Case Study: Mobile, Alabama

1. Case Study: Mobile, Alabama Fall 2009 – eStudio Tyler Gentry

2. Mobile, Alabama • Mobile was founded as the capital of colonial French Louisiana in 1702 and remained a part of New France for over 60 years. During 1720, when France warred with Spain, Mobile was on the battlefront, so the capital moved west to Biloxi.In 1763, Britain took control of the colony. Following the American Revolutionary War, Mobile did not become a part of the United States, as it was part of territory captured by Spain from Great Britain in 1780. • Mobile first became a part of the United States in 1813, when it was captured by American forces and added to the Mississippi Territory, then later re-zoned into the Alabama Territory in August 1817. Finally on December 14, 1819, Mobile became part of the new 22nd state, Alabama, one of the earlier states of the U.S. Forty-one years later, Alabama left the Union and joined the Confederate States of America in 1861. It returned in 1865 after the American Civil War. Mobile had spent decades as French, then British, then Spanish, then American, spanning 160 years, up to the Civil War. • http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_Mobile,_Alabama

3. Mobile Regional Watershed • On a national level, the City of Mobile area lies in the South Atlantic -Gulf Regional Watershed. The South Atlantic-Gulf watershed drainage area ultimately discharges into: (a) the Atlantic Ocean within and between the states of Virginia and Florida; (b) the Gulf of Mexico within and between the states of Florida and Louisiana; and (c) the associated waters, includes all of Florida and South Carolina, and parts of Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia. http://wkrg.envirocast.net/index.php?pagename=OurWatershed

4. Mobile Watershed Key Issues • Industry and Shipping: The area is home to the greatest abundance of major industrial permittees, and largest aggregation of water-borne trade. • Population Growth: The average population growth of 17% from 1985-1995 underestimates the growth in later years and the concentrated growth in areas such as coastal Florida, North Carolina, South Carolina and the greater Atlanta Metropolitan area. • Water Quantity and Quality: It is not surprising then that sprawl has led to many water quantity and quality issues. Rural forested and agricultural lands have become suburbanized at an alarming rate, increasing the amount of impervious surfaces in urbanizing watersheds. Nutrient enrichment, sedimentation and pathogens are the leading causes of water quality impairment in the region. Channelizations of streams, large dams and invasions of exotic species have changed the natural order of many habitats. Most recently, the southern reaches of the region have suffered from a drought which is in its fifth year. Two mediated water allocation negotiations are on-going among Georgia, Alabama and Florida. • There are two major types of water pollution: point source and nonpoint source pollution. Point source pollution refers to pollution that may be traced to a particular point of entry such as a waste water pipe emptying into a stream. State and federal agencies manage point source pollution using various permit systems. Nonpoint source pollution occurs mainly through water washing over the land, whether from rain, car washing or the watering of crops or lawns, picks up an array of contaminants including oil and sand from roadways, agricultural chemicals from farmland, and nutrients and toxic materials from urban and suburban areas. This runoff finds its way into our waterways, either directly or through storm drain collection systems. The effects of nonpoint source pollution seldom shows up overnight and often goes unnoticed for years. This characteristic makes it all the more difficult to control and is currently the most significant source of water pollution in our waterways. • http://wkrg.envirocast.net/index.php?pagename=ow_about

5. Mobile Watershed Cont’d http://wkrg.envirocast.net/index.php?pagename=ow_findYourLocalWatershed

6. Alabama Water Watch • Alabama Water Watch (AWW) educates citizens about water issues in Alabama and the world. It promotes citizen volunteer water monitoring and personal involvement in watershed stewardship through environmental education, protection and restoration, and advocacy.  AWW has two components, the Program and the Association. • The Program is coordinated from the Auburn University Department of Fisheries and Allied Aquacultures and provides training, technical backstopping and data management for citizen monitors, educators and the general public. • The non-profit Alabama Water Watch Association is an affiliation of monitoring groups and citizens that works closely with the program to improve both water quality and policy. AWW is one of a group of programs and projects that promote Community-Based Watershed Stewardship at the watershed, river basin and international scale. • http://www.aces.edu/dept/fisheries/aww/aww/index.php

7. South Atlantic-Gulf Watershed The South Atlantic-Gulf watershed drainage area ultimately discharges into: (a) the Atlantic Ocean within and between the states of Virginia and Florida; (b) the Gulf of Mexico within and between the states of Florida and Louisiana; and (c) the associated waters, includes all of Florida and South Carolina, and parts of Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia.Over 272,000 square miles of land drain into the South Atlantic and Eastern Gulf of Mexico. Pattern of drainage is determined by the Continental Divide which bisects the region. Six states contribute to this drainage-North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, Alabama and Eastern Mississippi. The regional watershed is comprised of 198 watersheds at the U.S. Geological Survey 8-digit Hydrologic Unit Code level.

8. Flooding in Mobile • Images are from past hurricanes and flooding in Mobile, Alabama. • The city requires storm water detention. • If federal flood guidelines are to be believed, there's a dramatic change in the landscape that's impossible to see with the naked eye. In one area of the Alabama coast, federal flood maps predict that a once-in-a-century hurricane would cause a 14-foot storm surge. Right across the Mississippi line, the same hurricane would produce 19 to 20 feet of flooding, according to interim flood maps. • Maps for Mobile and Baldwin counties, on the other hand, remain firmly rooted in the past. Even new maps for coastal Alabama, which are being finalized now, are based on old science and outdated storm information, a study by the Press-Register indicates. • Those maps offer coastal residents little guidance on how to respond to storms like Katrina, which caused record flooding in wide areas of Mobile County despite striking some 70 miles away. • The maps don't account for hurricanes Ivan and Frederic, either. As with Hurricane Katrina, flooding from both of those storms exceeded 100-year levels. • The 100-year flood plain is the area that has a 1-in-100 chance of being flooded in any year. Homes within that area are considered to have a high risk of flooding. They must be elevated and insured for flooding if they are mortgaged. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/30625416/ http://www.soros.org/resources/multimedia/katrina/projects/DangerZone/story_LeftBehind_print.php

9. Flood Protection Fence http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sWM7RbgTdMo

10. Flood Protection Fence in Use http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MTWdbbamrlQ

11. Aqua Fence • AquaFence is a highly cost-effective transportable flood protection barrier that can be rapidly deployed, prior to or even during heavy rain and severe weather when there is a recognised danger of flooding. After the rain, sea or river water has receded the flood barrier can be easily dismantled and stored ready for the next flood event. Flood events and severe weather around the world are rising in numbers and in our changing climate, the problem is getting worse. Insurance premiums are rocketing and the pressure is on to provide flood protection that works, on time and to budget. • Preparation is key for organisations, businesses, local authorities and governments tasked with emergency management and response, where securing property and negating the risk to human life during flood events are the top priorities. AquaFence is the key to this preparation. • AquaFence is a proven system designed for large areas at risk of repeated flooding. It is generally used away from property, for river banks and sea defence, although its flexible design means an AquaFence flood barrier can be used almost anywhere from whole streets and towns to farms and gateways. • http://www.aquafence.com/

12. Aqua Fence Cont’d

13. Alabama Flood Vents •  In a home that was recently built in a 100 year flood plain, the new homeowners were amazed to find that their flood insurance would be $3650 per year for their 2400 square foot home. Overwhelmed by the cost, they contacted Alabama Flood Vents and found we could lower their rate from $3650 per year to just $345 per year by installing special vents in the foundation of their new home! Obviously, a dramatic decrease in their premiums. •                         This vent is called the " Smart Vent ” and is FEMA accepted and ICC-ES evaluated and accepted. With the installation of these vents, you can save thousands of dollars in flood insurance premiums every year.  As Alabama’s first and only authorized installer, we can install these vents in houses with crawlspaces, on slabs and even some basement houses. http://alabamafloodvents.com/

14. Alabama Flood Vents Cont’d • The Smart VENT is a revolutionary flood mitigation device that is not only designed to help minimize damage during a flood event, it can also reduce mold and mildew as well. Built in a state-of-the-art, laser-driven manufacturing facility, Smart VENT is crafted from 100% stainless steel, and designed to last. It is the only Certified Foundation Flood Vent on the market. • During a flood event, the patented float mechanism disengages, allowing hydrostatic pressure to equalize resulting in a significant decrease in potential damage to your foundation crawlspace. The Smart VENT is so unique that it is recognized by FEMA for its innovative design. Some insurance companies are recognizing the benefits of installing a Smart VENT system; possibly reducing flood insurance premiums. This directly benefits the homeowner and provides the opportunity for a considerable Return On Investment. http://alabamafloodvents.com/Products.html

15. The Smart Vent How it works:Flood Protection:The Smart VENT® door is latched closed until flood water enters. Entering flood water lifts the patented internal floats which unlatches and rotates the door open. This allows the flood water to automatically enter and exit through the frame opening, relieving the pressure from your foundation walls.Ventilation: A bimetal coil (like a thermostat, no electricity is needed) automatically opens and closes the ventilation louvers as temperature changes. They will be closed when it is freezing outside and open when it is warm outside to provide natural ventilation.Important note:SmartVENT® does not rely on the louvers to let flood water in and out. Regardless of the louvers' position, opened or closed, when flood water flows into the door, the internal floats release the door to rotate open to relieve the hydrostatic pressure. The louvers and pest screen are rotated out of the path of the flood water. The temperature controlled louvers are for ventilation purposes only. • For Video: http://smartvent.com/insuranceAgents.php?links=ANI

16. Resources • http://ahps.srh.noaa.gov/ahps2/index.php?wfo=mob • http://www.aquafence.com/ • http://www.soros.org/resources/multimedia/katrina/projects/DangerZone/story_LeftBehind_print.php • http://smartvent.com/