Submerged Aquatic Vegetation (SAV)

Spring 2006 Marsh Planting Projects

Submerged Aquatic Vegetation (SAV), often called 'seaweed', is an important part of estuarine ecology.  SAV meadows serve as nursery grounds, sediment catches, wave breaks, and food for many flora and fauna.  The Mobile Bay NEP has been developing a program to grow and plant these important species.  A pilot planting project was completed in April 2005.

News Release          SAV Aerials          2005 Historical Survey
SAV Manual             2002 Report          2005 Post Hurricane Ivan Assessment

Partners: Dauphin Island Sea Lab, Mobile Bay NEP, Gulf Shores High School, Weeks Bay Reserve, Gulf of Mexico Program

Day One:  Harvesting of Vallesneria americana and Rupia maritima took place at an approved location in the City of Daphne, Alabama on April 18, 2005.

Vallesneria americana	Flag to mark plugs	Setting plug transect
Place PVC	Retrieve PVC	Remove SAV plug
More SAV harvesting	Storage in bay water	Transport
More Transport	Ready to travel to Weeks Bay

Day Two:  Planting of SAV in Fish River, Alabama, a tributary of Weeks Bay in the Weeks Bay Reserve on April 19, 2005.  Gulf Shores High School students also plant SAV plugs grown in the classroom.

Planting transect	Wave attenuation	SAV acclimation with bay and river water overnight
Planting instruction	Transect instruction	Creating plug hole
Fertilizer	Fertilizer	SAV Plug Placement
Tracking your work	Coconut mats	Placing 'homegrown' SAV in coconut mat
More plugs in mats	Completed mat with plugs	Securing mats to river bottom
Testing water quality	"Team SAV"

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Last Date Updated: 02/15/07
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