Alabama Water Quality Information System

— Choose a Frequently Asked Question (FAQ) —


	1.-		Are there any rules on how to deal with sensitive development near water resources?


	2.-		Can limiting impervious surfaces protect water quality?


	3.-		Can rapid changes in land use impact water quality?


	4.-		Can urbanization increase flooding problems?


	5.-		Does the percentage of impervious surface in a watershed affect nutrient loading from urban stormwater runoff?


	6.-		How are watershed protection and growth management related?


	7.-		How can surface water use classifications affect me in reference to what I want to do on my land?


	8.-		How do I challenge a proposed rezoning change?


	9.-		How important are natural buffers in protecting environmentally sensitive areas and water quality?


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


	11.-		How much impact can protecting natural land cover have on source water protection in a watershed and ultimately on drinking water treatment costs?


	12.-		I read that land use and land cover are both related to water quantity and quality of the landscape, but what is the difference between land cover and land use?


	13.-		Is watershed-based land use regulation a viable alternative to maintain source water quality?


	14.-		Is zoning for a particular land use permanent?


	15.-		Should any development be allowed in riparian buffers?


	16.-		What are some of the benefits of leaving underdeveloped buffers for environmentally sensitive areas?


	17.-		What are zoning exceptions?


	18.-		What do zoning laws regulate besides land uses?


	19.-		What is a conditional land use?


	20.-		What is a greenfield?


	21.-		What is a non-conforming land use?


	22.-		What is a zoning variance and can it cause water quality problems?


	23.-		What is cluster developement and how can it benefit water quality?


	24.-		What is coastal sprawl and how does it impact coastal aquatic ecosystems?


	25.-		What is impervious surface?


	26.-		What is infill development and how does it relate to water quality?


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


	28.-		What is meant by setback in a zoning ordinance and does this have potential water quality ramifications?


	29.-		What is meant by the bidirectional relationship between land use and water?


	30.-		What is new urbanism and how can it help mitigate water quality impacts?

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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.