City of Prichard, Alabama, restores Reading Park Creek streambank

Relevance:

Reading Park Creek, which runs through a passive park in the city of Prichard, was highly degraded due to stormwater runoff and pervasive invasive species. This creek is a tributary to Eight Mile Creek, which is listed on the state’s 303(d) list of impaired waterways due to excessive amounts of pathogenic bacteria. The community is predominantly African-American and historically underserved, and they value their environmental resources and desire more access and recreational opportunities, as evidenced by their participation in the development of the Eight Mile Creek watershed management plan.

Response:

Sea Grant-funded scientists and staff gathered public input and created a plan for the restoration of Reading Park Creek. City of Prichard workers removed invasive species, graded the stream banks and established a flood plain in Jackson Reading City Park. About 45 volunteers helped plant 3,000 native plants along the creek and in upland areas at the site, which is located in the Eight Mile Creek Watershed. Buffer zones 25 to 50 feet from the creek were created to allow pollutant-filtering plants to remain undisturbed. The volunteer hours involved in this project were valued at $3,973.

Results:

The city of Prichard, Alabama, restored 300 linear feet of streambank along the creek in Jackson Reading Park using forested buffers to protect wildlife, remove sediment and filter pollutants.

Recap:

Mississippi-Alabama Sea Grant helped plan and implement the restoration of 300 linear feet along Reading Park Creek in Prichard, Alabama. (2014)