Contribute to 4-H
- Alabama Water Program
- ALEARN Fisheries and Aquaculture Extension: Natural Resources
- Alabama Agricultural Irrigation Information Network
- Alabama Natural Resources Council: Water Resources
- Alabama Water Watch
- Additional Resources
Upcoming Events:
- 02/22 - Tree Giveaway
- 02/23 - Arbor Week Tree Give Away
- 02/23 - Webinar: Using Alternative Enterprises & Recreational Development to Bolster Farm Incomes
- 02/23 - Timber Tax and Return Preparation
- 02/28 - Sustaining & Maintaining an Effective Outdoor Classroom program
- 03/01 - Webinar: Using Alternative Enterprises & Recreational Development to Bolster Farm Incomes
- 03/01 - Timber Tax and Return Preparation
- 03/08 - Webinar: Using Alternative Enterprises & Recreational Development to Bolster Farm Incomes
- 03/13 - Online Mapping and Spatial Resources for the Private Forest Landowner
- 03/15 - Introduction to GPS/GIS for Forestry and Other Natural Resources Applications
Water: An Alabama Treasure
Many Alabamians recognize that water is one of our most important natural resources. We expect our water to be readily available, usable in almost any amount we want, and free from pollutants.
In general, Alabama's water quality compares quite favorably with the rest of the nation. A growing population, industrialization, and changing practices in natural resource uses make it increasingly difficult to maintain the high quality of our water resources.
Recently public attention has been more keenly focused on water quality and quantity issues in Alabama. Some specific examples include the formation of monitoring groups of volunteers such as Water Watch (inland) and Bay Watch (Mobile Bay) to observe water quality conditions. The controversy surrounding the diversion of water from the Tallapoosa River to Atlanta and then into the Chattahoochee River system has made Alabama residents aware that our supply of water is becoming more limited as residential and industrial usage increases.
State and local agencies charged with assuring water quality have done a reasonably good job of controlling and reducing point source pollution such as industrial discharges, municipal sewage treatment facilities, and other site-specific discharges. However, it is not as easy to either identify or control non-point source pollution, which includes urban and rural runoff. If we are to maintain the quality of Alabama’s watersheds, major efforts to reduce non-point source pollution are needed. more...
