps available to
planners, permitting authorities, and the general public. Although
development activities may not be prevented, assistance may be
provided to minimize impacts to sensitive areas.
Responsible Parties: ADID, Watershed Project Coordinator, FWS,
The Nature Conservancy, Gulf Ecological Management Sites
Program
Cooperators: SARPC, NRCS, BCEAB, ACF
Potential Funding: Costs should be low, except for reproduction of
maps and reports. Existing programs may support these activities.
Schedule: On-going
Progress: The Alabama Natural Heritage Program of The Nature
Conservancy completed a Weeks Bay Watershed Conservation Plan
in Spring, 2000. This plan identified ecologically significant areas
within the Watershed that should be protected and/or acquired.
Land use changes in the Watershed were investigated by a WBNERR
graduate fellow from Mississippi State University with findings
presented to the CAC in July, 2001.
b. Educate Watershed residents on the importance of limiting the amount of
impervious ground cover to less than 10 percent of total land area in each
subwatershed through the introduction of better site design and wise growth
management.
Discussion: Results of recent research have demonstrated that once
impervious cover exceeds 10 percent, the following changes can be
expected: increased flood peaks, lower dry weather flow, increase in
pollutant loads, decline in fish diversity, and decline in wetland plant
and animal diversity. Development limits can be accomplished
through zoning ordinances or through land acquisition or
preservation programs. Subwatershed areas approaching build-out
Weeks Bay Watershed Management Plan