Kayaking Up Sewer Creek with a Paddle

Starkly contrasting muddy water from Robinson Bayou mixing with dark natural colored waters of Dog River.

Further upstream in Robinson Bayou the poopy tan colored water contrasts with the dark waters coming from another drainage ditch.

Further research into the muddy water of Robinson Bayou revealed the poopy colored muddy water was not related to the sewage overflow. Here I am kayaking up poop creek (Robinson Bayou) with a paddle. Phew!

Yeah, this is known as a sanitary sewer overflow (SSO) related to a typical heavy rain which Mobile gets about every month if not several times a month. There is nothing sanitary about sewage overflows into public waterways. SSOs jeopardize public health for those living along Mobile's sewage polluted waterways which seems to involve every watershed in Mobile. 

I found the source of the muddy water polluting Robinson Bayou and Dog River. Those drainage pipes under Rosedale Road lead to Brookley Airport which is owned by Mobile Airport Authority. Despite many complaints to ADEM, Construction at Mobile Airport Authority (Brookley) has been polluting Robinson Bayou and Dog River with muddy water sediment and silt erosion for the last three years. 

Upper Robinson Bayou has so filled in with eroded dirt from construction at Brookley that the only time I can paddle up it anymore is when it is raining. Other times upper Robinson Bayou is too shallow to kayak. A decade ago it was easy to kayak to Rosedale Road.

06/08/2012 - Rattlesnake Bayou

Header Image - Swamp lilies are blooming up in Rattlesnake Bayou making it a good kayaking destination right now.

I pedaled toward Rattlesnake Bayou to see if any Manatees had showed up yet. A small rain storm was just forming. That's okay - I had the umbrella.

It is cool as hell to kayak in a heavy rain. This storm grew quickly and dumped a lot of rain.

One of the balloons said, "Welcome Home." Besides littering waterways, floating metallic balloons are noted for causing power outages when they get caught in power lines.

After the heavy rains were over, I checked upper Rattlesnake Bayou for "Floatables" aka urban storm water trash. Thankfully there wasn't very much trash in the water. However, muddy water was coming from one Rangeline Road ditch. I hope muddy water doesn't bother manatees.

Over near Halls Mill Creek it looked like the Osprey Eagle family was lucky. Lightning struck a tree next to their nest the other day and shredded it. Bet that scared the heck out of those birds.

Obligatory photo showing a wood duck with nearby trash in the photo - this was taken in Moore Creek.

The back yard of this ugly house along Halls Mill Creek continues to be a source muddy water sediment pollution.

Moore Creek was pretty muddy today.

Trash coming down Moore Creek was sporadic and thankfully not dense.