Alabama Water Quality Information System

— Choose a Frequently Asked Question (FAQ) —


	1.-		Can I take sand or gravel out of a stream or do I need a permit from anyone?


	2.-		Can urbanization increase flooding problems?


	3.-		Do clearing, grading, and excavation activities at oil and gas extraction operations require a National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit for associated storm water discharges?


	4.-		How can developing new water-supply reservoirs impact water quality?


	5.-		How can overusing water to maintain urban landscapes cause water quality problems?


	6.-		How does a construction operator obtain coverage under an EPA Construction General Permit (CGP)?


	7.-		How does low impact development (LID) relate to other urban stormwater management practices such as Conservation Design, Better Site Design, and Smart Growth?


	8.-		How many U.S. citizens live in coastal regions?


	9.-		If a construction operation disturbing five or more acres is owned by a small municipality (a population of less than 100,000 people) but operated by a private contractor, is the activity regulated?


	10.-		Since humans play a role in locally modifying the earth's hydrologic cycle how does water consumption from urban development and intensive agriculture compare to water consumed naturally by local vegetation?


	11.-		What can be done to control runoff and sediment from leaving a mine site and entering a nearby stream?


	12.-		What can I do about truck traffic from a mining operation that is causing stream damage?


	13.-		What causes blue-green algae blooms?


	14.-		What is low impact development (LID) and how does it relate to water quality?


	15.-		What is suspended sediment in a stream, and where does it come from?


	16.-		What is the most effective approach to reduce future flood damage?


	17.-		What makes up an ecosystem?


	18.-		What role does water play in erosion, sediment transport and deposition?


	19.-		What waivers are available for Storm Water Phase II construction activity?


	20.-		Why is sediment important?

GO Back One Page

Search for a Different FAQ

This website was developed by the ACES Water Quality Team, under the leadership of Dr. James E. Hairston. It is funded, in part, by USDA-CSREES water quality grant support under Section 406 of the Agricultural Research, Extension and Education Reform Act of 1998.