State Expenditure Plan #1-Environmental Restoration of Cotton Bayou & Terry Cove (Phase 1-Planning)
Implementing Organization
Alabama State
Overview
DWH Project Funding
$550,000
Known Leveraged Funding
$0
Funding Organization
Gulf Coast Ecosystem Restoration Council
Funding Program
The RESTORE Act Funds Bucket 3: Spill Impact Component
Details
Project Category
Environmental
Project Actions
Planning
Targeted Resources
Wetlands/Marshes/Estuaries
Project Description
The Cotton Bayou/Terry Cove system is located in the heart of Orange Beach, AL and is a component of the larger Perdido Bay watershed which is connected to the Gulf of Mexico by Perdido Pass. The canals and other shallow waters of the Cotton Bayou/Terry Cove system have historically served as nursery habitat for aquatic and avian wildlife. Over time, the development and re-development has replaced much of the natural shoreline with seawalls and other structures, and sediment has accumulated in ways that disrupt natural hydrodynamic mixing. These and other unknown factors are contributing to water and sediment quality degradation; fluctuating temperature, salinity and dissolved oxygen concentrations; driving algal blooms, fish kills and other indicators of poor ecological health. With funding of $515,000, Auburn University will collect monitoring data and utilize existing information to support the development of a plan and the implementation of a comprehensive environmental study of Cotton Bayou and Terry Cove (located in Perdido Bay). The results of this three-year study will be used to prepare a report that identifies potential restoration project concepts for the restoration of the Cotton Bayou/Terry Cove system. Although this project supports multiple Comprehensive Plan Goals and Objectives, the primary Comprehensive Plan Objective is improving science-based decision-making processes.
Contact
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Project Website
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