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Mobile Bay and the Delta is the basin into
which the Mobile-Tensaw river system flows. It is the sixth largest in
drainage basin area in the nation, 43,662 square miles, encompassing two
thirds of the state of Alabama and parts of Georgia, Tennessee, and
Mississippi. It is the fourth largest in water discharge. Want to help
take care of the Bay? Here are some ways you can help:
1. Don't waste water. Turn off the water when you are not using it.
2. Dispose of waste properly. Never dump motor oil, paint, or chemicals in
storm drains,
gutters, or sinks.
3. Avoid running a boat through sea grass or marshes. The damage caused by
doing
this can take up to 15 years to recover.
4. Don't throw garbage in the water. Fishing line and six-pack rings kill
or injure animals.
5. Never take plants or animals away from wetlands. Take pictures instead.
6. Stay on marked trails or board walks when visiting the beach. This
helps protect the
dunes and the plants living on them.
7. Water plants in the evening or early mornings but not for several days
after a rain. This
reduces runoff into waterways and storm drains.
8. Sweep your driveway. Toxins and heavy metals will wash into the surface
water if you
hose the driveway.
9. When washing your car, use phosphate free soap and a bucket of water or
a hose
with a shut off valve instead of a steady stream of water.
10. Make a compost pile instead of throwing grass clippings, leaves, and
food wastes in
the trash.
11. Don't chlorinate your pool for several days BEFORE draining.
12. Drain pools over a large area to allow water to filter slowly through
the soil. Never
drain directly into waterways or storm drains.
13. Pull weeds instead of using herbicides.
14. When you walk in the woods, don't pick pitcher plants. They eat bugs.
15. Go to the Library and read books about plants and animals and the
places they live.
The best way to help them is to know them.
16. Participate in beach cleanups. Help reduce litter on our shores.
17. Never feed Dolphins. It is important to let them catch their own food.
18. Be careful not to spill gas whenever you fuel your boat or jet ski.
19. Stay clear of bird or turtle nesting sites. The eggs and the young are
fragile.
20. Get involved with the Mobile Bay National Estuary Program.
Did we forget something? If you have a tip that we didn't remember, send
us an e-mail.
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