Wolf Bay Plan Final - Mobile Bay National Estuary Program

More documents

Recommendations

Info

The watershed is primarily rural, but it is within commuting distance from the metropolitanareas of Mobile, Alabama and Pensacola, Florida. Baldwin County rallies with Shelby Countyfor the honor as the fastest growing county in Alabama.In 1998, the Natural Resources Conservation Service developed a Watershed Assessment andCharacterization. The characterization broke the county up utilizing the 11 digit HUC codes.Assessments included notations on land use, streams, wildlife, endangered species, and culturalresources (Figure 4).The Baldwin County Land Use Plan was designed as a general guide for long-range developmentin the county. The Baldwin County Land Use Plan indicates a likelihood of increased residentialgrowth, especially along waterbodies, for the area of Baldwin County that includes the Wolf Baywatershed. Recently, rapid commercial growth has occurred in the area, especially alongtransportation arteries. The implications of this growth, both short-term and long-term, indicatethat management of growth with regard to resource protection will be a challenge in the WolfBay watershed.Relatively undisturbed wooded lands surround Wolf Bay and its tributaries. These include parcelsthat have a significant impact on the health and wellbeing of the natural resources (includingclean water) of our watershed. The majority of land in the watershed is owned by a few entities.The purchase and protection of these parcels would provide long term habitat for resident andmigratory wildlife, rare and protected species, and a substantial riparian buffer to protect waterquality (Figure 16).Other small landowners have key parcels that would provide public access to our bay forrecreational and educational uses. These landowners are very interested in making sure the landis protected and preserved but are pressured to sell out by developers. Two significant landparcels are on Wolf Creek and at the mouth of Hammock Creek. One parcel presently has a boatramp and wet slips and is for sale. This parcel would be a superb site to provide Foley with apark and public access to Wolf Bay. The other parcel landlocks 500 acres of the Brown Foundationbetween Hammock Creek and Baldwin Baptist Camp. The purchase or lease of both of theselands would allow the public a wonderful opportunity. These would be ideal for a naturalrecreational facility that would afford visitors the opportunity to canoe, sail, bird watch, hike,bike, etc. It would also provide substantial space for an educational and research facility whilepreserving one of the largest parcels of undisturbed land areas along the northern portion ofWolf Bay (Figure 16).16
Population DataCensus results for Baldwin County in 2000 put population numbers for Baldwin County at 140,415,up 43% from the 1990 population of 98,280. It is important to note the US Census Bureau doesnot include migratory residents or tourists in its population figures but the Gulf Shores Conventionand Visitor’s Bureau estimated 26,045 transient winter residents. Listed below are populationstatistics from the US Census Bureau, 2003.County/CityJuly-02July-01Census 2000Baldwin147,932144,787140,415Elberta563558552Foley8,7918,3367,590OrangeBeach 42034,0763,784(Figure 8, Population)17
Page 2 and 3: EXECUTIVE SUMMARYThe Wolf Bay area
Page 4 and 5: 3. To protect groundwater resources
Page 6 and 7: C. Action Strategies for Protection
Page 8 and 9: B. Overview of ReportThis managemen
Page 10 and 11: II. DESCRIPTION OF THE WATERSHEDThe
Page 12 and 13: frequency of thunderstorms over coa
Page 14 and 15: productive agriculture soils. This
Page 18 and 19: G. ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENTCurrent Econ
Page 20 and 21: H. HYDROLOGYBaldwin County is depen
Page 22 and 23: Pathogens include disease-causing b
Page 24 and 25: waters and the prompt notification
Page 26 and 27: a. Conservation Reserve Program (CR
Page 28 and 29: In 1990, the Coastal Zone Act and R
Page 30 and 31: 7. ADEM Source Water Assessment and
Page 32: the United States” except by a Co
Page 35 and 36: While there are no phase I or II mu
Page 37 and 38: V. ACTION STRATEGIES FOR PROTECTION
Page 39 and 40: B. EVALUATIVE CRITERIAIt is importa
Page 41 and 42: Issue: Homeowners, decision-makers,
Page 43 and 44: Action Strategy 4: Investigate effe
Page 45 and 46: Action Strategy 2: Develop a bacter
Page 47 and 48: 5. CONSTRUCTIONA survey of dirt roa
Page 49 and 50: Action Strategy 4: Encourage munici
Page 51 and 52: 7. FISHERIES:Fish and shellfish pop
Page 53 and 54: Issue: Homeowners are concerned abo
Page 55 and 56: Issue: There is a need for the gene
Page 57 and 58: Issue: Watershed residents need sup
Page 59 and 60: TABLE 2OAW CURRENT AND REQUESTED US
Page 61 and 62: TABLE 3WOLF BAY WATERSHED WATCH MON
Page 63 and 64: TABLE 4 - ADEM WATER USE CLASSIFICA
Page 65 and 66: TABLE 5SOD ACREAGE IN BALDWIN COUNT
Page 67 and 68:
67FIGURE 1
Page 69 and 70:
69FIGURE 3
Page 71 and 72:
Wolf Bay Watershed ProjectProposed
Page 73 and 74:
73FIGURE 7
Page 75 and 76:
75FIGURE 9
Page 77 and 78:
77FIGURE 11
Page 79 and 80:
79FIGURE 13
Page 81 and 82:
81FIGURE 15
Page 83 and 84:
APPENDIX 1—STEERING COMMITTEE MEM
Page 85 and 86:
MASGCMBWMEEMOAMRDMS4NEMONEPNOAANPDE
Page 87 and 88:
pH— Numeric value that indicates
Page 89 and 90:
APPENDIX 4 - ACTION STRATEGIES (CON
Page 91 and 92:
Page 93 and 94:
show all

Wolf Bay Plan Final - Mobile Bay National Estuary Program

Create successful ePaper yourself

Delete template?

Save as template?