07/07/1997

AU, Local Officals Plan Effort to Control Erosion in Lee County

AUBURN, Ala. - Early explorers of this region reported an abundance of clear, rocky-bottomed streams. However, thanks to soil erosion, most of those streams today are murky, muddy and clogged. Auburn University and local officials will offer an Erosion Control Seminar on July 17 to address this problem in Lee County.

"Sedimentation is now considered to be a primary source of impairment to streams and rivers," said Tina Laidlaw of the AU-based Alabama Water Watch, one of the seminar's sponsors. "Sediment runoff is a particular problem in the Southeast, where we have very erodible soil and high rainfall.

"We see dramatic changes in streams and stream beds because of sedimentation," she said. "Sediment covers stream bottoms and eliminates habitats for fish, insects and other aquatic organisms. It can also increase water temperature."

Such changes in the nature of a stream can reduce fish reproduction and disrupt the water system's food chain, Laidlaw explained. In many instances, she said, streams that were once six to eight feet deep are now only three feet deep. Sediments eroded from agricultural, forestry and construction sites are the primary sources of this problem.

The July 17 seminar is intended to increase awareness of this common problem and help ensure that local developers, contractors, homebuilders and the general public are up to date on regulations designed to control erosion. In addition to Water Watch, other sponsors include the Lee County Homebuilders' Association, the cities of Auburn and Opelika, the Alabama Tree Trust and Save Our Saugahatchee.

Speakers at the seminar will include Beth Guertal, AU assistant professor of agronomy and soils, who will discuss the causes of erosion and why it is of concern. Steve Foster of the Alabama Department of Environmental Management will discuss erosion control implementation and regulations. Auburn Director of City Planning Kelly Templin and Opelika City Planner Miriam Bader will discuss local ordinances. In an open discussion, all participants will discuss possible further steps to control erosion in Lee County.

The seminar is free and open to the public. It will be at 7-9 p.m in the Auburn University Hotel and Conference Center Rooms E, F and G. For more information, contact Alabama Water Watch at 844-4785.

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News from:

Office of Ag Communications & Marketing

Auburn University College of Agriculture
Alabama Agricultural Experiment Station
3 Comer Hall, Auburn University
Auburn, AL 36849
334-844-4877 (PHONE) 334-844-5892 (FAX)

Contact Jamie Creamer, 334-844-2783 or jcreamer@auburn.edu
by Robyn Hearn

07/07/97