Mission Work: River Resilience

A resilient river is a healthy river that supports healthy individuals, communities, and economies. Cahaba River Society protects our beloved river and the diverse population that depends on it by working for balanced and sustainable approaches to achieving river resilience.

Sustainable solutions for improving river resilience balance 3 interests:

• Environmental
• Social
• Economic

These factors are like a three-legged stool: no solution can be stable if the three aren’t balanced. We work with communities, businesses, and individuals throughout the watershed to support solutions that balance environmental, social, and economic interests.

To learn more about collaborating with the Cahaba River Society to achieve Cahaba River resilience while balancing environmental, social, and economic interests, contact River Resilience Program Director Dr. Karen Bareford.

What Makes a River Resilient?

Resilience is the ability to prepare for, withstand, and recover from an event, change, or disturbance. Rivers are dependent on the larger watershed, and demonstrate resilience when they have a natural flow of clean water through a biodiverse ecosystem. Further, they need to be able to withstand times of high flow without washing out the banks and experiencing massive erosion, siltation, and pollution. They also need to be able to maintain a baseflow in drier times of the year. This is possible because there is enough infiltration of water into the ground around the stream that slowly flows through the ground to the stream to feed it in these dry times.

Resilient Rivers Flow Naturally

There is a dramatic increase in catastrophic flooding events that is primarily due to the disruption of natural flows through landscaping, construction, and dams. As we build buildings, roads, and parking lots we create impervious surfaces that do not allow water to infiltrate into the ground. Water hits these surfaces and runs off quickly, funneled to storm drains and piped to local waterways. This water picks up dirt, grime, and pollution along the way. In essence, these activities disconnect the river from natural floodplains and cause unnaturally high flows downstream. One way to combat this is with low-impact development. Free-flowing rivers are also popular outdoor recreation destinations that tremendously benefit our local economy.

Resilient Rivers Have Clean Water

Clean water supports ecosystem resilience and protects the health of everyone who depends on the Cahaba River for drinking water. Clean water requires less filtration, keeping water and infrastructure costs down. The Cahaba River has protected our population from the kinds of adverse water supply events that have made news across the country, and keeping the Cahaba River clean supports resilience in all of our communities.

Resilient Rivers Are Part of Biodiverse Ecosystems

Ecosystems that lack biodiversity struggle to bounce back from adverse events, and preserving the Cahaba River’s biodiversity is essential to river resilience. The Cahaba River is one of the most biodiverse rivers in the world. It supports more fish species per mile than any other river in North America and is home to 139 rare and imperiled species. People travel from all over the world to see the Cahaba lilies each spring.

Initiatives to Support River Resilience

Natural flows, clean water, and biodiversity are supported by low-impact development and green infrastructure.

Water Equity

Access to clean, affordable water is a human right. Municipalities need clean water to minimize filtration costs, and people along the river depend on it for food and recreation. Cahaba River Society works to achieve water equity by engaging governments, businesses, and individuals to balance environmental, social, and economic interests.

Low-Impact Development

Low-impact development is essential to support our growing population. Development that doesn’t account for impact can damage property. For example, a large new parking lot that doesn’t account for water runoff can jeopardize an apartment complex downstream that had previously been safely outside the flood zone. Low-impact development is essential to protecting everyone’s investment, safety, and property rights in the watershed.

Green Infrastructure

Green infrastructure minimizes impact and can reduce overall infrastructure spending. For example, implementing low-flow toilets can prevent the need for new water treatment plant construction. Green infrastructure principles can be applied in numerous contexts, including roofs, landscaping, permeable pavements, and more. Natural approaches are effective, safe, and minimize externalized costs.

We Work With Individuals, Businesses, and Governments

Through our River Resilience program, we engage with local governments, businesses, and individuals to support their efforts to follow best practices and sustainable models. Working for a healthy river means working for everyone who depends on it for drinking water, food, recreation, and economic development, and the best outcomes are achieved when all parties have a seat at the table.

Learn About Supporting a Resilient River

To learn more about collaborating with the Cahaba River Society to achieve Cahaba River resilience, contact River Resilience Program Director Dr. Karen Bareford.