PHOTO BY KATHY HICKS
200+ volunteers removed thousands of pounds of litter from the Dog River Watershed in the 31st Annual Alabama Coastal Cleanup in September 2019
“The biggest threat to the health of Dog River is sedimentation,” Foster says. Urbanization in the western suburbs of Mobile has affected the headwaters of many of the watershed’s creeks. “The continued march of asphalt west has increased the flow of stormwater into a drainage system that is unfiltered.” At 95 square miles, this is the largest urban watershed in the Mobile Bay area. Its estuary is the cradle of a rich mix of marine life. “Communities have made their living out of these waters,” Foster says. “We’re known for our seafood all over the world. The sustainability of our culture depends on our ability to retain the way of life that’s associated with these estuaries.”
In addition to monitoring water quality, engaging with city and county leaders, and attacking the river’s chronic litter problem, the DRCR also promotes community connections to the water through its bike trail and scenic blueway. “If you are out on a boat and looking at the wetland at eye level, it gives you a different perspective than if you’re passing over it on the interstate,” Foster says. “Go spend a quiet day unplugged, unconnected, and see where our roots came from.”
To donate or volunteer with Dog River Clearwater Revival, go to dogriver.org. The 2020 Dog River Mud Bottom Revival Music Festival will be on April 26. MB
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