Introduction
The Clean Water Act Section 319 (h) Work-plan or Bear Creek Watershed Project started on August 8, 2000. It is a five year program designed to reduce non-point source pollution in the Bear Creek Watershed. The work-plan is coordinated by the Alabama Department of Environmental Management (ADEM). The Franklin County Soil and Water Conservation District is the project's lead agency.
Objective
The overall goal of the project is to effectively focus federal, state, local and special interest group resources on solving predominantly rural-based non-point source pollution problems in the Bear Creek Watershed. Cooperative efforts will be utilized to maintain, improve, and protect the physical, chemical, biological, and habitat conditions throughout the watershed. The targeted focus will reduce cumulative effects of non-point source pollution runoff by at least 25%. Ultimately the Bear Creek Watershed will meet or exceed state water quality and use classification standards by the end of the project period.
Practices
All practices implemented by the 319 project are designed to improve water quality. Landowners receive 60% of the total cost to install these practices. Waste storage structure, compost facility, critical area planting, sediment basin, waste treatment lagoon, alternative watering sources, livestock exclusion, cross fencing, filter strips, mine reclamation, stream-bank protection, tree planting, riparian buffers and stream crossings are some of the practices that are cost sharable under the Bear Creek Project.
Milestones
 | Implement Best Management Practices (BMP's) on rural land with a 60 percent cost share incentive |
| Public education of non-point source pollution through various programs such as: Alabama Water Watch, Envirothon, Cool Runnings,TVA Wildlife Walk, Earth Day, Discovering Alabama and Demonstrative BMP's. |
AWW Envirothon Ed. Outreach Discovering Alabama
| Form partnerships with other agencies to combat non-point pollution (TVA,
Water Boards, Alabama Power, Gold Kist, etc.)
|
HARRIS CREEK WATERSHED PLAN
The Harris Creek Watershed has many types of land uses and soil types. The watershed is approximately 5,500 acres. Harris Creek is listed for organic enrichment, low dissolved oxygen (OE/DO), and nutrient loading. The creek has been listed on the State of Alabama 303(d) use impaired list since 1998. The program is to assist landowners within the watershed to voluntarily implement measures to improve the water quality of Harris Creek. Such measures will include buffer strips, fencing cattle, fencing ponds, installing stream crossings and installing alternative watering sources. The purpose of the project is to remove Harris Creek from the 303(d) list and maintain its future health.
The Franklin County SWCD prohibits discrimination in its programs on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, religion, age, disability, political beliefs and marital or familial status.