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The scale of the rainfall on October 6 and the swi

The scale of the rainfall on October 6 and the swiftness, level and power of the flooding it caused has been called “unprecedented.” Yet flooding and erosive damage to property and infrastructure has been increasing in our region for years, as development replaces forests and outdated stormwater systems prevent groundwater absorption and send more and more runoff gushing into drains and creeks. In fact, we’ve had two flash flood emergencies just in 2021, and multiple other deluge rains this calendar year.

We have been surveying flood damaged areas helping residents connect with resources for help. It is clear that people are starting to connect that our building practices of the past are not sustainable for the rainfall we are seeing now.

The kind of deluges that have been damaging our waterways, turning creeks into eroded ditches and the River into a muddy mess, are now overwhelming our roads, homes and businesses.

We encourage everyone affected by the recent flooding to share their reports of damage with their community officials. This is vitally important to help the Counties and their cities build a case for a disaster declaration that could provide FEMA funding to repair damages, including for private property owners. Find out how to report your damage at the link in our bio.

Photo 1: Cahaba River near Riverchase (Hoover). Note the exposed sanitary sewer manhole near the top left of the photo.

Photo 2: Dodd Branch near Riverchase and the Cahaba River.

Photos 3-5: Tributary of Patton Creek, near Hoover Country Club. Note the thick sand and sediment deposited on the banks and upland areas near the tributary as well as the damage to the bridge in the background.

Photo 6: Driveway and retaining wall of a home near Paradise Lake (Hoover) which experienced failure and collapse due to heavy rain and runoff.

Photos 7-10: Damage and bank failure in along Hurricane Creek in Hoover. Note the large, rocky bank collapse and trees swept away due to high water from runoff. Also note the deposition of large piles of sediment from upstream sources.

We have some positive news to report about our eff

We have some positive news to report about our efforts to remove invasive taro from the Cahaba. This is a shot of the location where so many volunteers from @littlegardenclubofbirmingham worked to remove taro from the large stand in the midst of the Cahaba Lilies in the Refuge. Not only are there no Taro plants (the effort was successful), but the Water Willow wherein the Taro was growing has fully recovered!

To learn more about this invasive plant and what you can do to prevent its spread (and report sightings) visit www.savethecahaba.org/taro. You can also support more projects like this by voting in #FryDown2021 at FryDown.com!

#cahaba #invasiveplants #taro

It's your last chance to vote at FryDown.com! #Fry

It's your last chance to vote at FryDown.com! #FryDown2021 ends tomorrow!

Voting will close at 11am on Sunday. Chupper Time will host a video cooking demonstration beginning at noon at FryDown.com. The awards ceremony will follow later in the afternoon with our emcee, Comedienne Joy, and the judgments of our panel including Ashley McMakin of Ashley Mac's and Neil Ross, lead of the 2020 Friends of Shades Creek team and Best Production winner.

When you vote for your favorite team, you will be automatically registered for a special video cook-along with Chef Chris Hastings of Hot & Hot! The class will be delivered by email through a special link along with a recipe and instructions for everything you need to cook along with the renowned chef.

You will also receive a digital copy of the Fry-Down Cookbook, containing all of the delightful recipes from the 2021 and 2020 Virtual Cahaba River Fry-Downs!

Fry-Down is in its final stretch! Voting ends tomo

Fry-Down is in its final stretch! Voting ends tomorrow at 11am, so cast yours now! Tune in tomorrow at noon on FryDown.com where Chef Brandon Crosby and his wife Casey of Chupper Time Catering will show you how to prepare his delicious pimiento cheese while the Fry-Down committee tallies your votes!

This year's winners will be announced at 3:30 at FryDown.com. Stay tuned!

#FryDown2021

Chef Chris Hastings has a special message for supp

Chef Chris Hastings has a special message for supporters of #FryDown2021. Please cast your vote today to be registered for a special video cook-along that will be delivered to your inbox along with a recipe and instructions for everything you'll need. You'll also receive a digital copy of the Fry-Down Cookbook with all of the recipes from our virtual teams!

We are just $10,955 away from our goal, and we will get there with your help! Vote at FryDown.com.

A school of non-native tilapia has been spotted in

A school of non-native tilapia has been spotted in Shades Creek. Following last weekend's restoration project with Friends of Shades Creek and the Little Garden Club, a team managed to net one specimen to be sent for DNA testing to try and determine its origin. The presence of these fish is concerning as they shouldn't be able to survive our cold winters, but these specimens are large enough to suggest that they've been here long enough to mature. We are concerned that they could be finding a way to overwinter and reproduce, which could threaten native fish populations.

Have you spotted one of these non native fish in an Alabama waterway? Let us know!

#invasivespecies #tilapia #shadescreek #cahaba

Fry-Down is in full swing! 🔥 Voting ends this w

Fry-Down is in full swing! 🔥 Voting ends this week!

The competition is heating up, and we are within $15k of meeting our fundraising goal for the 12th annual Cahaba River Fry-Down!

Join us for the Grand Finale this Sunday, October 3!

Voting will close at 11am. Chupper Time will host a video cooking demonstration beginning at noon, followed by the awards ceremony with our emcee, Comedienne Joy, who is heading the Fry-Down judging along with Ashley McMakin of Ashley Mac's and Neil Ross, lead of the 2020 Friends of Shades Creek team and Best Production winner.

When you vote for your favorite team, you will be automatically registered for a special video cook-along with Chef Chris Hastings of Hot & Hot! The class will be delivered by email through a special link along with a recipe and instructions for everything you need to cook along with the renowned chef. Watch for it all in your inbox after the Grand Finale.

Visit FryDown.com today and cast your vote. #FryDown2021

Chris Hastings was a wonderfully gracious host whe

Chris Hastings was a wonderfully gracious host when we visited Hot and Hot today to film his cooking demonstration for #FryDown2021. Be sure to cast your vote at FryDown.com so you'll have a chance to see it!

We're out on the #Cahaba bright and early this mor

We're out on the #Cahaba bright and early this morning with @landonwexler of @cbs_42 cooking g up some #bass and talking about #FryDown2021! Recipe inspired by #hispanicheritagemonth .

The competition is heating up! Baugh Team is off t

The competition is heating up! Baugh Team is off to a strong lead, but Eagle Solar and Blazer Theatre Organization had big jumps over the weekend. With a week left in the competition, it could be a victory for any of the #FryDown2021 teams. Get your vote in today at FryDown.com!

Let's talk about glitter confetti. On our way down

Let's talk about glitter confetti. On our way down to Shades Creek for yesterday's restoration project, we found loads of it on the trail before we even made it out of the parking lot.

What probably started as a cute photo op has now left hundreds of tiny pieces of brightly colored litter all over the ground. During a rain, these little pieces will easily wash into Shades Creek. Confused fish, birds, and other wildlife will try to eat them. Scientists are finding more and more animals dead of starvation with pieces of plastic like these in their bellies. These bits of microplastic from Shades Creek may make it all the way to the Gulf of Mexico and beyond.

Fortunately some of our hardworking volunteers picked up a lot of this mess, but it's going to take a return with a vacuum to get more of it and will be impossible to ensure that we get it all.

We understand the desire to be festive, but choose biodegradable and eco-safe options when you toss confetti. Most importantly, pick up anything that you drop and #leavenotrace!

Today we joined forces with Friends of Shades Cree

Today we joined forces with Friends of Shades Creek, the Little Garden Club, and Melonie McBrayer's Homewood science students on a demonstration of live staking with matting, without matting, sun/shade plantings, and different restoration techniques. We also cleaned up litter and removed invasive plants.

#cahaba #shadescreekgreenway #shadescreek #bigcahabacleanup #litter #streambankrestoration

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