HOW TO REPORT RIVER POLLUTION / WATCHDOG PROCEDURE - FLER
Below is a suggested procedure for reporting a problem on the Locust Fork River, tributaries and/or watershed. It is important to be prompt and precise and well documented when reporting. Friends of the Locust Fork River is here to help you report in any way needed, but it is important for the person seeing the violation first hand to initiate the water quality complaint. FLFR needs and appreciates your help keeping the LFR watershed healthy.
1. Location of pollution to be reported (county, stream, GPS coordinates, road map/crossings, etc.)
2. Description of the problem observed (smell, color, dead animals, etc.)
Storm water runoff, sedimentation and siltation, point source pollution, non-point source pollution, sewage discharge, septic tank leak, Concentrated Animal Feeding Operation (CAFO), waste sludge distribution, illegal dump, gasoline or oil spill, fish kill, etc.
3. When was the problem observed (month, day, year, time, after heavy rain, etc)
4. Expected source of pollution (sewage outfall, poultry farm, extreme bank erosion, etc.)
5. Your identification (anonymous or name, postal address, cell phone, email, etc.)
6. ALWAYS request confirmation of receipt of complaint and anticipated investigation time frame.
7. Follow up on your report with a phone call or email. Keep calling until you get satisfactory results.
8. If possible, take photographs or videos of expected violation (hardcopy or uploaded) and attach them to your emails, and the ADEM online report. They are VERY HELPFUL.
Information gathered should be sent to:
Alabama Department of Environmental Management: app.adem.alabama.gov/complaints/submission.aspx
Friends of the Locust Fork River [email protected]
Black Warrior Riverkeeper https://blackwarriorriver.org/report-pollution/
Alabama Rivers Alliance www.alabamarivers.org
If applicable, also file complaints with:
Blount County EMA: [email protected] or 205-625-4121
Blount County Health Dept 205-274-2120
AL Dept. of Public Health (ADPH) adph.org
Alabama Emergency Management Agency I State Warning Point: 800-843-0699 [24 hour hotline)
This is also ADEM's after hours contact: 1-800-843-0699
Environmental Protection Agency: https://echo.epa.gov/report-environmental-violations
US Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) fws.gov/southeast/maps/al
Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS): [email protected] or 888-526-3227
US Corp of Engineers (USACE) Birmingham Field Office 205-290-9096 to report stream and wetland fills and dam construction
AL Dept of Conservation and Natural Resource -
Operation Game Watch 800-272-4263
to report fish kills: outdooralabama.com/freshwater-fishing/reporting-freshwater-fish-kills
Too much information is never a problem when reporting a pollution event. Some organizations such as ADEM make reporting violations easy by having their own reporting form online. It is also helpful to have a person's name at the receiving organization to send the complaint information i.e. Attn: John Doe - Environmental Complaint Dept. So you may want to call the organization to determine who that person may be.
Below is a suggested procedure for reporting a problem on the Locust Fork River, tributaries and/or watershed. It is important to be prompt and precise and well documented when reporting. Friends of the Locust Fork River is here to help you report in any way needed, but it is important for the person seeing the violation first hand to initiate the water quality complaint. FLFR needs and appreciates your help keeping the LFR watershed healthy.
1. Location of pollution to be reported (county, stream, GPS coordinates, road map/crossings, etc.)
2. Description of the problem observed (smell, color, dead animals, etc.)
Storm water runoff, sedimentation and siltation, point source pollution, non-point source pollution, sewage discharge, septic tank leak, Concentrated Animal Feeding Operation (CAFO), waste sludge distribution, illegal dump, gasoline or oil spill, fish kill, etc.
3. When was the problem observed (month, day, year, time, after heavy rain, etc)
4. Expected source of pollution (sewage outfall, poultry farm, extreme bank erosion, etc.)
5. Your identification (anonymous or name, postal address, cell phone, email, etc.)
6. ALWAYS request confirmation of receipt of complaint and anticipated investigation time frame.
7. Follow up on your report with a phone call or email. Keep calling until you get satisfactory results.
8. If possible, take photographs or videos of expected violation (hardcopy or uploaded) and attach them to your emails, and the ADEM online report. They are VERY HELPFUL.
Information gathered should be sent to:
Alabama Department of Environmental Management: app.adem.alabama.gov/complaints/submission.aspx
Friends of the Locust Fork River [email protected]
Black Warrior Riverkeeper https://blackwarriorriver.org/report-pollution/
Alabama Rivers Alliance www.alabamarivers.org
If applicable, also file complaints with:
Blount County EMA: [email protected] or 205-625-4121
Blount County Health Dept 205-274-2120
AL Dept. of Public Health (ADPH) adph.org
Alabama Emergency Management Agency I State Warning Point: 800-843-0699 [24 hour hotline)
This is also ADEM's after hours contact: 1-800-843-0699
Environmental Protection Agency: https://echo.epa.gov/report-environmental-violations
US Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) fws.gov/southeast/maps/al
Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS): [email protected] or 888-526-3227
US Corp of Engineers (USACE) Birmingham Field Office 205-290-9096 to report stream and wetland fills and dam construction
AL Dept of Conservation and Natural Resource -
Operation Game Watch 800-272-4263
to report fish kills: outdooralabama.com/freshwater-fishing/reporting-freshwater-fish-kills
Too much information is never a problem when reporting a pollution event. Some organizations such as ADEM make reporting violations easy by having their own reporting form online. It is also helpful to have a person's name at the receiving organization to send the complaint information i.e. Attn: John Doe - Environmental Complaint Dept. So you may want to call the organization to determine who that person may be.
