Alabama NEMO

1. Alabama NEMO Green Site Design Case Studies: (1) Stormwater Management Education and Extension – the Alabama Department of Environmental Management and Alabama Cooperative Extension System partnered to conduct a series of workshops that offered local government officials and private industry representatives the opportunity to learn more about innovative stormwater practices. Research findings from the southeast were presented as were the costs / benefits of using infiltration practices compared with conventional hard engineering. Seven workshops have been held to date training over 250 professionals. (2) City of Auburn Conservation Subdivision – The City of Auburn recently approved the creation of ‘Conservation Subdivision’ regulations which allow developers to strategically preserve green space and natural features through clustering development in appropriate areas of the landscape. The Alabama Department of Environmental Management will work with a private developer, City of Auburn, and the Auburn University Center for Forest Sustainability to construct a demonstration subdivision that utilizes green site design from planning to stormwater management to erosion and sediment control. Natural Resource Based Planning Case Studies: (1) City of Fairhope - Fairhope is located in the second fastest growing area in Alabama. Located on the Eastern Shore of Mobile Bay in coastal Alabama, it is a highly desirable location for retirees and young alike. To preserve the character of their city, the Fairhope Planning Department has developed a master plan that encourages the walkable village concept, maintains open space for public access to water front areas, and has completed a natural resource inventory to identify and prioritize natural resource protection areas. Fairhope has also led the way in developing a comprehensive erosion and sediment control ordinance for the 3 cities located along Mobile Bay’s Eastern Shore. (2) City of Auburn – Auburn and its surrounding areas are experiencing rapid conversion of agricultural land uses to urban and suburban land uses. The City has partnered with the Land Trust of East Alabama to identify priority lands for acquisition. The Land Trust of East Alabama prepared a “GreenPrint for Growth” that quantifies the growth for a five county region over the past decade and maps the locations that have experienced the highest growth and development pressures. Identifying these locations will help target conservation efforts. Stormwater management workshop combine classroom and field activities. Far right, Auburn University Building Science students pour demonstration pervious concrete parking lot. Partners in Education and Extension Land Trust of East Alabama ‘GreenPrint for Growth’ uses GIS to identify priority areas for conservation. • Restoration and Retrofits • Case Studies: • City of Auburn Yarbrough Elementary School – Yarbrough Elementary School is growing to meet the needs of a growing community. They are also located near Saugahatchee Creek which is listed for nutrient enrichment on the State of Alabama 303(d) list. A rain garden was installed at the school in partnership with a local watershed group to help catch and filter stormwater before it enters Saugahatchee Creek. Importantly, the rain garden is being used for community education with students and adults. • (2) City of Gadsden, Stream Restoration Projects – The City of Gadsden partnered with the Middle Coosa Watershed Project, Alabama Department of Environmental Management, USDA-NRCS, and others to construct an urban stream restoration project. The North Gadsden Park stream was in poor condition with little riparian buffer and no habitat diversity. Stream restoration project partners constructed a new stream channel with pools and riffles to increase habitat diversity. The City of Gadsden designed a new riparian buffer vegetation plan to improve floodplain conditions and stream functions. • The Future … Partnerships • Alabama NEMO will continue to work with communities, individuals, and natural resource professionals to identify the best solutions to local water quality problems. Improved planning and site design are major areas of focus. Demonstration projects will be monitored and the lessons learned will be shared throughout the state to encourage adoption of planning tools, regulations, and projects that will address nonpoint sources of pollution. • N-SPECT - Nonpoint-Source Pollution and Erosion Comparison Tool – partnership with NOAA Coastal Services Center and Weeks Bay Watershed Project • Water quality screening tool • Provides estimates of storm runoff, nutrient loads, and sediment loads • Facilitates comparisons of different land cover and land use scenarios • Can answer: “How will a certain land use change affect runoff, sediment, and/or pollutant loads?” • Partners include: • Alabama Department of Environmental Management, Alabama Cooperative Extension System, Auburn University Center for Forest Sustainability, Alabama Regional Planning Commissions, NOAA Coastal Services Center, Weeks Bay Watershed Project, Alabama Clean Water Partnership Students at Yarbrough Elementary help plant native vegetation in their new rain garden Brantley Branch, tributary of Magnolia River N-SPECT output to identify source areas Dark blue = high values Light blue = low values City of Gadsden North Park stream restoration project – vegetation will be planted in Fall 2006