Cahaba River Basin Clean Water Partnership
Jefferson County Environmental Services Facility
August 2, 2011
Draft Minutes
Attendees:
Paul Freeman – The Nature Conservancy
Robert Kelley – Shelby County
Kevin Morse – Jefferson County
Jason Wilkins - ADEM
D. J. Strickland – Goodwyn Mills Cawood
Carmen Yelle - ADEM
William McLemore – Goodwyn Mills
Cawood
Kedra Byrd – Alabama Forestry Comm.
Dana Gray – Jefferson County
Allison Jenkins – Alabama CWP
James Lowery – Friends of Shades Creek -
Glenn Littleton – Cahaba CWP
Jonika Smith – Jeff Co. Dept. of Health
Jonathan Stanton - Jeff Co. Dept. of Health
Luke Barker – One Stop Environmental
Randy Haddock – Cahaba River Society
HANDOUT PACKAGE
 Draft: August 02, 2011 Minutes
 Alabama CWP – Statewide Update October 2011
 Public Notice 210
CALL TO ORDER/INTRODUCTIONS The meeting was called to order by Cary Prather,
Chairmen of the Cahaba CWP
.
MEETING MINUTES
Minutes from August 2, 2011 meeting were approved with no changes. Approval of the
minutes was by a 1st from Allison Jenkins and a 2nd by Robert Kelley.
OLD BUSINESS
Updates for identifying potential projects in the Cahaba Watershed. The discussion centered
around Childers Creek in Dallas County. Carmen Yelle updated those present about the
illegal dumpsite that had been created by the City of Selma. The site of the dump was near
the softball complex along the banks of Childers Creek. The site had originally been only for
limbs and yard debris but it had grown to contain a large amount of household garbage and
construction debris. The city was working to correct the problem and might make a good
partner for the Cahaba CWP with projects in the Childers Creek Watershed to correct their
mistakes.
We discussed the possibility of creating a Lower Cahaba Clean Water Partnership
Committee to cover the more rural areas of the watershed. We’ll be looking into the
feasibility of that in 2012.
Shades Creek Stream Assessment
We were given a presentation by Heath Howell, a graduate student at the University of
Alabama, concerning the “Shades Creek Stream Assessment”. The assessment focused on
the fish counts presently found in the lower stretches of Shades Creek from south of
Interstate 459 through the point where it meets the Cahaba River. Mr. Howell has been
collecting data on this portion of Shades Creek as part of the rail car removal project that
has now been completed along the Bibb County portion of the creek. The outcome from the
railcar removal has had an overall positive impact on the creek. There was a slight decline in
species richness immediately after the removal but not significant enough to warrant alarm.
Some fish count numbers had dropped slightly from pre-removal counts, but the Cahaba
Shiner was found 1.7 miles upstream from Shades Creek mouth with the Cahaba River. The
Goldline Darter was found 2.7 miles upstream showing a more positive impact for the Darter
species.
NEW BUSINESS
Creek Walking in Birmingham -- Shades Creek and Its Major Urban Tributaries
The “Creek Walking in Birmingham” presentation was given by James Lowery with The
Friends of Shades Creek organization. Mr. Lowery’s presentation focused on the many
years of creek exploration that he had accomplished in the urban area’s of the Cahaba
Watershed, and in particular the Shades Creek Watershed. His powerpoint included
historic photographs of the early 20th century lake that existed along Lake Shore Drive
in front of Samford University. Mr. Lowery also enlightened everyone with photographs
of the objects that you find while wadding urban waters.
PARTNER UPDATES
ADEM
 Jason Wilbanks (ADEM) gave us an update on TMDL’s – total maximum daily loads
 Recently approved TMDL – Lee Branch (pathogens)
 TMDL’s currently under review – Cahaba River (siltation &habitat
alteration)
 Cycle Year 2012 TMDL Development – Finalize and approve Cahaba
River Siltation TMDL
Public Notice 210 to request data and information for preparation of
Alabama’s draft 2012 Section 303(d) list of impaired waters and comments
on Alabama’s Draft Water Assessment and Listing Methodology
ALABAMA CLEAN WATER PARTNERSHIP– Presented by Allison Jenkins as attached.


The Alabama Clean Water Partnership Conference will be held Dec. 7, 2011 at the
campus of Jeff State in Clanton Alabama.
There will be a $5,000.00 per basin cut in Clean Water Partnership funding